Click here for the 2016 HockomockSports.com Boys Soccer Awards.
Tag: James Chotkowski
The 2016 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars
Below are the official 2016 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Tyler Mann, King Philip
Hockomock League All Stars
Harry Lancaster, Attleboro
Nick Hasenfus, Attleboro
Paul Corcoran, Canton
Jake Verille, Canton
Anthony Barreira, Foxboro
Jeff Melo, Foxboro
Hatim Brahimi, Franklin
Farley Asmath, Franklin
Colby Koch, King Philip
Tyler Mann, King Philip
Cam Mullins, King Philip
Eli O’Neill, King Philip
Max Gurnon, Mansfield
Nick Hyland, Mansfield
James Chotkowski, Mansfield
Marcello Panno, Milford
Pedro Sampaio, Milford
John Brennan, North Attleboro
Nathaniel Cardoza, Oliver Ames
Thomas McCormick, Oliver Ames
Matt Campbell, Oliver Ames
Ben Stamm, Sharon
Shalin Patel, Sharon
Loubensky Lucus, Stoughton
Tyler Melo, Stoughton
Daniel DeAndrade, Taunton
Honorable Mentions
Zach White, Attleboro
Griffin Roach, Canton
AJ Bubencik, Foxboro
Connor San Clemente, Franklin
Ryan Coulter, King Philip
Jed Tolbert, Mansfield
Danny Mendoza, Milford
Mason Galbato, Oliver Ames
Andrew Reyes-Jones, Sharon
Jordan Asnes, Stoughton
Halben Sends Attleboro Past Mansfield in Double OT
MANSFIELD, Mass. – For Attleboro, the third time playing Hockomock rival Mansfield proved to be the charm.
The Bombardiers suffered a 3-0 loss to the Hornets early in the season and settled for a 1-1 draw in mid October.
But on Saturday night, Big Blue picked up the win in the game that mattered most, walking away from Alumni Field with a 1-0 win in double overtime in the MIAA D1 South First Round.
Eighty minutes of regulation and 10 minutes of the first overtime period wasn’t enough to separate the two but it took less than a minute of the second overtime period for Attleboro to find the winner.
Sophomore Colin Levis blocked a clearance on the right wing, raced to the ball and delivered a cross into the area. Mansfield goalie Nick Ferraz dove out, getting a hand to the service. The ball fell to sophomore Will Halben, who calmly cut the ball back and used his toe poke with his left foot to find the back of the net for the winner.
“When it got to me, I cut it outside and toe poked it with my left foot and megged the goalie and it got in,” Halben said. “I was really off balance but I was able to get enough power to get it through. I kind of forgot it was golden goal but everyone jumped on me and I was crushed at that bottom but it was a great feeling.”
It’s the third time in the last four games that Halben has scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win for Attleboro.
“He’s got the speed around the net, he’s been pretty good,” Attleboro head coach Peter Pereira said. “He missed his first one and just pushed it in with his toe. It was a good game, Mansfield kind of carries the play a little bit. Those throw ins are deadly. We’ve been practicing defending them but they are so hard to defend because of Mansfield’s height. Even though they had most of the possession, we needed a break and that’s what we got. The boys played well.
“Playing a team from the same league for a third time, it’s really difficult. The good thing was my kids were relaxed because they knew who the enemy was. But we also knew they had beaten us earlier in the season but we had tied them the second time so that really helped our conference. We’re 1-1-1 this year [against Mansfield] but we’ll take this one.”
The Hornets had over a dozen attacking throw ins and nearly 10 free kick opportunities that put the ball into the area but the results included either hitting the post, a save from Bombardier goalie Nick Hasenfus, a shot wide or a clearance from Attleboro’s defense.
The effort off the post came early in the game when Cullin Anastasia rose up to meet a throw from Max Gurnon. His header bounced once before hitting the post and staying out. Rebound chances from Brendan Sullivan and Anastasia were blocked by defenders.
Ten minutes later, a service into the area eventually bounced out to the top of the 18, but Sullivan had his shot on target saved by Hasenfus.
Mansfield had the two first chances of the second half as well when Max Gurnon ripped a shot from the left wing that went to the far post but Sean Lanzillo’s touch went just over the bar. Five minutes later, James Chotkowski’s header off a corner from Kevin Bouck bounced wide at the far post.
“We’re strong on those throw ins and those free kicks but just couldn’t find the back of the net today,” Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan said. “[Attleboro] played great, I knew they’d pack it in and play tight defense. And their goalie played phenomenal. My hats off to them. We had more than enough chances in regulation, never mind overtime, and we just didn’t do it.”
Attleboro finally had a chance in the 61st minute with Halben blocking a clearance, racing around a defender and going in at goal at a tight angle but Ferraz did well to come out and cut the angle down, holding onto the ball after sliding out. Two minutes later, AHS freshman Mike Russo lofted a cross into the area but Halben’s header went wide of the far post.
Anastasia got his head to a throw from Gurnon in the 72nd minute but Attleboro defender Tyler Treichler was positioned well and headed the ball clear before it could get through to Hasenfus.
“They got four goals against us during the regular season and three of the four were from throw ins,” Pereira said. “They’ve got the height to flick it. We tried to work on stepping in front of them and get to it first. They are very good with those throws, the free kicks. Their defense is very good, Max [Gurnon] is a horse back there and they won most of the balls. But we’ll take it and we’ll go on and see what happens next.”
Hasenfus made the biggest stop of the game in the 78th minute. Gurnon dropped a free kick into the area that fell between Sullivan and Anastasia. Anastasia was the one to pounce, unleashing a shot from inside the 6 yard box but Hasenfus was positioned perfectly and knocked the bid aside.
“He’s been very solid, he’s grown all year long, the team has confidence in him,” Pereira said of Hasenfus. “We weren’t sure what to expect but he’s been solid, he’s a Hockomock All Star…he hasn’t made mistakes. We have not lost games because of him. Today – that one late was a big save – and the others he was sweeping them up and there were no drops. My defense played well, Harry [Lancaster] and Treichler played very well and the outside backs were strong too.”
Attleboro boys soccer (8-5-6) will take on #4 Braintree in the D1 South Quarterfinal. The Bombardiers will visit the Wamps on Monday at 6:00. Mansfield finishes the season 11-5-3.
KP Secures Kelley-Rex Crown With Win Over Hornets
WRENTHAM, Mass. – King Philip boys soccer has scored in a variety of ways throughout the 2016 season. From free kicks to corner kicks, and in the run of play, the Warriors have crafted some impressive goals this year.
But the Warriors saved their best goal for the most important game of the season.
Senior Colby Koch uncorked an absolute stunner just moments before halftime that proved to be the game-winner in King Philip’s 2-0 win over Mansfield – a victory that clinched the Warriors’ first ever outright league title and first Kelley-Rex crown since 2010.
“A lot of hear of heart, a lot of grit and a lot of passion, which I think plays into it and they were heavily disciplined, which is something against a good team like Mansfield you have to be because they’ll expose you in a moment the second you break down,” King Philip head coach Nick Gale said. “Their work ethic, they earned this one tonight.”
The Warriors entered the game with a three point lead in the division over Mansfield and came out with the better of chances early on. Junior Tyler Mann intercepted a clearance from the Hornets and quickly found Koch for a shot just outside the area but Mansfield keeper Jed Tolbert did well to time his jump for the save.
Five minutes later, Jack Bush’s long throw was deflected to the back post where KP sophomore Anthony Bozza latched onto it but his shot was blocked wide. In the 33rd minute, Larsen Keys cleared a Mansfield free kick and Mann quickly sent Koch forward. The senior connected with Nils van den Boogaard for a shot from just outside the area but Tolbert was positioned well for the stop.
Mansfield finally registered its first serious scoring chance in the 36th minute when Cullin Anastasia was able to win a 50/50 ball, putting it down for a shot from Sam Hyland from just outside the area but KP keeper Eli O’Neill smothered the low shot.
Just a minute before halftime is when the fireworks finally went off. Koch gained possession in the attacking third. A couple of touches forward, Koch was given just enough space the the senior didn’t hesitate, unleashing a shot from just a couple of steps over 30 yards out that ripped through the air to the upper corner at the far post to put the Warriors up 1-0.
“Everyone was just making incredible runs, when I had the ball I was going to try and find Tyler on a run but the defender angled his body so I couldn’t,” Koch said. “I faked it, the defender went right, I went left and the goalie shifted so I just shot to the far post.
“You have to take opportunity you get. I think it was Wayne Gretzky that said you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. The guys on the team encourage me to shoot, and they all can finish as well so if we have the space it can be dangerous.”
“Even the shots before and after, you could tell he was on his game tonight,” Gale said. “He’s been very focused as of late. He’s stepped up from an outside back position [last year] to a striker and he’s somehow managed 14 points. When you switch positions, you don’t just do that often. For that moment, we needed something big for us and no one else I’d rather have than Colby taking that shot and he got a good shot off.”
The goal gave the Warriors the momentum heading into the break but KP couldn’t break through Mansfield’s defense and capitalize to start the second half.
Mansfield had the first chance of the second stanza in the 55th minute when James Chotkowski hit an off-balance shot inside the area but it curled high and wide. Four minutes later, KP had a chance to double the lead by was stuffed by Mansfield captain Max Gurnon. Mann found Koch, who returned the pass but the shot from Mann in the area was blocked by Gurnon.
Two minutes later, the Hornets nearly used their bread and butter – set pieces – to cash in and tie the game. A free kick from Gurnon dropped into the area, met by sliding O’Neill but the ball bounced loose in the area. Anastasia had a go on the rebound but his chance was blocked away.
Mansfield had another bid in the 64th minute to try and tie the game when Hyland dropped a free kick to the far post but Gurnon was well marked and couldn’t get a clean touch.
“My backline and goalie have been the strength all year but Mansfield is extremely dangerous in the final third with their set pieces,” Gale said. “They have players who are fearless and can finish so I have to give props to my back four and keeper for being able to handle that pressure nonstop throughout the game. Going into the game it was important to not allow them many opportunities and we did a good job defending them.”
King Philip secured the win in the 79th minute as Thomas Lugten gained some separation on the left wing, firing a shot that Tolbert got a piece of. The rebound rolled to the far post where Mann sprinted onto it and buried it from in close to make it 2-0.
“Nothing, we just can’t score on them,” Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan said when asked what it is about KP that gives the Hornets trouble. Mansfield’s lone two losses are to KP. “We played them tough. We had one mistake on that first goal, we let Colby get away and get the shot off…it was a beautiful goal, just a beautiful goal. We were pressing up at the end, we went with three forwards, four forwards. We were going for the tie and then we wanted the win, it just didn’t happen.
“[King Philip] is a good team, they’re very disciplined. They are going to be a tough out in the tourney – but I hope we see them like we did last year.”
With the win, King Philip moves to 15-1-2 overall and 13-1-1 in league play, which clinched the league title.
“They pay attention, I can’t even hide it,” Gale said when asked if his players were aware of the possibility of clinching with the win. “I think that’s what played into how well they played. They wanted it. It doesn’t happen here very often. We had someone come up that won the title in 1999 and they shared it with Oliver Ames. I couldn’t tell you the last time that KP has won it outright in soccer.”
“It’s incredible,” Koch said of winning the division. “You just know you’re never going to get this chance again so you just have to live it up and take it for what it is, it’s awesome. I love it.”
King Philip boys soccer closes the regular season when Franklin comes to Macktaz Field on Thursday at 3:45. Mansfield has two games left in the regular season, first a visit from OA on Thursday and then a date with Canton at Gillette Stadium on Friday at 6:00.
Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/19/16
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Mansfield’s Sam Hyland scored the tying goal with 10 minutes left in the game. Hyland scored on an assist from James Chotkowski, who got a touch off of Max Gurnon’s throw in.
Canton, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Freshman Jordan Borges scored his second career goal to put Milford ahead early in the second half but Canton leveled the match with a penalty kick with six minutes to go. Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Zachary Browne and Marcello Panna both put in great performances.
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Hussein Kafel scored the game winning goal midway through the first half for the Warriors while Anthony Barreira iced the game with a goal in the final minutes.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Shawn Watters notched his second straight shutout and fourth overall in net for the Rocketeers.
King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three goals in the second half to hand King Philip its first loss of the season. Nathaniel Cardoza set up Thomas McCormick for a shot from just outside the area to put OA up 1-0. Matt Campbell finished off a cross from Matt Alvarado to make it 2-0 and then Alvarado scored one of his own, putting home a flick from James Gillespie off a throw from Chris Lawrence. Jack Carroll recorded his seventh shutout of the season with the help of Lawrence, Mason Galbato, Nick Bloumbas, Cam Johnson and Michael Braga. “We had an early opportunity in the second half but wasn’t able to finish,” KP head coach Nick Gale said. “After that, OA played very well and scored first which set the tone – they didn’t look back. I take responsibility for my team being unprepared.”
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Farley Asmath opened the scoring in the 39th minute off a feed from freshman Sam Stowell to put Franklin up 1-0 but Taunton’s Daeshawn Duffie answered a minute later to level the match just before half.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Stephanie Kemp and Amanda Mangano each recorded two points as Mansfield stayed unbeaten on the season. Kemp scored once and had an assist while Mangano had two helpers. Bryn Anderson, Emma Goulet and Emily Vigeant each scored once for Mansfield.
Canton, 3 @ Milford, 6 – Final
Foxboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro’s Haley Guertin tied a school record with five goals in the Rocketeers’ big win. Emma Gaulin scored the other goal for Big Red. Rachel LaBonte had two assists while Emily Chiasson, Sam Hawkins, Ashlyn Gaulin and Britta MacDonald each had one assist. Head coach Bill Wallace said Grace McGoldrick and Julianna DiRenzo played exception in midfield.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Abby Reardon netted the game winner in the first half to lift the Tigers. OA head coach Britt Sellmayer said Regan Benton had a strong game in goal to earn the shutout and said both Lauren Wright and Dana Lowney played well for the Tigers.
Franklin, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield picked up a 25-9, 25-15, 25-18 sweep on the road. Jess Haradon had 10 service points and 15 digs, Jacey Anderson had 10 digs and Anna Kemp added 14 service points for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Juniors Jordan Motley and Val Whalen combined for over 30 kills for Stoughton while senior Riley Bagley and sophomore Mia Bennett kept the defense strong with over 80 digs.
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 5:00
King Philip, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – King Philip picked up the 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-18 win on the road. Angela Vellante had 19 service points, three aces and four digs for King Philip while Sydney Phillips added 17 kills and 19 service points and Liv Balduf chipped in with 11 service points and three kills. KP head coach Kristen Geuss said Molly Croke had an excellent defensive game. Oliver Ames’ Bridget McCarthy had 20 assists and three aces.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Erin Skidmore led the Panthers with 10 kills, eight digs and two aces while Maddie Kuzio added 19 digs, two aces and a kill and Meaghan Maguire finished with four kills and three blocks.
Field Hockey
Mansfield, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Milford, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 3:45
King Philip, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin senior Nicole Denommee scored her first varsity goal on the while Annie Walsh, Alex Sullivan, Cassi Ronan and Caroline Lounsbury each scored once. Senior Samantha Hertzberg got the shutout in goal making three saves.
Golf
Foxboro, 173 @ Attleboro, 169 – Final – Ethan Johnson led Attleboro, earning co-medalist honors with a round of 40. Brian Houle shot a 42, Corey McKenna shot a 43 and Taron Mills carded a 45 to pace the Bombardiers. Foxboro’s Colby Nickerson shared medalist honors, shooting a 40 as well.
Oliver Ames, 147 @ Canton, 151 – Final – Oliver Ames completed the regular season undefeated at 16-0 with a win at Canton. Ryan McGarry and Nolan Donze both shot 35 earn match medalist honors for the Tigers. Brady Allbritton shot a 38 and Tate Hadges carded a 39 for the Tigers. Matt Minichiello and Danny Powers each each shot 37 to pace Canton while Tommy Dimock carded a round of 38
Taunton, 166 @ Franklin, 164 – Final – Matt D’Errico led Franklin with a 38 while Bryan Woelfel carded a 39 for the Panthers. Taunton’s Mike Volkmann and Justin Proto shared match medalist honors, shooting 36 on the day.
Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/17/16
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro’s offense exploded for three goals, snapping Canton’s seven game unbeaten streak. Gabe Pinhancos opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing off a cross from Zach Matracia to put North up 1-0. Leo Charlebois doubled the lead, converting from the penalty spot after Andrew Fontaine drew the foul inside the area. Pinhancos got his second of the game in the 53rd minute, taking a through ball from Conor Danahey to put the Rocketeers up 3-0. Shawn Watters made six saves in net and North head coach Geoff Burgess said John Brennan was huge defensively for Big Red.
Foxboro, 1 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Sharon scored once in each half to pick up a key division win against Foxboro. Jake Teven opened the scoring in the first half, scoring an unassisted goal from just outside the area to put the Eagles up 1-0. Andrew Reyes-Jones doubled Sharon’s lead, converting a long throw from Tyler Hippler to make it 2-0. An own goal with three minutes to play put Foxboro on the board.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Cullin Anastasia scored inside the opening 10 minutes off an assist from Sam Hyland to set the tone for the Hornets. John Cooney doubled the lead in the 52nd minute, scoring off an assist from Max Gurnon and James Chotkowski iced the game in the 72nd minute off an assist from Anastasia. Nick Ferraz notched his first career shutout with four saves. Head coach Steve Sheridan had high praise for Sam Nugent, Ethan Brill-Cass, Harry Braidt, Jalaj Singh, Jake Tuleja and Gurnon for their defensive play.
Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Kevin Hall scored the lone goal of the game in the second half on an assist from Noah Scafati to help the Panthers earn the win. Freddie Beckmann recorded the shutout in net for Franklin.
Stoughton, 1 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Stoughton’s Marco Antunes scored his first goal of the season early in the second half as the Black Knights beat Milford. Noah Schulze served in a free kick that Antunes was able to eventually latch on to. Matt Gallagher recorded his second straight shutout of the year. “Milford was excellent and made us play hard for the win tonight,” Stoughton head coach Aaron Salter said. “Marco Antunes was excellent and so was my defense.” Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Andre Oliveira and Marcello Panno put in great performances in midfield for the Scarlet Hawks.
Girls Soccer
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip freshman Avery Snead scored a pair of goals in the first 20 minutes of the game to lead the Warriors, who qualified for the postseason with the win. Snead converted a pass from classmate Chloe Layne for the game-winner in the eighth minute and doubled the lead in the 19th minute, netting a through ball from Julia Massarone from 10 yards out. Riley Magane iced the game on a shot from just inside the area off an assist from Skylah Caruso.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Riley Duserick gave Canton a lead in the first half but North Attleboro’s Aine Mendonca leveled the scoring before the break, scoring on a free kick. North Attleboro head coach Bill Wallace said Haley Guertin, Rachel LaBonte and Emily Chiasson played well for the Rocketeers.
Sharon, 2 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Alex Rabb scored a pair of goals, putting Sharon ahead 1-0 just over 10 minutes into the game and then netting the game-winner on a free kick from 30 yards out just before halftime. Ally Filipkowski notched the assist on Rabb’s opener. Foxboro’s Kristen Bortolotti scored on a penalty kick in the first half for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Hannah Reiter netted a pair of second half goals to lead Mansfield to the win on the road.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Regan Benton had the shutout for Oliver Ames in Net. OA head coach Britt Sellmayer said Zoe Chazan, Dana Lowney and Kiana Lozzi had strong games for the Tigers.
Milford, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Gabbie Riley and Maggie Boyle each scored a pair of goals while Julianna France and Sydney Morrison each netted one goal to lead the Scarlet Hawks. Olivia Marshall notched the shutout in net for Milford.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip defended its home court with a 25-16, 25-13, 25-19 sweep of the visiting Bombardiers. Kat Kmetz led KP with 16 service points while Carly Adams had 14 service points and Sydney Phillips finished with 12 service points and had a strong game at the net. Emma Lopez had six kills and Liv Balduf finished with four kills and 10 service points for the Warriors.
Canton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Canton dropped the second set but rebounded to get the next two for a 25-17, 20-25, 25-19, 25-20 win. “It was a gritty, hard fought battle,” Canton head coach Pat Cawley said. Nicole Poole dished out 21 assists and added six kills and six aces to lead the Bulldogs. Emma Murphy had seven kills six blocks and two aces, Cassie Loftus had her best all around match of the season according to Cawley with five kills and some impressive defensive play. Julia Panico controlled Canton’s defense with 15 digs.
Foxboro, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon won the second and third sets but had to battle all the way to the fifth set to earn the win over Foxboro. Sharon junior Jess Allan led Eagles’ offense with 10 kills along with seven aces. Junior Naomi Topal added nine kills and six aces, senior Faythe Gomolka tallied 17 assists and Cori Jermyn had five aces, six digs and four blocks.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield picked up the sweep, 25-19, 25-19, 25-19, at home against Tainton. Chloe Peters had 14 service points and 20 assists, Jess Haradon had 11 digs and eight service points, Meg Hill added 11 kills and Lexi Gardner chipped in with six service points .
Franklin, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Franklin picked up a big division win in five sets on the road at Oliver Ames. Erin Skidmore led the Panthers with 12 kills while adding 23 digs and a pair of aces. Maddie Kuzio also had two aces while leading Franklin with 31 digs. Lauren McGrath had 31 assists to go along with an ace and Maggie Doyle had six kills and five blocks.
Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Caitlin Donahue scored a hat trick, netting two goals in the first half as KP held a 4-0 lead by the break. Liz Furfari and Alli Meehan each scored once for the Warriors.
Canton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final
Franklin, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Franklin punched its ticket to the state tournament with an impressive win on the road. Sophomores Annie Walsh and Cassi Ronan each had scored two goals and grabbed an assist to lead the Panthers. Senior Kayla Marshall added a goal and senior Caroline Lounsbury had an assist. Franklin sophomore goalie Christina Lucini made four saves to get the win in net. Franklin head coach Lisa Cropper said Dana Lewandowski and Kate Morse had outstanding games through the midfield and on defense.
Stoughton, 5 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Olivia Schlehuber scored a pair of goals for Stoughton, while Kayla Oliviera, Mia Russell and Julia Russell scored once to pace the Black Knights.
Golf
Sharon, 167 @ Oliver Ames, 146 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Brady Allbritton and Mark Bissonette shared medalist honors, both shooting 36 for the Tigers. Nolan Donze and Thomas Walsh each shot 37 for Oliver Ames. Sharon’s Andrew Glover and Max Avratin each shot 41.
Canton, 165 @ Attleboro, 178 – Final – Canton’s Joey Vaughan earned match medalist honors after shooting a low-round of 40 for the Bulldogs. Danny Powers shot a 41 and both Jackson Maffeo and Matt Minichiello carded a round of 42. Attleboro’s Corey McKenna shot a team-low 41 on the day.
Milford, 169 @ King Philip, 180 – Final – Ryan Tomaso earned match medalist honors, shooting a round-low 36 for the Scarlet Hawks. Anthony Arcudi shot a 40 for Milford while Danny McLoughlin carded a team-low round of 41 for KP.
Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/13/16
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of the game.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 0 – Final
Mansfield, 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford freshman Jordan Borges scored his first career goal off an assist by Marcello Panno to open the scoring but Mansfield netted four goals in the final seven minutes of the first half to get the win. Sean Lanzillo leveled the score off an assist from Ethan Brill-Cass in the 33rd minute, Cullin Anastasia put Mansfield up 2-1 on an assist from Kevin Bouck in the 35th minute, James Chotkowski made it 3-1 off an assist from Brill-Cass in the 39th minute and then Anastasia made it 4-1 off an assist from Lanzillo just 30 seconds later. Mansfield goalie Nick Ferraz replaced an injured Jed Tolbert in net in the second half and made 12 saves – head coach Steve Sheridan saying Ferraz played phenomenal. Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Zachary Brown and Mike Weber played extremely well for the Scarlet Hawks.
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip senior Colby Koch opened the scoring for the Warriors, finishing off a one on one situation after a ball over the top from Tyler Mann. Jason Florio netted the game-winner in the 77th minute, finishing at the back post off a feed from Anthony Bozza. North Attleboro netted it’s goal in the 79th minute.
Taunton, 0 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton scored a pair of goals in each half to earn its seventh win of the season. Jordan Asnes opened the scoring with a shot into the bottom left corner after a cross from Marco Antunes. Antunes then set up Loubensky Lucas four minutes later, playing a through ball while Lucas lifted the ball over the keeper to make it 2-0. Senior Goddy Fombe made a nice run out of the back, putting a through ball into Lucas who ran onto it and slotted it home. Sophomore Fabio Ponce De Leon capped the scoring, flicking in a service from Conner Kavanagh at the near post to make it 4-0. Matt Gallagher earned his second shutout of the year in net.
Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored two goals in each half to pick up its 10th win of the season. Tori Wyman, on an assist from Anna Tempestoso and Kiana Lozzi, on an assist from Abby Hodges gave OA a 2-0 lead at halftime. Jess Robarge, on an assist from Zoe Chazan) and Jackie Mills added second half goal for the Tigers.
Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Hannah Reiter netted a pair of goals and assisted on Stephanie Kemp’s goal to lift Mansfield. Kemp also notched an assist in the win. Milford head coach Jay Mastaj said Nichole Dahlgren and Rachel LeBlanc played well on defense.
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip scored three goals in the final 15 minutes to pick up the win over North Attleboro. Chloe Layne scored the game-winner, converting a corner kick from Emma Corcoran in the 65th minute. Kathrine Turner found Rachel Hogan, who volleyed her shot into the net to make it 2-0 with just under five minutes to play. Just 30 seconds later, Corcoran service another corner that Avery Snead latched onto to make it 3-0.
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Izzy DaCosta netted the lone goal of the game to lift the Tigers. Stoughton head coach Tara Daniels said Emerson Sprague, Krista Michensi, Corina Kavengh and Sarah Widrow all played well defensively for the Black Knights.
Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final
Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – In a match filled with long rallies, Mansfield was able to edge Milford, 21-25, 25-19, 24-26, 26-24, 15-8. “It was an outstanding team effort by our whole team,” Mansfield head coach Melissa Heeden said. For the Hornets, Jess Haradon had 43 digs, Chloe Peters had 49 assists, Meg Hill added 14 kills, Julia Harrison chipped in with 12 digs and 10 kills, Jacey Anderson had 22 digs, Emily Kleber finished with eight kills and Olivia Broyles had seven kills.
King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip avenged a non-league loss to the Rocketeers last week with a 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-20 league win on Thursday. Sydney Phillips paced the offense with 19 kills while adding 18 service points and three blocks. Kat Kmetz had 23 service points for the Warriors along with three kills and two blocks, Amanda Loewen had 11 service points and eight digs and Angela Vellante added 25 service points and two digs.
Sharon, 0 @ Norwood, 3 – Final
Taunton, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton’s Riley Bagley had a strong all around game with with eight kills and 16 digs.
Field Hockey
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Andrea McNeil scored the lone goal of the game while Taylor Carrington recorded the shutout in net for the Bulldogs. Oliver Ames head coach Abby Tepper said Katie Vamosi, Katie Davenport and Sarah Tetrault played well defensively for the Tigers.
Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin sophomore Annie Walsh netted a hat trick to help the Panthers land a 5-1 victory. Junior Maddie Hinckley opened the scoring with junior Kate Morse and freshman Erin Walsh each chipping in with two assists. Sophomore Cassi Ronan also had a goal and an assist. Franklin senior Sam Hertzberg had six saves –including two scintillating stops — to get the win in the cage.
Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Christina Hathaway scored a penalty stroke in the first half to give the Warriors the edge at the break. In the second half, with 11 minutes left, Nicole Connor scored from an assist from Alli Meehan to make it 2-0. KP put 30 shots on net but North Attleboro goalie Liz Morehouse had a strong game.
Golf
Foxboro, 172 @ Oliver Ames, 143 – Final – Brady Allbritton earned match medalist honors for Oliver Ames, carding a low round of 34. Mark Bissonette shot a 35 while Ryan McGarry and Matt Kelley each shot 37 on the day. Chad Bearce shot a 42 for Foxboro and Matt Tierney carded a 43.
Stoughton, 179 @ Canton, 154 – Final – Canton’s Tommy Dimock was the match medalist, shooting a match-low 34 on the day at Blue Hills Country Club. Jackson Maffeo added a 39 for the Bulldogs while Matt Martin shot 40 and Pat Duggan shot a 41. Brendan Campbell led Stoughton with a 41.
Franklin, 151 @ North Attleboro, 146 – Final
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 3:00
Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/07/16
Today’s games are listed below.
Game of the Week – Football
Attleboro, 35 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final
1st Quarter: (A) Tyler McGovern 63 yard pass to Elvin Sam, Paul DeLuca XP good; (A) T. McGovern 36 yard pass to E. Sam, P. DeLuca XP good; (A) T. McGovern 1 yard rush, P. DeLuca XP good.
2nd Quarter: (A) Cam Furtado 8 yard rush, P. DeLuca XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (A) C. Furtado 3 yard rush, P. DeLuca XP good; (OA) Liston Funai 5 yard rush, Travis Campbell pass to Michael Mulrean 2pt conversion.
Football
Stoughton, 42 @ Canton, 22 – Final
1st Quarter: (S) Justin Ly 87-yard TD, Josh Cocchi XP good; (C) Tony Harris 65-yard TD, Thomas Monagle XP good; (S) Ryan Sullivan 86-yard punt return, J. Cocchi XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Evan Gibb 60-yard pass to Izon Swain-Price, J. Cocchi XP good; R. Sullivan 3-yard rush, J. Cocchi XP good.
3rd Quarter: (S) E. Gibb 19-yard pass to Jack Connelly, David Cellucci 2-point rush; (S) I. Swain-Price 94-yard rush, XP no good.
4th Quarter: (C) Joe Mulkay 8-yard rush, Dan Alice 2-point rush; (C) Dan Dillon 1-yard rush, T. Monagle XP good.
Milford, 41 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final
1st Quarter: (F) Mark Clagg 24 yard pass to Jamaine Few, John Cronin XP good; (M) Blake Hill 58 yard rush, Sean Lehane XP good; (F) Phil Dure 5 yard rush, J. Cronin XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) B. Hill 5 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) B. Hill 2 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (M) B. Hill 56 yard rush, XP blocked.
4th Quarter: (M) Ryan O’Toole 56 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (M) Matt Curran 22 yard pass to Chris Rivera, S. Lehane XP good.
Franklin, 13 @ King Philip, 35 – Final
1st Quarter: (KP) Shane Frommer 62 yard punt return, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) S. Frommer 15 yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) S. Frommer 11 yard rush, XP good; (KP) Brendan Lydon 1 yard rush, XP good; (F) Jacob Wolowacki 1 yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: (KP) B. Lydon 5 yard pass to Brett Mazur, XP good; (F) J. Wolowacki 3 yard rush, XP no good.
Mansfield, 29 @ Taunton, 27 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Anthony DeGirolamo 1 yard rush, Diogo DeSousa XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Nick Graham 44 yard rush, N. Graham 2pt rush; (T) Noah Leonard 15 yard pass to Adam McLaughlin, 2pt failed; (T) Brevan Walker 5 yard rush, N. Leonard 2pt pass to Mike Fernandez.
3rd Quarter: (M) Travis Sjoberg 55 yard interception return, D. DeSousa XP good; (T) B. Walker 10 yard rush, 2pt failed.
4th Quarter: (M) Joe Cox 5 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good; (T) B. Walker 3 yard rush, XP good.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Danny Mendoza played “exceptional defense” for the Scarlet Hawks and added Joey Madden did a great job up front.
Foxboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – James Gillespie scored twice, once in each half, as Oliver Ames rallied from an early deficit. Matt Campbell and Thomas McCormick notched assists for Oliver Ames in the win.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – James Chotkowski netted the game winning goal with just five minutes to play to lift the Hornets. Max Gurnon’s throw in was headed on by Kevin Bouck to Chotkowski, who finished for the lone tally of the game.
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – Cam Mullins scored a brace, both off corners, and Connor Mullins recorded three assists for the Warriors. Colby Koch, Tyler Mann (from Larsen Keys) and Cam McGovern also scored for KP.
Stoughton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin built a two goal lead in the first half but the Black Knights stormed back with three unanswered goals to grab the win. Farley Asmath and Nitin Chaudury netted goals off assists from Liam Kapples to put the hosts up 2-0. Stoughton answered as Noah Schulze scored on a free kick from 30 yards out and then tied the game before the break on Tyler Melo’s strike from outside the area. The Black Knights netted the game-winner with Melo finishing off a cross from Jordan Asnes. Stoughton head coach Aaron Salter said, “It was an excellent team performance today from every player.” Salter had specific praise for his back line as well as Melo and junior Brian Peoples.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford senior Sydney Morrison netted the lone goal of the game off an assist from Kristen Franzini to help the Scarlet Hawks edge Attleboro. Milford head coach Jay Mastaj said Maggie Boyle and Ashleigh Starks both played well for the Scarlet Hawks.
Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Hannah Reiter scored both goals for the Hornets, including the winner on a header off an Emily Vigeant corner with eight minutes remaining. Stephanie Kemp assisted the first Mansfield goal. Emily Schromm scored North Attleboro’s goal to tie the game at 1-1 in the second half off an assist from Haley Guertin. North interim head coach Bill Wallace said Aine Mendonca played well for the Rocketeers.
King Philip, 2 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Avery Snead (from Maddie Smith) and Abby Baker scored the goals for the Warriors. Ally Filipkowski scored the goal for the Eagles off an assist by Alex Rabb.
Franklin, 4 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Meghan Doherty, Miranda Smith, Sara Yelle and Molly Duncan scored the goals for the Panthers, while Calen Frongillo has a pair of assists and Emily Mastaj and Nadia Havens each had one.
Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final
Canton, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Canton picked up the win 25-13, 25-9, 25-15 in what head coach Pat Cawley called a “great team effort.” Nicole Poole controlled the offense skillfully, dishing out 27 assists and adding two kills and two aces. Hannah Jerrier had a 10 kills with no errors, hitting an impressive .435. Casey Shea added seven kills with just one error, hitting .545. Julia Panico was “outstanding” in the back row according to Cawley, finishing with 20 digs. Erika Lum, Maria Mackie and Emily Lynch combined for 33 digs for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield notched a 25-13, 25-17, 19-25, 25-21 win at home over the Rocketeers. Meg Hill led the Hornets with 10 kills and six blocks, Olivia Broyles had eight blocks and played strong defense. Julia Harrison had seven kills, Jess Haradon added 23 digs and Chloe Peters had 33 assists and 14 service points.
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned the sweep on the road with a 26-24, 25-18, 25-19. Sydney Phillips led KP with 16 kills and 14 service points, Carly Adams added 18 service points and 22 assists, Amanda Loewen chipped in with eight digs, Liv Balduf had four kills and nine service points and Angela Vellante added 15 service points and three digs.
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Lauren McGrath helped set Franklin up for victory, notching 33 assists along with seven digs and three aces to lead the Panthers. Erin Skidmore had 15 kills and 11 digs, Maddie Kuzio had 21 digs and three aces, Lindsay McGowan contributed with seven kills, four digs, three aces and Meaghan Maguire finished with eight blocks and five kills for Franklin. For Stoughton, Riley Bagley had 43 digs while Val Whalen added 17 kills and sophomore Molly Turner had 20 assists.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Gianna Barbosa stopped 10 shots, earning the shutout as the Black Knights handed King Philip its first loss of the season. Kelli Joyce scored the game winner for Stoughton early in the second half off an assist by Julia Russell.
Mansfield @ Sharon, 3:45
Golf
Mansfield, 173 @ King Philip, 155 – Final – King Philip’s Danny McLaughlin earned match medalist honors, shooting a low round of 37 to lead the Warriors. Senior Jack Citarell finished with a 40 for the Warriors but picked up birdies on both the fifth and sixth hole to help KP. Sebastian Ladoulis and Matt Stanton both shot 39 for KP. Jason Hindman led Mansfield with a 39.
Taunton, 256 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 280 – Final
Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/30/16
Today’s games are listed below.
Game of the Week – Football
King Philip, 20 @ Mansfield, 17 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Diogo DeSousa 20 yard field goal; (KP) Brendan Lydon 25 yard pass to Sean Garrity, Matt Franz XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Nick Graham 50 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good; (KP) Alex Olsen 2 yard rush, M. Franz XP good; (M) Anthony DeGirolamo 66 yard pass to Hunter Ferreira, D. DeSousa XP good.
4th Quarter: (KP) B. Lydon 1 yard rush, XP failed.
Football
Taunton, 20 @ Attleboro, 37 – Final
1st Quarter: (A) Cam Furtado 2-yard rush, Paul Deluca XP Good.
2nd Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 17-yard pass to Adam Mclaughlin, John Teixeira XP Good; (A) Marc Dieu 10-yard rush, P. Deluca XP good; (A) C. Furtado 24-yard rush, P. Deluca XP good; (T) N. Leonard 70-yard pass to A. Mclaughlin, J. Teixeira XP good.
3rd Quarter: (A) Tyler McGovern 11-yard rush, P. Deluca XP good.
4th Quarter: (A) Taunton fumble, Safety; (T) T.J. Mendes 2-yard rush, 2-point conversion failed; (A) T. McGovern 1-yard pass to Shane Hamerski, P. Deluca XP good.
Canton, 14 @ Foxboro, 21 – Final (OT)
1st Quarter: (C) Dennis Ross 55 yard rush, Thomas Monagle XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) D. Ross 48 yard rush, T. Monagle XP good; (F) Mark Clagg 15 yard pass to Jamaine Few, XP good. (F) Trey Guerrini 60 yard punt return, XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Overtime: (F) M. Clagg pass to T. Guerrini, XP good.
Oliver Ames, 14 @ Franklin, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (F) Jake Wolowacki 1 yard rush, Matt Zucco XP good; (OA) Anthony Berksza 27 yard rush, XP no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Wolowacki 2 yard rush, XP blocked; (OA) Liston Funai 5 yard rush, Kyle Gagliardi 2pt pass to Brandon Timulty.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to 10/2 at 5:00
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro freshman Mike Russo opened the scoring early in the first half for the visiting Bombardiers while Nick Lawrence potted a pair of goals in a short span in the second half.
North Attleboro @ Foxboro (@ Booth) – Postponed to 10/3 at 4:00
King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – King Philip cashed in the first five minutes as junior Tyler Mann put the Warriors up in the fifth minute on an assist from Zac White. Colby Koch doubled KP’s lead in the 20th minute, on an assist from Jack Bush and then tripled the lead, converting a penalty kick that he earned just before halftime. Sophomore Tony Bozza added a fourth goal in the 50th minute off an assist from Koch.
Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield opened the scoring in the fifth minute, using a throw in from Max Gurnon to find Brendan Sullivan, who set up James Chotkowski for the goal. Just three minutes later, Kevin Bouck doubled Mansfield’s lead off a cross from Chotkowski. Oliver Ames pulled a goal back with Matt Alvarado scoring off an assist from Thomas McCormick but Mansfield added two more goals in the second half; one from Sam Hyland off a throw from Gurnon and one from Gurnon on a long-distance free kick. Jed Tolbert totaled eight saves in net. “The whole team played great team defense for the entire game,” Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan said.
Milford @ Sharon – Postponed to 10/31
Girls Soccer
Taunton, 2 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Olivia Sweeney and Sam Tichelaar had goals for the Tigers, while Sweeney and Izzy DaCosta recorded assists.
Canton, 7 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Freshman Chinazo Odunze scored for Stoughton.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro – Postponed to 10/3 at 3:30
Franklin, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Miranda Smith, Halle Atkinson, and Molly Duncan (from the penalty spot) scored the goals for the Panthers. Lauren DeStefano had an assist in the win.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of the game.
Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Alex Rabb scored the goal for the Eagles, while Kristen Franzini scored for Milford, assisted by Juliana France.
Volleyball
Mansfield, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Mansfield picked up the sweep on the road at Sharon on Friday afternoon. Emily Kleber, Chloe Peters and Julia Harrison each had five kills for the Hornets while Peters added 10 service points and Harrison finished with 16 service points. Jacey Anderson added nine service points and Jess Haradon had 12 digs for Mansfield.
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Ursuline, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames didn’t let a third set loss affect them, bouncing back for a big win in the fourth set to ice the match (25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 26-24). Katie Flynn led OA with eight kills and two assisted blocks. Bridget McCarthy added 33 assists and five aces, Alyssa Gavin had 18 digs, three assists and three aces, Emma Petrillo chipped in with 10 kills, four digs and two aces, Maya Fetcho added eight kills and Kayla Raymond finished with four blocks and 10 kills for OA.
Stoughton, 3 vs. Fontbonne, 1 – Final – Senior Riley Bagley and junior Val Whalen combined for over 25 kills to lead the Black Knights offensively. Senior Christina Gelin led Stoughton with over 30 digs. Stoughton head coach Erica Batchelder said junior Haley Stone had strong serving and provided a solid force in the back row.
Field Hockey
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 3:30
Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton twice erased a one goal deficit and then took its first lead, Emily Campbell scoring the game-winner on a penalty stroke with six minutes to play. Franklin went up 1-0 on an unassisted goal from Annie Walsh and then 2-1 when Walsh scored again on a pass from Caroline Lounsbury.
Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to TBD
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Sydney Hedrick, Sarah Stevens and Kayla Lozzi each scored once for Oliver Ames while Kendall Clifford, Dimitra Efremidis and Cristina Boudreau each recorded an assist. Head coach Abby Tepper lauded the defensive effort of Katie Davenport and goalie Katie Vamosi.
King Philip @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD
Golf
Mansfield, 172 @ Franklin, 169 – Final – Franklin’s Matt D’Errico shot a team-low round of 41 while Bryan Woelfel added a 42 and both Connor Norton and Matt Dao shot 43 to help the Panthers edge Mansfield. Brendan Loomer was the match medalist, shooting a low round of 38 for the Hornets while Jason Hindman carded a 41.
Milford @ King Philip – Postponed to 10/17
Set Piece Goals Propel Mansfield Over Attleboro
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Coming into Thursday night’s game at Alumni Field, Attleboro coach Peter Pereira warned his defense about the long throws of Mansfield senior defender Max Gurnon. He warned his defense that it is a major weapon for the Hornets and that they need to be prepared anytime Mansfield wins a throw anywhere near the attacking third of the field.
No matter how many warnings Pereira gave, it does not make it any easier for the defense to deal with Gurnon’s bombardment of throws. He assisted on the first goal and got credit for the third when it was headed home by an Attleboro defender. Gurnon created consistent havoc in the Attleboro penalty area and the Hornets took advantage to pull out a 3-0 victory.
“I told my kids to play them like a corner and we did the first one and there was no one at the post,” said Pereira. “They took it to us a little in the first half with those long throws. It’s better than a kick. You get it in there, a little header, and things happen.”
Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan said, “We’re starting to cash in on his throw-ins, a lot better than we used to. We’re working on them. I’d like to see more goals from the flow of the game, but we’ll take them.
“If teams want to keep giving us these throw-ins then we’ll take them.”
The Hornets nearly had the perfect start when Sean Lanzillo chipped a pass over the top for Kevin Bouck in the first minute but the senior could not finish the chance, sending his shot over the bar. Attleboro had a quick response four minutes later when a corner was not properly cleared and Will Halben hit a near-perfect half-volley that smacked off the bar.
The rest of the first half was dominated by the Hornets with the ball constantly in the Attleboro half and Gurnon getting chance after chance to put a ball into the box from free kicks and throws. In the ninth minute, one of his throws paid dividends when it eluded everyone in the middle of the box, bounced on the far side, and was nodded into goal by Jackson Murphy at the far post.
At the midway point of the half, Mansfield doubled its lead. James Chotkowski lined up a shot from 20 yards out and forced Attleboro keeper Nicholas Hasenfus into a full stretch save. The resulting corner bounced off Brendan Sullivan to Sam Hyland on the edge of the box and he fired in his chance to make it 2-0.
“That was huge and it made them play with a little more urgency and allowed us to take more chances,” said Sheridan. “When we had the ball, we were able to get it up there and get some numbers forward.”
The Hornets were relying on Gurnon and Harry Braidt to hold down the center of the defense and limit the chances for Attleboro. The Bombardiers started pressing forward at the end of the first half and during the break Pereira urged his team to continue pressing the Hornets.
Just before halftime Colin Levis sent in a dangerous cross from the right but it went just over Halben inside the six and just missed the toe of Ahijah Joseph sliding in at the back post. The Bombardiers continued the push forward in the second half with Zach White becoming more influential in the midfield.
Mansfield had the opportunity to put the game away in the 55th minute when John Cooney escaped a challenge by Harry Lancaster and raced in clean on goal. Hasenfus (four saves) denied him with a slide and Hyland had his follow up cleared off the line.
A minute later the Bombardiers nearly cut the lead in half when freshman Nathan Laplumeflicked a pass into classmate Michael Russo, but, while the Mansfield defenders screamed for an offsides that was not forthcoming, Russo rolled his shot inches wide of the post.
“As far as soccer, second half we won a lot of balls, but up front I tried to put guys up there but we just weren’t able to finish,” said Pereira. “We picked up at the end of the first half and we carried it for about 30 minutes.”
Chotkowski nearly killed the game off with a header off a throw in the 64th minute and Cullin Anastasia also sent a header wide three minutes later. The Hornets finally put the game away with yet another throw by Gurnon. This one was headed into goal by an Attleboro defender with 12 minutes to play.
“The third one was the dagger,” said Sheridan. “It let me breathe a little bit easier…That’s probably the best game we’ve played from start to finish this year…all around, offensively and defensively.”
It was the fifth straight win for Mansfield (5-0-1), which stays unbeaten ahead of Monday night’s visit of Franklin. Attleboro (2-2-1) drops back to .500 with the loss and now faces a tough stretch beginning with Saturday’s visit of New Bedford followed by Franklin and Oliver Ames.