Tag: James Young

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/12/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano had a stellar outing on the mound and the Bombardiers used a late run to slip past visiting King Philip. Pagano tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits (two singles, two doubles) and five walks while striking out five in the win. The game stayed scoreless for five-and-a-half innings before the Bombardiers were able to break through in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Victorio drew a two-out walk and Jackson Huntington sent the third pitch he saw into left for an RBI double for the lone run of the game. Rudy Gately had a strong game on the mound for KP, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.2 innings of work.

Canton, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Canton rallied from a 5-2 deficit to take the lead in the fifth inning, before breaking the game open with a six-run sixth to earn a big bounce back win. Jack Digirolamo was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. Owen Lane sparked the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. Matt Hart was also 2-for-3 and drove in three, while Nick Gillis had a double and a triple and drove in two. James Young added two hits and an RBI from the nine-hole. Hunter Malkin had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for the Black Knights, who also got a double and an RBI from Sean Farley. Freshman Chris Pirrera hung tough after giving up five runs (one earned) in the first two innings and ended up going 4-2/3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Redquest earned the win in relief, throwing 2-1/3 scoreless innings.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead with five runs between the first two innings and exploded for six more in the fifth to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored to pace the offense. Ben Angelini (two RBI, two doubles, run), Mat Sullivan (two runs), and Aidan Stow (run) each added two hits in the win. Tyler Prescott reached four times from the leadoff spot with a hit and three walks, driving in three runs with four runs scored. Nolan Gordon earned the win on the mound after tossing five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, striking out two. Palash Raina had a double and a triple with a run scored for the Eagles while sophomore Casey Stengel went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – In a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s state championship game, Franklin edged out Taunton by a run in the first meeting between the two teams. Junior Austin Campbell had another stellar start as he allowed just two runs on six hits and no walks, striking out nine to earn the win. The Panthers plated all three of their runs between the first two innings, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Back-to-back two-out singles from Henry Digiorgio and Jase Lyons resulted in the first run of the game as Eisig Chin (who reached on a fielder’s choice) crossed home plate. In the second, Ethan DePaolo singled and Luke Sidwell reached on an error, and two batters later, both came home to score on a single from Lyons. Taunton got two back in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan MacDougall smacked a one-out, two run triple to score both Dwayne Burgo (double) and Brayden Cali (single). Shawn Cali pitched well in the loss with three unearned runs allowed on nine hits and no walks, striking out one in a complete game.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Jake Maydak went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs, helping Mansfield end its three-game losing streak and get back to .500 in Hock play. Maydak also went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mansfield opened the scoring in the first but the Tigers tied it with a single run in the top of the second. The Hornets broke the game open with three in the third. OA cut the lead to two with a run in the fourth but Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matthew DeShiro had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs, Sam Martin scored a run, and Connor Curtis drove in one for the Hornets. Patrick Finnerty was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Harrison Fitzpatrick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Colin Costello drove in one for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning but North Attleboro responded with four more in the top of the sixth to get a key win on the road at Fino Field. The Rocketeers built a four-run lead with single runs in the second, the third (Dillon Harding sac fly), the fourth (two-out RBI single from Jack Munley), and the fifth (Nate Kelly infield single), but that lead was quickly erased by the Scarlet Hawks in the bottom of the fifth. Joey McGee drove in Louis Consigli (leadoff walk), Damien Carter drew a bases loaded walk, and Keith Lee tied the game with a two-out, two-run single to score both Sean McGee and Joe Butler, who had both walked. But in the top of the sixth, North loaded the bases when Munley was hit by a pitch, Kyle Conroy and Derek Maceda drew consecutive walks, and Harding came through with a bases-clearing double. After two more walks, Gio Martello brought Harding home with a sac fly to make it 8-4. Martello pitched two scoreless innings in relief, walking two and striking out two with no hits against.








Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 16 – Final (6 Inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its strong start to the season, scattering 14 hits — including three home runs — to land a big win over upset minded Attleboro. The Bombardiers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first (helped by a solo home run by Rylie Camacho) but the Warriors wasted little time erasing that deficit with five runs in the bottom of the first, including a two-run triple from Ava Kelly and an RBI single from Maddie Paschke. The Bombardiers got back on the board with a run in the top of the second when Lily Routhier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but KP answered with a run of its own in the bottom half, and then tacked on 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Freshman McCoy Walsh was strong in relief for KP for the second straight came, coming in in the top of the third with the bases loaded and getting a strikeout to end the threat. Walsh finished with just one hit allowed and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, striking out nine. Sarah Cullen set the offense in motion from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored while Kelley (3-for-4, three runs) and Paschke (2-for-4, run) each finished with four RBI. Libby Walsh and Liv Petrillo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Paschke ended the game with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.

Stoughton, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton walked off with a big division win over Stoughton. Jess Wright led the Canton offense with three hits. Olivia Mackwell, Kailyn Durham, Anna Lehan, Sam Grady, and Kiera Redquest each 2 hits apiece in the win.

Foxboro, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Emma Callahan and Ava Hill each went 4-for-4 to power the Warriors to a big road win. Callahan also picked up the win in the circle with five innings of one-run ball. Autumn Stowell threw the final two innings for the Warriors. Manasa Josyula went the distance in the circle for the Eagles, striking out seven. Isabella Zelenchuk scored twice and Maddie Hu had the third run scored for Sharon.

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – After two scoreless innings, Taunton’s offense roared to life with 11 runs between the third and fourth innings while Sam Lincoln had another dominant performance in the circle for the Tigers in a win over Franklin. Taunton was limited to just one hit in the first two innings but Mia Fernandes launched a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third and the Tigers rolled from there. Ava Venturelli and Kaysie DeMoura had back-to-back two-run doubles to push Taunton’s lead to 5-0 after three innings. After Lincoln struck out the side in the top of the fourth, Mia Torres had an RBI single, Kyleah Plumb drove in a pair with a single, and Hayley Krockta smacked a one-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 11-0. An RBI double from Abbey Doherty in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. Lincoln allowed just one hit — a single in the first inning — while striking out nine with no walks allowed.

Mansfield, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Oliver Ames scored in every inning, including a huge seven-run sixth inning that featured three home runs to pull away from Mansfield in an offensive showdown. After teams traded runs back-and-forth, the game stood knotted at 6-6 after five innings of play. The Hornets jumped back in front after Molly Kucharski smacked a two-out double, stole third, and came home to score on an error. But OA had another response, this time in a big way. Maddie Homer (three RBI, three runs) smacked a three-run home run with two outs and three batters later, Katherine Farley (five RBI) did the same, and Crystaliah Covel followed with a solo blast as the Tigers surged ahead 13-7. A pair of bases loaded walks to Devon Morris (two home runs, four RBI) and Katie Melendy added insurance for the Tigers. Mansfield rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from Julia Marnikovic but the Tigers closed it out.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Kelly Colleran continued her dominant season, striking out 19, walking none, and allowing only four hits. She also led the way on offense. Batting leadoff, she went 1-for-2 with two walks, a homer, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Arianna McDavitt had a two-run single in the second inning, helping North jump out to a 5-0 lead. Molly Willey added two hits and an RBI for North. Cae Pellegrini had two of Milford’s four hits and was 2-for-3 on the day.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro bounced back from its first loss of the season by holding off Attleboro in a defensive battle. Tony Sulham scored two and assisted on two others to lead the Foxboro attack. Conor Noone added two goals and one assist and Jon Sachetti had one of each. Aidan Waller and Ian Foley each found the back of the net once. Adam Addeche recorded eight saves for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Canton, 13 – Final – OA got three goals and an assist from Ben Reardon. Shawn Teehan chipped in with a score and a pair of assist and Jake Manthous and Ryan Jaco each got a goal apiece.

Sharon, 7 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin’s Jake Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each scored five goals and had three assists as the Panthers rolled to another league win, this time over visiting Sharon. Franklin jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter as, Davis, Sacchetti, Jayden Consigli (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Grasso each scored once. The Panthers then rattled off 11 unanswered goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 15-1 lead by halftime. Justin Alexander went 21-for-23 on face offs and had an assist in the win.

King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 7 – Final – KP had 11 players record a point in a big win. Donovan DeVellis was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and three assists. Mason Thompson scored twice and dished out five assists, Hayden Schmitz had two goals and three assists, Jacob Booth had three goals and one helper, and Aiden McCarthy had a pair of goals. James Boldy was big in the cage, coming up with 15 saves for KP.

Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Warriors stayed perfect with a big win over Attleboro. Mya Waryas and Paige Curran each scored five goals for Foxboro. Waryas added three assists. Val Beigel had a hat trick, Mary Collins had two goals and two assists, Addie Riley had two goals and a helper, and Cate Noone scored one and added a hat trick of assists. Audrey Campbell had a pair of saves in the win. Amelia Collins and Isabella Cavallini each scored twice for the Bombardiers, while Addison Papagolos had one goal and Makenah Stones had one assist. Cavallini also chipped in with five draw controls.

Canton, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Sierra Abbott had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who picked up an important division win. Nara Giannacopoulos added her first varsity goal, one of seven Canton players to record at least one point. Ashley Balunas came up with seven big saves to help secure the win.

Franklin, 20 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Franklin went on the road and came back home with another league win, rolling to a 20-1 decision at Sharon. Katie Ryan had a strong game with three goals and two assists, Payten Crandall added two goals, and Norah MacCallum had a strong game defensively for the Panthers.

Milford, 4 @ King Philip, 19 – Final – Ten players recorded points for the Warriors, who bounced back with a big home win. Makenzie McDevitt continued her strong start to the season with a career-high nine points. She scofred four goals and added five assists. Nicole McDonald also tallied four goals, while Alyssa Legere, Lily McNulty, Emily Heslin, and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of scores. Haley Bright made five saves in the win. Emily Croteau scored twice for the Hawks, Carly Haley and TJ Downing each scored once, and Rhea Mathew and Erin Michelson each recorded an assist. Caitlyn Bangert played well in net for Milford with 11 saves.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Mansfield built a three-goal lead but pulled away with a strong second half to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ava Adams led the charge offensively with five goals while Cammy Shanteler, Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore (two assists) each scored twice. Rose Maher added a goal and two helpers with Carys Colby and Ella Souza each had one assist in the win. Caitlyn Zajac made eight saves for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 9 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Stoughton on Wednesday. Cali Melo paced the offense with five goals and two assists while Maddi Szala had a strong game with three goals and one assists. Raquel Azevedo added two goals while Caroline Vallarelli and Talia O’Leary each scored once; Mel Jesus turned away 12 shots for the Tigers. Stoughton had its best performance of its debut season. Morgan Groppi led the way for the Black Knights with six goals, while Amanda Reid added two and Nicole Reid had a goal and an assist. Mia Rivera added an assist and Jordan Coleman made six saves for Stoughton.




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches — one singles, one doubles — in three sets to secure a 4-1 decision on the road at KP. Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two tight sets in a row at second singles (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) while the team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at second doubles to help swing the match to the Bombardiers. Kyle Neuendorf picked up another win at first singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win while the team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. KP’s Luke Bailer didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton’s first and second singles players Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan continued to roll early in the season, helping the Bulldogs knock off neighboring Stoughton. Both Kupferman and Ramanathan won in straight sets without dropping a game while sophomore Justin Ngan added a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles to complete the singles play sweep. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Wright added a 6-2, 6-0 win for Canton.

Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court by taking all five matches in straight sets against Davenport foe Foxboro. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Matthew Lally dropped just one game in each set for a 6-1, 6-1 win, and Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti emerged from a hard-fought match with a 6-2, 7-5 win while junior Savir Basil teamed with senior Hyojae Park for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – All three singles matches went three sets and first doubles was a back-and-forth battle but it was Franklin that came out on top in all five matches in a win at Taunton. Jay Gorgas prevailed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win at first singles, Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and Will Forrest rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 second doubles victory.

Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield had one dominant doubles win and swept all three singles matches to return home from Easton with a win over Oliver Ames. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani earned a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at first singles, Nikhil Nain added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Iniyan Karruppusami picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. OA’s Nick Washner and Jared Murphy emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro senior Brody Carter battled his way to a three-set victory, completing the Rocketeers’ sweep on the road at Milford. Carter took a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a competitive third singles match. The team of Brody Gaulin and Quinn DiFiore added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna didn’t drop a game in a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it back-to-back wins, handing Attleboro its first loss of the season with a 5-0 verdict. Senior Ahunna James had a terrific showing, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first single, Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Caroline Freese emerged from a hard-fought three-hour marathon of a match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Rirar used strong net play in a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – It came down to a third set tiebreak at second singles but Canton’s Olivia Duruham was able to pull it out and secure the win for the Bulldogs. Durham dropped the first set but rallied to take the second and third, the latter in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)) to help complete Canton’s victory. The Bulldogs also got a pair of hard-fought victories in doubles play as Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth went the distance, overcoming a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Canton’s second doubles pairing of Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while Dhruvi Patel secured a 6-3, 6-3 third singles victory for the Black Knights.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took two wins from both singles and doubles action to earn a key division win on the road at Foxboro. Navya Shukla dropped just one game in each set in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Ale Aguilar had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles squad of Olivia Landstein and Ellie Zhao emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Foxboro sophomore Hailey Kornbluth earned an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles.

Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Taunton picked up two wins from singles matches and one more in doubles to prevail over Franklin. Junior Morgan Smith battled to a key three-set win at third singles (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) while the all-junior second doubles pairing of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik emerged victorious in three sets (6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5). Taunton junior Ava Alves added a win at second singles, splitting the first two sets before getting the win when her opponent retired. Franklin’s Chloe Essam picked up a 7-6 (1), 6-0 victory at first singles and the Panthers’ first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Ava Davies won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA rallied for a pair of three-set wins in the doubles matches to earn the sweep. Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth dropped the first set 6-4 to Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey at first doubles, but battled back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. At second doubles, Marina and Ella Mierzwinski lost the opening set 6-0 to Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman, but the Tigers bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Hannah Farber (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Querzoli (6-4, 7-6), and Stella Zachos (6-2, 6-1) all won their singles matches for OA.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North won four of its matches in straight sets to earn a big road win and stay perfect on the season. Lauren Hunt (6-0, 6-1), Megan Atwood (6-0, 6-4), and Grace Noreck (6-1, 6-0) swept singles for North. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The second doubles match went to three sets. Sophomores Grace Manning and Jayla Stone pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 match against Milford’s Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford, 1 @ Newton North, 3 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/05/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford junior Damien Carter dazzled on the mound in his first start of the season, leading the Hawks to a win on the road at Attleboro. Carter allowed just one run on one hit and six walks, striking out 11 in five innings of work. Mason Baldic came in for a two-inning save, allowing just one hit and one walk, striking out four — three in the seventh inning. Offensively, Milford took an early lead on a two-out bases loaded walk from Louis Consigli. In the top of the second, Carter helped his own cause as he reached on an error that allowed Brady Butler (single) to score, and the Hawks pushed the lead to 3-0 on a sac fly from Evan Cornelius that scored Joe Butler (walk). Consigli’s patience paid off again as he drew yet another two-out bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth to push the lead to 4-0. Attleboro got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Jackson Huntington scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cooper Johnson.

Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 10 – Final – Canton jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the fifth, but Sharon, which was the home team in this game, rallied with a five run bottom of the fifth to get back within one. After each team scored once in the sixth, Canton put the game away with a three-run seventh to pull out a second straight win. Matt Hart went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a pair of runs scored to lead the Canton offense. Matt Lesser (3-for-5) also had three hits for the Bulldogs, scoring once and driving in one. Owen Lane went 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot, scoring twice, and driving in a run. Matt Chafin was 1-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI, while Jack Digirolamo was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Freshman Chris Pirrera went 4-1/3 innings giving up five runs to earn the win. James Young (one run allowed) and Kyle Redquest each went 1-1/3 innings in relief. Sharon’s offense was led by Cole Arundale, who went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI. Drew Yaffe (1-for-4) also drove in two, while Palash Raina and Liam Conway each drove in runs.

Mansfield, 3 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Buoyed by a big third inning and a strong pitching performance from senior Mat Sullivan, Foxboro earned a key early win over division rival Mansfield. The Hornets had a strong start to the third as Will Lund drove in two runs on a single and Matt DeShiro plated another with a single to right for a 3-0 lead but the Warriors answered with five runs in the bottom half to take the lead for good. Foxboro started the inning with three straight singles from Louis Carangelo, Ben Angelini, and Ryan O’Leary, the latter scoring the former to get the hosts on the board. After a one-out walk to Alex Stern, freshman Aidan Stow ripped a two-run double to left to tie the game. Tyler Prescott drew another walk to load the bases and Ryan LeClair delivered a two-run single to put Foxboro head. Foxboro tacked on another run in the fourth (Carangelo RBI single) and three more in the sixth, including a two-out, two-run single from sophomore Mike Marcucella. Sullivan earned the win, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out a pair in five innings. Tommy Watts tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

Franklin, 11 @ King Philip, 0 – Final (6 Inn.) – Franklin’s offense plated double-digit runs for the second straight game to start the season, this time on the road over rival King Philip. The Panthers scored one run in the first and another run in the third, then pulling away for good with four runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth inning. Junior Austin Campbell was dominant on the mound for the visitors, allowing just two hits (both singles) and one walk, striking out six in five shutout innings. Dillon Cashin came in and threw a shutout inning in relief with one strikeout. Ryan Gerety went 2-for-4, including his first career home run, and Eisig Chin (RBI), Ben Jarosz (run), and Luke Sidwell (RBI, two runs) each added two hits in the win.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton’s Jack Cali impressed in his first start of the season and the Tigers used two runs in the third inning to land a close win over visiting North Attleboro. The Rocketeers got off to a strong start when Derek Maceda led off with a double and came around to score on a one-out single from Dillon Harding, but Cali and Dawson Bryce combined to silence North the rest of the way. Cali allowed just one more hit in six innings of work and one walk, striking out four to earn the win. Bryce pitched a scoreless seventh inning with one strikeout for the save. In the bottom of the third, Andrew Cali had a one-out single, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on an infield single from Brayden Cali. AJ Lewis moved Brayden Cali to second with a single, and both runners advanced on a double steal. Brayden Cali then scampered home on a throwing error to make it 2-1. Jordan Paradis was strong on the mound for North with just two runs (one earned) allowed on four hits and no walks, striking out nine in six innings of action.

Stoughton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 15 – Final – Oliver Ames got off to a great start with six runs in the first inning and then pulled away for good after a Stoughton comeback bid, plating six more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Matt Lawson went 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored to pace the Tigers’ 11-hit game. Patrick Finnerty added two hits, two RBI, and a run scored while senior Ryan Lemay drove in a team-high three runs and had a double.








Softball
Attleboro, 21 @ Milford, 3 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro’s lineup continues to rake. The Bombardiers had 17 hits as a team, including 14 from the first six batters in the order, to open the season with a third straight win. The visitors wasted no time on Wednesday, scoring four in the first, nine in the second, and four each in the fourth and fifth innings. Lily Routhier went 3-for-5 with a homer, three runs scored, and four RBI and Lauren Eby went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI to lead Attleboro’s attack. The Bombardiers also got two hits apiece from Sarah Maher (2-for-4, four runs, and two RBI), Rylie Camacho (2-for-2, five runs, one RBI, three walks), Emily Eby (2-for-4, three runs, and three RBI), and Jenna Callahan (2-for-5, three RBI). Callahan also picked up the win in the circle. Grace Bonina went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Olivia Baglione was 1-for-3 with an RBI for Milford.

Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – Canton’s offense exploded and the Bulldogs earned their first win of the season. Olivia Mackwell had three hits and four RBI, while Jess Wright and Kailyn Durham each had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs. Shaelyn Murphy picked up the win for Canton.

Foxboro, 10 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Foxboro scored eight straight runs to take an 8-1 lead and then scored a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to hold off a Mansfield comeback, pulling out a big division win. Freshman Mia Flannagan had a big game for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a solo homer. Ava Hill also went 3-for-3 and scored once, while freshman Meghan Kelly went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Autumn Stowell was 0-for-4 but drove in a pair of runs for the Warriors. Mansfield scored first with a single run in the first and then battled back, scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut Foxboro’s lead to 8-5. The Hornets added a sixth run in the seventh. Callie Lake had a pair of hits, pair of runs, and a pair of walks from the leadoff spot, reaching base all four times. Julia Marnikovic was 1-for-4 with two runs, four RBI, and a homer.

King Philip, 16 @ Franklin, 4 – Final (6 Inn.) – KP pounded out 12 hits, four home runs, and scored 16 runs to earn a big division road win. The Warriors scored five in the first, five more in the third, three in the fourth, and sealed the win with a pair of runs in the sixth. Franklin scored twice in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Freshman Ali Gill (1-for-3, two runs scored), junior Maddie Paschke (2-for-4, run scored), and senior Charlotte Raymond (2-for-2, three runs scored) each hit homers and drove in three runs for KP. Libby Walsh went 1-for-3 with a homer and a pair of runs scored and Taylor Regan (1-for-3) also drove in two. Jordan Bennett gave up an earned run over 4-1/3 innings to earn the win. Carly Johnson-Pellegri was the star for Franklin’s offense, going 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI.

Taunton, 2 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. Taunton was able to manufacture just enough runs to score a close win on the road, emerging victorious from a pitcher’s duel between junior lefty Sam Lincoln and North Attleboro senior righty Kelly Colleran. The Tigers pushed a single run across in the second and third innings while North had a single run come home in the fourth inning. Lincoln was the winning pitching, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks, striking out 16. Colleran tied the program record for strikeouts in a seven inning game, fanning 19 batters while allowing three hits and two walks. In the top of the second, Brooke Aldrich hit a dribbler that stayed on the third baseline and fair for an infield single. Aldrich stole second, moved to third on a dropped third strike, and came home for a run on a wild pitch. In the top of the third, Ava Venturelli had a one-out single and moved to second on a throwing error. A sac bunt from Kaysie DeMoura moved Venturelli to third, and that allowed her to score on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. Colleran led off the bottom of the fourth by reaching on an infield error and raced to third on an infield single from Maryann Charette. An RBI ground out from Molly Willey cut the deficit down to one but Lincoln was able to strand runners at second and third to escape the inning.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Stoughton rallied with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure a bounce-back win against a fellow Davenport title contender. Camryn Whitman and Angelina Berry each went 2-for-3 for the Black Knights, with Whitman driving in a pair and Berry plating one. Alyssa Edwards also went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Kerry Driscoll went the distance, overcoming a four-run third inning and striking out seven to pick up the win. Maddie Homer was 2-for-4 for OA, while Devon Morris was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Katie Melendy was 1-for-4 with an RBI. Melendy would pick up the loss in the circle, despite allowing only one earned run and striking out six.




Boys Lacrosse
Taunton, 8 vs. Norton, 7 – Final (2OT) – Taunton broke into the win column in its second game of the season as senior Connor McGrath potted the game-winning goal in overtime to hand the Tigers a thrilling double overtime win over Norton. Senior Israel Cruz paced the offense with four goals and an assist, Tommy Selfridge added three goals, and Colton Scheralis had one assist. Freshman Brody Coute had a strong showing in net with 10 saves.

Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 14 @ Norwood, 20 – Final

Boys Tennis
Attleboro. 4 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Attleboro’s Kyle Neuendorf rallied from a one-set deficit to take the win at first singles, highlighting the Bombardiers 4-1 victory on the road at Milford. Neuendorf dropped a tight first set but lost just five games between the final two sets for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles. Tyler Rocchio added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles, the team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen secured a 6-1, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Noem Cook and Clayton Tyler dropped just two games in a win at second doubles (6-2, 6-0). Milford sophomore Corey Rattray earned his first win of the young season with a 6-4, 6-1 win at third singles.

Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon swept both doubles matches and won two more in singles action, all in straight sets, to earn a 4-1 decision on the road in Canton. Junior Matthew Lally earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles and classmate Alex Budovalcev dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 victory at third singles. The senior of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Kevin Li rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 first doubles win and sophomore Joel Zwicker and senior Savir Basil earned a 6-2, 6-1 victory at second doubles. Canton junior Max Kupferman earned a hard-fought 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles.

Foxboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield junior Iniyan Karruppusami prevailed in a second-set tie break to secure a win at second singles and the Hornets edged out visiting Foxboro. Karruppusami was one of two singles players to win for the hosts, taking a 6-2, 7-6 (1) win at second singles while sophomore Neema Khosravani grabbed a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles. Mansfield’s second doubles team of Jesse Colchamiro and Dhruv Jain helped clinch the win with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Foxboro sophomore Luca Meyer earned his second win of the week with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-4 decision at third singles and the Warriors’ first doubles team of Hajji Glover and Evan Paluzzi battled to a 6-4, 6-3 win.

King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept a pair of competitive doubles matches and added two more straight-set wins in singles action to knock off visiting King Philip. The team of junior Ahan Shetty and senior Eric Tomaino prevailed in a third set super tiebreak 6-2, 5-7, 10-6 at first doubles while Franklin’s second doubles pairing of sophomore Aaron Ramaswamy and junior Andrew Amante grabbed a 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 win at second doubles. Junior Jay Gorgas added a 6-1, 6-2 first singles win and senior Tyler Fitzpatrick was victorious with a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles. KP sophomore Arjun Kollu rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – After dropping the first set, North Attleboro senior Brody Carter rallied to win two straight to complete the comeback, capping a 5-0 sweep for the Rocketeers. Carter emerged with a hard-fought 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 win at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. North swept both doubles matches with junior Quinn DiFiore and senior Collin Lufgren taking a 6-1, 6-3 win and junior Arjav Raghuvanshi and freshman Rowan Kimmer winning 6-2, 6-2 at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final




Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – With a pair of wins in both singles and doubles play, Attleboro moved to 2-0 on the season by knocking off visiting Milford. Junior Maddie Fuscaldo had an impressive showing with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while junior Presley Biller earned a hard-fought 7-6 (4), 6-2 win at second singles for the Bombardiers. Senior Zoe Stanley teamed up with junior Kyra Johnson and the duo earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at first doubles while the sophomore pairing of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles. Milford sophomore Mallory Brickley secured a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles.

Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – After dropping a tight second set in a tiebreaker, Sharon’s Sophia Oh emerged with a win in a third set super tiebreak to complete the Eagles’ 5-0 sweep against visiting Canton. Judy Song (first singles) and Ale Aguilar (second singles) each won by a 6-2, 6-1 score while Oh emerged with a 6-4, 6-7 (5), 10-8 win. In doubles play, Ellie Zhao and Abby Vilk grabbed a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles and the pairing of Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro won a pair of singles matches and both doubles matches to pull out the league win. For the second time this week Haley Kornbluth took the win at first singles without dropping a game and Makayla Peck added a 6-3, 6-2 win at second singles. The doubles teams of Analise Jia and Audrey Paolino (6-2, 6-3) and Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen (6-3, 6-2) also won in straight sets to keep Foxboro unbeaten through three matches. Mansfield’s Kristin Coombes earned the team’s lone point with a 6-1, 6-1 victory at third singles.

Franklin, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Franklin earned one win in singles action and swept both doubles matches, overcoming a one-set deficit in all three matches to edge out KP on the road. Junior Chloe Essam rallied for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win at second singles, the sophomore team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen erased a three-game deficit in the third set to prevail with a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles, and seniors Shriya Rajesh and Allison Bagley landed a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback win at second doubles. KP senior Ahunna James rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and senior Caroline Freese landed a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Anchored by a sweep in singles play, North Attleboro picked up a close win on the road at Taunton. Junior Lauren Hunt continued her strong start to the season, dropping just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Megan Atwood grabbed a 6-3, 6-1 win at second single, and senior Grace Noreck was impressive in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. Taunton’s Morgan Smith and Janelle Garcia took a 6-3, 6-1 first doubles win and the team of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik earned a victory at second doubles (6-1, 6-2) for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames swept all three singles matches and both doubles to grab a win over Stoughton at home. Hannah Farber picked up another win to start the year, earning a hard-fought 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli took the win at second singles after an incredible back and forth battle (6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 10-2), and Ava Barth picked up a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles. The team of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski grabbed their frist win of the year with a 6-0, 6-3 first doubles win, and the team of Emily Beaulieu and Abby Borden completed the sweep with a three-set victory (5-7, 6-1, 6-3).

Boys Outdoor Track
North Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45

Girls Outdoor Track
North Attleboro, 70 @ Milford, 66 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip kept the match going with a tight win in the third set, but Taunton completed the win by taking the fourth for a 3-1 (25-9, 25-17, 23-25, 25-16) decision. Matt Freitas paced the Tiger attack with 14 kills, adding five aces, a pair of blocks, and eight digs in a solid all-around performance. Owen Kelley added four kills, two aces, and eight digs while Josh Duncan pitched in with five kills and an ace. Ty Ekstrom (14 assists) and Daniel Freitas (16 assists, four digs) set the offense in motion while Bradley Hylander (five digs) played well defensively in the back row.

Canton Rallies Again, Wins D2 State Championship

Canton boys hockey
Canton boys hockey captains Leo Owens, Brendan Tourgee, and AJ Thomas celebrate with the Division 2 state championship trophy after beating Hopkinton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


BOSTON, Mass. – It was a frustrating first 28 minutes for Canton (22-4) in Saturday’s Div. 2 state title game at the TD Garden. The Bulldogs had more than 20 shots on target, including some gilt-edged scoring opportunities, saw pucks hit the side-netting, bounce up on top of the net, shots go over the bar or just wide, and watched Hopkinton goalie Jack Lang come through with several huge saves.

There were moments when Canton could have been forgiven for thinking, it’s just not our night. Head coach Brian Shuman admitted that he was starting to get concerned as the clock ticked on without his team finding the back of the net.

“I was the first person to overreact on the bench when we missed the net,” Shuman said after the game. “Credit to our players, they stayed calm, cool, and collected and didn’t take on the persona of their coach, which was a good thing.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Shuman shouldn’t have worried. For the second game in a row, the Bulldogs rallied from a goal down, showing the resilience of state champions. With two goals in a little over a minute at the end of the second period and a pair of goals from seniors in the final three minutes of the game, Canton skated away with a 4-1 victory and its third state title in the past five seasons.

“Seeing everyone out there, before we were like we’re not going to let what happened last year happen again and we came together, just had a quick talk,” said senior forward AJ Thomas. “After they scored the first one, we were down a little but we weren’t going to let it go. We came together in the locker room and came out in the second and put it to them. I’m happy to win it for everyone back home.”

Shuman added, “We’ve been in close games all year long. We’re just used to playing in tight games and credit to our guys, they’re saying the same things they were in the last round, ‘We’re fine, stay with it, we’re fine,’ and that’s not coming from the coaches. That’s coming from them.”

Canton was the favorite coming into the final. The No. 8 seed Hillers were playing in only their second state title game (and first in D2), while the Bulldogs are the perennial powers who have reached the final for four straight years (excluding the 2021 season that had no tournament).

It was the underdogs that would take the early advantage. A slap shot from Vasi Zolotarev hit a couple bodies in front of Canton goalie Colin Davis (14 saves). The puck landed at the skates of Hopkinton star Pavit Mehra and he rifled it past the goalie from close range to put the Hillers in front. It was his 40th goal of the season and fifth in the last two rounds.

A few minutes later, the Hillers nearly made it two. Catching Canton in a change, Ryan Teitel got free in the left wing circle and tested Davis, who was able to stay tall and make the save.

Canton grew into the game. Thomas forced Lang into a save from the left wing, Jack Digirolamo weaved through the Hopkinton defense and put a backhand shot on target, James Young got a shot on net from the point, Jeffrey Chaput teed up Thomas for a chance in the slot that went high and wide, then set up Brendan Tourgee in almost the same spot for another shot off target.

The Bulldogs outshot Hopkinton 14-5 in the first. For all that pressure, it was the Hillers that again came closest to finding twine. Drew Morse sent in a shot from the point that Davis knocked down. Mehra was again in the right spot to get to the rebound, but, at full stretch, Davis managed to get a toe to the shot to keep it out.

In the second, Canton kept the chances coming (outshooting Hopkinton 12-2 in the period). Griffin Hughes fed Brian Middleton in front but his tip was kept out by Lang (31 saves) who then made a stunning, diving, glove save to deny Colin Blake, who had steamed in to knock the rebound into what looked like an open net.

Chaput chipped a puck up the boards for Tourgee to test the goalie from the right wing circle. Then it was Travis Thomas with a quick wraparound effort that Lang kept out. Mehra would get Hopkinton’s best chance of the second when he pounced on a mistake in the neutral zone to fire a shot on Davis. Michael Thomas added a chance from the slot, but again Lang was able to get a pad on it.

Finally, with 1:48 left in the second, Canton was able to find the back of the net, letting off a celebration that was at least in part a sigh of relief. Fittingly, after all those great chances, it was a scruffy goal to tie things up. Young’s shot from the left point was saved by Lang. The loose puck landed right on the stick of Tourgee who smashed his shot off the post, back off his skate, and then across the line.

After waiting so long to get the first, the Bulldogs needed only a minute before netting a second. Digirolamo used his big frame to power off the left wing boards towards goal. The puck was poked out to Middleton, who whipped a shot past Lang to put Canton in front.

“I think it was a little relief, definitely felt like there was a little less tension in the locker room, but these guys, the way that they approach every game, every period, is shift-by-shift,” Shuman said. “That’s the approach they took in the third. We don’t want to get too high or too low.”

The third period wasn’t as frenetic as the first two, as Canton tried to limit the stretch passes that Hopkinton looked so dangerous on and the Hillers tried to get Mehra into space to create. Dylan Mansur got the puck in front to Danny White to force a pad stop from Davis and Mehra made a great play to get the puck past the defense to Joe Scardino, but again the Canton goalie was equal to it.

For a defensive unit that graduated some important pieces, Canton’s pairings of Young, Hughes, Matt Anderson, Leo Owens, Jack Lauro, and Teddy Shuman, and with Davis in net, allowed only two goals in five playoff games this year.

“Colin Davis has been fantastic,” Shuman said. “We graduated arguably some of the best defensemen we’ve ever seen in this program, and for these guys to step up, some guys who were watching in the stands [last year] playing huge minutes, I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

With less than three minutes to play, Canton doubled its lead. AJ Thomas slipped a pass to Chaput as he raced into the left wing circle and his fellow senior roofed his shot over Lang to make it 3-1. It was Chaput’s fifth goal in five playoff games.

“We just sit back and think about who we’re doing this for,” Thomas said about his team’s resiliency. He noted the inspiration that the Bulldogs have gotten from Kieran Whall, a Canton three-year-old battling leukemia. “For everyone out there, who came tonight, it’s amazing, we’re doing it for them. We just look back and see who we’re doing it for and go out and do it.”

The Hillers pulled Lang and desperately tried to find a goal that would get them back into the game, but with 25.9 on the clock, just as he did against Duxbury in the semifinal, Thomas found the empty netter that sealed the win and the state title.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It’s crazy,” Young explained. “It feels so good. I’m speechless. Last Canton High game, you got to win.”

Asked about his program’s consistency, Shuman replied, “These guys, they put a lot of pressure on themselves. They’ve been in the stands watching some kids who are older than them on the ice raising the trophy and that’s their dream.”

“I think last year we felt that pressure and played well, just came up short. This year, I thought the players’ mental approach coming into this game was just outstanding. They were really having some fun this week.”

Chaput, Thomas Leave Mark On Canton’s Title Run

AJ Thomas Jeff Chaput
Canton’s AJ Thomas (left) and Jeff Chaput celebrate the latter’s third period goal in the D2 state title game. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 BOSTON, Mass. — As a freshman, Canton’s Jeff Chaput didn’t have the chance to step on the ice at the TD Garden after the season was cut short just before the state championships game.

After a sophomore campaign without playoffs and a loss in the final as a junior last year, Chaput had one final chance to raise the MIAA state championship trophy.

Chaput and the rest of the Bulldogs delivered. After scoring just four goals during the regular season, he lit the lamp for the fifth straight postseason game — after netting just four goals during the regular season — to help Canton secure a 4-1 win over Hopkinton for the program’s third title in the past five years/four seasons.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Determination,” Chaput said of the postseason turnaround. “I wasn’t going to lose, any of these playoff games could have been my last game so I wanted to give it my all, empty the tank every single game.

“Goals have to come from somewhere. In the regular season, it was my linemates and things just started clicking in the postseason and I came through when we needed it.”

Chaput’s tally came with just under three minutes to go to give Canton a much-needed insurance tally and a 3-1 lead. Fittingly, it was Chaput’s classmate and linemate AJ Thomas that sealed the deal with an empty net goal with 25 seconds to go.

Chaput and Thomas have emerged as the go-to players for the Bulldogs. The former was assisted by the latter in the first-round win over Medford, both players lit the lamp in a 6-0 win over Wilmington, and Chaput’s goal gave Canton a two-goal cushion against Newburyport.

The duo wasn’t done there as Chaput came up with a huge goal early in the third period that leveled the score in the state semifinals against Duxbury, and then Thomas buried the game-winning goal with just under five minutes to go. Similar to Sunday morning, Thomas had the empty net goal in the win over the Dragons to ice the win.

“They were definitely frustrated sometimes during the season with their lack of goal scoring and we just kept saying, ‘Hey, you’ll score when it matters,’” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “Jeff Chaput [scored] four goals in the regular season, five in the playoffs. He’s a guy that’s a four-year player for us and he knows what it takes to win. He stepped up big time. AJ is someone that every person on the other team knows about. They key on him and try to shut him down, but he still finds ways to be productive.”

Hopkinton took the lead just 3:12 into the game, only the second goal the Bulldogs had allowed all postseason. It was also just the second time Canton trailed throughout its tournament run. Juniors Brendan Tourgee and Brian Middleton scored a minute apart at the end of the second period to turn the deficit into a lead.

“We’re all brothers, there’s no way other way to explain it,” Chaput said. “We weren’t going to let what happened last year happen again. We ride for each other, we love each other.”

The Chaput/Thomas duo combined for one final time with Thomas dropping a nice pass to Chaput in stride, setting up a wrist shot top shelf for a 3-1 lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It feels amazing,” Thomas said. “We weren’t going to let what happened last year happen again. After they scored the first one, we were down a little bit but we weren’t going to let it go. We came together in the locker room and came out in the second and put it to them.

“Me and Jeff were put on the same line about midway through the season and ever since then we’ve become so much closer. We’re more than friends, we’re brothers. It’s amazing to do this with him, I’m so proud of him and he’s earned everything.”

Over the last four years, with Chaput,

AJ Thomas

Thomas, and fellow seniors Leo Owens, Griffin Hughes, Jack Lauro, Jack Digirolamo, James Young, Carson Eagles, and manager Matt Yeaton in the program, Canton finished with a 76-8-5 record, four Davenport division titles, three state finals appearances, and two Division 2 state championships.

Canton Blanks Newburyport For Spot In D2 Final Four

Canton boys hockey
Canton junior Brian Middleton takes a shot in the first period against Newburyport. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — Ever since Canton and Newburyport faced off in back-to-back state championship games in 2009 and 2010, the two storied programs have played one another during the regular season.

For the first time since then, the two squads squared off again in the postseason. And similar to how this year’s regular season meeting went, Canton emerged with a shutout win.

Junior Colin Blake and senior Jeff Chaput scored second period goals and the third-seeded Bulldogs notched a 2-0 win over the sixth-seeded Clippers to book a spot in the Division 2 Final Four for the second straight season.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It felt almost workmanlike,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman about his team’s performance. “We have so much respect for [Newburyport], me and Paul Yameen go way back, we’ve played each other since meeting in the finals. There’s a tremendous amount of respect that these two programs have for each other. I can’t say enough about their program, they play a tough hard-nosed, blue-collar type of hockey and you can’t help but appreciate it as a coach. It was a good hockey game.”

The Bulldogs earned a 2-0 win on the road in mid-January over the Clippers and have had Newburyport’s number lately, going 6-0-2 since the start of the 2015 season.

The familiarity was apparent from the opening faceoff as the Clippers made things difficult for the Bulldogs. Newburyport was clogging both passing and shooting lanes and their forecheck was doing just enough to disrupt Canton’s rhythm working out of their own zone.

Scoring chances were at a premium early with a mix of blocked shots, deflected passes, and a lot of neutral zone battles. As the period went on, the teams worked to find opportunities and the best chance for both sides came inside the final five minutes.

For Canton, it was junior Brian Middleton that unleashed a low shot through some traffic that was turned aside by Newburyport goalie Jameson Brooks with a pad save and the big rebound ended up just outside the reach of the stick of Jack Digirolamo. Seconds later, the Clippers had their best chance when Kane Brennan got an open shot off but Canton goalie Colin Davis gobbled it up.

The Clippers went on the power play for the final 48 seconds of the opening period but a clearance from Chaput followed by good offensive zone pressure from James Young and Blake kept the game scoreless at the horn.

After killing 72 seconds of power play to start the second period, Canton really tilted the ice in its favor with heavy pressure. Newburyport was unable to sustain any offensive zone time and managed just one shot on goal in the frame.

Canton went on its first power play just over three minutes into the period and needed just over a minute to take advantage. Junior Brendan Tourgee gained the zone with a creative self pass off the boards, skated behind the net, and dished a pass out to the blue line to junior Matt Anderson. Anderson stepped into a big shot and Blake, positioned right in front of the goal, got his stick on it with a great redirect to beat Brooks for a 1-0 lead with 10:46 to go in the second period.

Another Canton power play was canceled out with a slash but Newburyport couldn’t muster anything up with their 68 seconds on the man advantage.

The Bulldogs grabbed a second goal before the end of the period as Tourgee teed up senior Leo Owens for a blast from the blue line. Brooks made the initial stop but Chaput was in the right spot and lifted a backhand past the goalie to make it 2-0 with 1:50 left in the second period.

“Strangely enough, I think you try and forget the first meeting,” Shuman said. “That first game was not a 3-0 game, it could have gone either way. In both games, we got a couple of bounces and they didn’t. That’s what always happens when we play them, I don’t think there’s been a game we’ve played them with the winning team more than three goals. It’s always tight checking, a tight defensive game. You can see it on the kid’s faces, they are just working, working, working and when you’re working that hard, it can be hard to have room left for that euphoria, that emotion.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Canton continued to quell any and every Newburyport foray into the offensive zone. Davis came up with one of the biggest stops of the game with 6:35 left, denying Brennan on a point-blank chance. Beyond that, Canton’s defense did a great job limiting further opportunities.

“The defense was outstanding,” Shuman said. “It’s similar to how we played last game against Wilmington, really limiting shots and getting the puck out of our zone quickly. Sometimes the best defense is to bring the puck up well and we really did that well in the second. We tensed up a little bit in the third and had some turnovers, but Colin was there to back us and bail us out.”

Canton’s three-game shutout streak so far in the playoffs will face a major test in the Division 2 Final Four against #2 Duxbury. The Dragons have outscored opponents 22-0 so far in three playoff games. The time, date, and location for that matchup are still to be announced.

Canton Shuts Out Medford to Reach Sweet Sixteen

Canton Boys Hockey
Canton players celebrate after Brian Middleton (10) scored a shorthanded goal in the third period to seal a 3-0 win over Medford. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


CANTON, Mass. – Sometimes, especially during the early rounds of the tournament, a team needs to find its footing, overcome some postseason jitters, and grind out a result. It may not be the prettiest win, but at this stage of the season all that matters is finding a way to advance to the next round.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

On Thursday night at the Metropolis Rink, Canton wasn’t at its free-flowing best, but the Bulldogs had enough to hold off an upset bid from No. 30 seed Medford. Canton got a pair of goals in the second period and tacked on a shorthanded tally in the third to pull out the 3-0 win and reach the Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen.

“A lot of teams, if you look at the past few nights, sort of struggle in these early-round games, especially teams that put pressure on themselves and these guys certainly did,” explained Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I give Medford credit. They’re a good team and they really played us hard and played us well.”

The Bulldogs wasted no time taking the initiative, outshooting the Mustangs 13-5 in the first, but Canton was struggling to create clear-cut chances and get bodies in front of Medford goalie John Nocella (34 saves).

Matt Anderson had a good early shot from the point that was kicked aside and Kevin LaBellee charged down the rebound only to have that gloved. James Young created a scoring chance with a nice outlet pass up the boards to Jeffrey Chaput, but the shot was kicked away and AJ Thomas was unable to connect on the rebound.

Medford nearly sprung a surprise when it got behind the Canton defense, but Griffin Hughes raced back and made a key intervention to prevent a breakaway. Jack Digirolamo came close with a shot from the slot that was blockered over the bar, but the Mustangs had the best chance of the period when Tyler Taddia forced a save out of Colin Davis and Louis Pucillo appeared to hit the post as he sent the rebound back through the crease.

Brendan Tourgee made a nice play with the puck in the defensive zone to get into open ice and then weaved his way through traffic before putting a backhand shot on target from close range with just 25 seconds left in the first.

Canton was in need of a spark and Digirolamo provided a lift with a big hit along the blue line, which seemed to give the bench much-needed energy.

“Digi this year for us, when we needed a goal, needed a big play, or in this game needed a physical presence, he provided it,” Shuman said. “Whatever we needed, he gave us, and this game we needed someone to match their physicality and he sure did.”

While the shot total was just about the same as the first, Canton looked much more fluid offensively in the second and puck movement was a key reason why.

Shuman said, “A lot of times in a playoff game, especially the first one, people are trying to be the hero early and score two goals with one shot. I thought the second period we moved the puck a lot better. Sometimes when the nerves kick in, your first instinct is to throw it at the net, so hopefully we got that nervousness out of the way and be better in the next game.”

Digirolamo teed up Colin Blake right on the edge of the crease, but his tip was saved. Less than a minute later, Canton got its breakthrough. Teddy Shuman’s shot from the point was blocked in front, but Travis Thomas managed to scoop the loose puck up and over the stretching goalie to make it 1-0.

With 6:40 left in the period, AJ Thomas showed great patience against the near side boards, holding the puck and waiting for space to make a pass. Finally, a crease opened up and he was able to pick out Chaput in front for a tip that made it 2-0.

Canton’s passing was creating a lot of good looks. Tourgee set up Thomas for a chance that was saved and the duo combined again with Tourgee having his tip turned aside. Thomas also had a shot that caromed off the end boards right to Young, who was pinching in and forced another save.

It looked like the Bulldogs were going to cruise to victory, but the Mustangs came out for the third intent on getting back into the game. After compiling nine shots through the first two periods, Medford put 12 shots on Davis in the third.

Carsten Mangan took advantage of a turnover and fired a shot from the right wing that Davis fought off, DJ McDonough had a shot that deflected in front and clipped the post, and Devon Page had a bid from the slot that Davis got his pad onto. He finished with 21 saves to record the shutout.

The game was effectively put away with 7:46 to go. On the penalty kill, Brian Middleton made a play at the blue line, broke free, and buried his breakaway opportunity to give the Bulldogs a three-goal cushion.

“Colin played well, made some big saves,” Shuman said. “Sadly that’s been a theme this year, the dreaded two-goal lead. It’s a cliche but sometimes cliches turn into reality. We need to find ways to bear down and get that third, such a crucial goal in a game, especially when you’re on a team and pressuring them.”

Canton (18-4-0) will take on No. 19 Wilmington, which beat No. 14 Masconomet, on Saturday night at the Canton Ice House.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/15/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Abington, 69 – Final

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Stoughton/Brockton, 6 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – A three-goal outburst in the second period helped Stoughton/Brockton skate to a win over former league rival Attleboro. Junior Colby Strunk scored his first goal of the game in the first to put the hosts up 1-0 after a period, and his second goal of the game came shorthanded to push the lead to 2-0. Seniors Sean Farley and Charlie Caputo also scored in the middle period to extend Stoughton/Brockton’s lead to 4-0 going into the third. Juniors Brendan Twohig and David Monaghan each lit the lamp in the third, and junior Dmytro Yakovenko recorded the shutout in net. Eighth grader Jacob Westwater played well in net for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 5 @ Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – Five different Bulldogs scored on the road to help Canton shake off a resilient Bishop Feehan squad. Brendan Tourgee put the visitors ahead five minutes into the game and AJ Thomas doubled the advantage later in the opening period. After the Shamrocks cut the deficit in half, senior James Young buried one to restore the two-goal lead. Feehan once again got back within a goal but freshman Michael Thomas and senior Jack Digirolamo scored back-to-back goals just over a minute apart to ice the win.

Taunton, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Taunton had four players find the back of the net as they avenged a loss to Foxboro from earlier this season and handed head coach Kris Metea his 100th career win. Eighth grader Breighdyn Simmons had a goal and an assist while eighth grader Jamie Valarelli, junior Owen Hathaway, and senior Dylan McCaughey each scored once. Seniors Connor McGrath and Colton Scheralis, along with sophomore Travis Cashman, each recorded a pair of assists, and sophomore Cam Tomaszycki made 25 saves in the win.

Franklin, 3 @ Falmouth, 0 – Final – Franklin took the lead less than five minutes in and then added two more inside the final seven minutes of action to secure a shutout win on the road. Anthony Lampasona lit the lamp off of a feed from Liam O’Rielly at 11:49 of the opening period. After a scoreless second, Dan Daley hooked up with Logan Marchand to double Franklin’s advantage at 6:52 of the third. Ryan Sicchio tacked on an insurance goal with just under two minutes to play. Colby Wagner made 15 saves in net for the shutout.

Mansfield, 5 @ Shrewsbury, 9 – Final – Connor Davey and Thomas Gormley each scored twice for the Hornets but Mansfield suffered a setback on the road against Shrewsbury. Brendan Vokey also had a goal for Mansfield.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Norton, 2 – Final

Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Sandwich, 1 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon, 1 vs. Cambridge, 6 – Final
Hockomock Stars, 7 vs. Ursuline Academy, 6 – Final

Wagner, Franklin Blank Canton In Hock Showdown

Franklin boys hockey Dylan McEvoy
Franklin junior Dylan McEvoy takes a shot in the second period against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
FRANKLIN, Mass. – On paper, it’s just one of eight league games on the schedule, but there’s no hiding the significance of when Canton and Franklin meet on the ice.

The Bulldogs have won the Davenport every single year since the league split into two divisions and the Panthers have had a hand in all but one — a combined 23 division titles over the past 12 seasons.

Both squads are the favorites to win their respective division again this year and are the top two ranked teams in the league, meaning bragging rights were on the line at Pirelli Veteran’s Arena on Saturday night in front of a packed crowd.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Franklin junior goalie Colby Wagner was terrific in net from the opening puck drop, turning in a 38-save shutout performance to lead the Panthers to a 2-0 win.

The Panthers scored once in the first period and added on a key insurance goal late in the third period, with both goals coming in similar fashion thanks in part to Franklin’s speed.

“It’s one of eight [league games] but it’s a good one,” said Franklin head coach Chris Spillane. “It’s just fun to play teams like this, and you know every year it doesn’t matter who’s up or who’s down, when it’s Franklin-Canton, both teams show up to play. And we get to play them again in a non-league game and it will be the same exact thing, the same exact atmosphere in their building.

“It was a gritty win. Our goaltender [Wagner] kept us in this game tonight, he made some key saves. We struggled breaking the puck out, that’s typically our strongest going from defense to offense, we can fly but credit to [Canton], they took time and space away. It was just one of those typical Franklin-Canton games, it was gritty and there’s no space for anyone.”

It didn’t take long for the scoring chances to start as Canton sophomore goalie Colin Davis (31 saves) was forced into making a terrific save just seconds into the contest as senior Aidan Kuykendall found senior Ryan Sicchio streaking into the offensive zone all alone for a chance in close 15 seconds in. And seconds later, Davis denied Anthony Lampasona after a pass from Ben Paterson in a 2-on-1 situation.

Canton got its early chances too as the Bulldogs went on the power play just 63 seconds into the game. Junior Matt Anderson had a blast from the blueline handled by Wagner, and junior Colin Blake had a bid in close that was turned aside.

That set the tone for the next 40-plus minutes as the Panthers and Bulldogs went up-and-done the ice, back and forth with chances on goal. Franklin had four power plays and Canton had two man-advantage chances throughout the contest but neither team cashed in with its special teams.

The first breakout came right at the midway point of the opening period. Paterson won a faceoff in his own defensive zone to junior Logan Marchand, who chipped one up the left boards that eluded the glove of a Canton defenseman at the blue line. Lampasona raced down and got to the puck first in the offensive zone and centered to a wide-open Dan Daley and he roofed his shot just under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead with 7:47 left in the opening stanza.

“Danny Daley, he’s a player to be reckoned with,” Spillane said. “He’s fast and can shoot the puck, his center [Ben Paterson] and [Anthony] Lampasona are both good at getting him the puck. It’s a nice all-junior line to have as our second line.”

Canton nearly responded a minute later when junior Brendan Tourgee dropped a pass out front for Blake, but his deflection on net was denied by Wagner’s shoulder. The Bulldogs had another big chance with just under two minutes to play as junior Brian Middleton won a battle at the blueline and raced in on a breakaway but his backhand bid was turned away by a pad stop from Wagner.

Davis made a nice stop early in the second after Franklin’s Paterson and Daley played a little catch, the former ripping a shot that was turned aside. Canton countered with a nice tip off the stick of sophomore Travis Thomas but Wagner stood tall.

“He’s very comfortable in the net, his rebound control is really good,” Spillane said of Wagner. “They were pressuring the crease and he never got rattled. He’s our number one right now for sure, but we have two other good options too in Jack O’Connor and Joe Torraco.”

While there were chances in all three periods for both teams, both defensive groups played well to limit how many genuine scoring chances there were. Kuykendall paired with senior Liam O’Rielly while Marchand was matched up with Vinnie Pasquarosa. For Canton, senior James Young paired with classmate Griffin Hughes, freshman Teddy Shuman worked with Anderson, and senior Jack Lauro played alongside freshman Graidy Carr.

Canton did have a powerplay five minutes into the second but Sicchio had a big clear, Ben Jarosz interrupted a pass to clear the zone, and Dylan McEvoy won a key faceoff and cleared the puck himself.

The third featured more of the same with chances from both sides, including an early power play for the Panthers that Canton killed off, including a key clearance from Young.

Jack Digirolamo muscled his way into space for a shot that was tipped by AJ Thomas, only for Wagner to get a stick to it. Tourgee found space shortly after but his bomb of a shot was wide of the net.

“We had a lot of one-and-dones and I think a lot of that was the product of missing the net on some key chances, and that started their break out,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “And I think we were a little intimidated by their speed, guys backing off the line and just not able to win the races to pucks. That was preventing us from getting some good in-zone time.”

Franklin tacked on a key insurance goal with just over three minutes to go in the game. The puck bounced out from behind the Franklin net, and Daley was the first to it. He beat a pinching defenseman, slapping the puck off the boards and up the ice.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Sophomore Carter Balducci raced onto it and centered to his brother, senior Tommy Balducci and he found the back of the net to make it 2-0 with 3:04 to play.

“They have so much speed, they’ll disrupt any team they are playing against,” Shuman said. “That’s the fastest team we’ve seen all year, probably the fastest we will see all year. They can go three lines of speed, and they certainly look a lot faster in person than they do on LiveBarn. They’re a good team and any mistake that we made, they made us pay. Whether it was a bad pinch or a guy slightly out of position…our goaltender played well though and made some big stops.”

Franklin boys hockey (2-0-0 Hockomock, 6-1-0 overall) will head to Foxboro to take on the Warriors on Wednesday at 6:30 while Canton (1-1-0, 6-1-0) returns home to Ponky to take on Oliver Ames.

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview Canton boys hockey Brendan Tourgee
Canton junior Brendan Tourgee and the rest of the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the TD Garden. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 0-15-0
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Gary Warren
Last season is not one to remember for Attleboro. The Bombardiers finished winless and had only eight goals in 18 games. New head coach Gary Warren will hope to find more firepower in front of goal and more depth with three forward lines and three defensive pairings as Attleboro tries to get back into the mix for a tournament berth.

Seniors Owen Parker and Colin Flynn will be the leaders on the top line with eighth grader Bryan Capone getting his first taste of varsity hockey. Sophomore Nathan Conroy will center the second line with senior Mike Lachance and junior Nick Fernandes on the wings. Eighth-grader Andrew Bessette will center the third line for the Bombardiers, joining up with sophomores Austin Bessette and Jack Moran.

Defensively, Attleboro will also lean on youth. Sophomores Alex Jarousky and Brody Shaw will partner on one line, eighth graders Beckett Stone and Cam Harrison will be a second partnership, and sophomore Lucas Devonis teaming up with senior Luke Logan. Junior Bradley Lehtonen and freshman Joey Santos will also see time on the blue line this season. After graduating four-year starter Nick Piazza, Attleboro will turn to junior Julien Horton and eighth grader Jacob Westwater between the pipes.

“Our success this season will hinge on good senior leadership, along with our younger players building confidence in their game,” Warren said. “We are a young, inexperienced team that hopefully will get better game after game.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Canton

2021-2022 Record: 22-3-1 (D2 State Finalists)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final
Coach: Brian Shuman
Only one team has ever won the Davenport division boys hockey title and, despite graduating 14 seniors off last year’s roster, Canton looks well-positioned to extend that run for another winter. After reaching the Div. 2 state title game for the third straight season, the Bulldogs will be incorporating a lot of new faces and young players (five freshmen and three sophomores) into this year’s roster to try and stay among the top teams in the state.

While there are several new players that will be getting time this year, Canton does return its top two scorers from last year. Senior AJ Thomas had a great playoff run to help the Bulldogs get back to the TD Garden and junior Brendan Tourgee was a standout as a sophomore with his combination of stick skills and strength. Juniors Pat Drury, Colin Blake, and Brian Middleton also saw plenty of ice time as sophomores and came through with some big goals during the season, while senior Jack Digirolamo adds some physicality in the attacking zone.

Canton always gets attention for its scoring punch, but its strength on the blue line has been one of the main reasons for its sustained success. Senior Leo Owens will start the season on the sidelines with an injury, so other players are going to need to step in while he gets healthy. Senior James Young and junior Matt Anderson, who scored the overtime winner in the season opener, will get plenty of ice time. Sophomore Colin Davis should provide the defense with plenty of confidence after a stellar rookie campaign between the pipes. He looked unflappable during Canton’s run to the final and senior Carson Eagles is a more than dependable backup in goal.

“As always, strong team defense and the depth to play four lines and six defense pairs will determine whether or not we can make a run for the league title and/or the playoffs this year,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman.







2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Foxboro

2021-2022 Record: 10-11-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32
Coach: Eric Galanti
Foxboro has a new head coach this season but it’s a familiar face as Eric Galanti steps in after five years on the bench as an assistant coach for the program. After graduating nine seniors from last year that accounted for a lot of production and ice time, the Warriors are looking for some new names to step up.

Albeit young, Foxboro has a strong core of returners from last year’s squad that had 10 wins and scored 70 goals. Senior Henry Diamond, who plays on the right wing, spearheads a relatively young forward group that includes returners Connor Hayers (left wing) and Luigi Muttart (left wing), both juniors, as well as sophomores Ryan Wood, Dan Jacobs — both centers — and, Finlay Campbell. Senior Jake DeMaino and sophomores Brendan LaCroix, Will Groves, and Connor Reardon bolster the offense. Freshman Michael Ruo and Owen McAuliffe are looking to make an impact right away.

Defense and goaltending will be a strength for Galanti and the Warriors this season. Senior Alex Coviello is a seasoned veteran that will anchor the blue line for Foxboro, joined by junior Tommy Devlin and a handful of sophomores who already have varsity experience including Tom Watts, Evan Paluzzi, Leo Campbell, and Connor Reardon. In net, Galanti has some veteran options with senior Peter Souaiden and junior Trevor Marder as options.

“We have a solid defense and great net minding that will allow a sophomore-heavy team to work toward an offense to match,” Galanti said.

Franklin

2021-2022 Record: 14-9-0 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Sweet 16
Coach: Chris Spillane
A very familiar face has made his return to the bench for Franklin this season, as longtime coach Chris Spillane, who stepped away in 2019, is back in charge of the program. The Panthers have won 11 straight league titles and been a fixture in the Div. 1 state tournament and they boast a strong attacking lineup this season that will be looking to continue its control of the Kelley-Rex division.

Up front, Franklin will be boosted by the return of seniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio, who combined for 15 goals and 23 assists last year. Classmate Tommy Balducci will join them on the top line. Last year’s sophomore class was prolific in front of goal and, with a year of valuable experience, looks ready to be even more dynamic this season. Juniors Anthony Lampasona (six goals and 13 assists) and Ben Paterson (10 goals and 14 assists) will lead the way along with classmates Dylan McEvoy and Dan Daley. Sophomore Carter Balducci is a newcomer to look out for in attack.

Four players return on the blue line to give Franklin solid experience in the defensive zone. Seniors Liam O’Rielly, Aiden Kuykendall, and Lucas Sheehan will be joined by junior Dylan Marchand, who had an impressive sophomore season in defense. Sophomore Vinnie Pasquarosa should also see time on the back end. Goalie depth will be a strength for the Panthers this year, with sophomore Jack O’Connor returning, sophomore Joe Torraco making the jump from JV, and junior Colby Wagner coming back to the program after playing last year with the Northeast Generals.

“Offensively we will run three lines who all have the ability to score goals,” Spillane said. “The Panthers’ success will depend on our team defense, and how quickly we can understand our defensive systems.”




2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

King Philip

2021-2022 Record: 10-9-3
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Toby Carlow
King Philip is two years removed from taking a share of the Kelley-Rex division title (joining only the 2011 Mansfield team to win at least a piece of the division crown) and last year the Warriors showed off their potential by giving eventual state champion St. John’s Prep a battle in the opening round of the playoffs. Former Medfield coach Toby Carlow, who won a state title with those Warriors in 2016, take over this season with the intention of elevating these Warriors into one of the state’s top programs.

Carlow will be introducing new systems on both ends of the ice, relying on team speed and structure in the defensive zone to get back into the tournament. One challenge for KP will be replacing standout Brad Guden, who moved to Tabor Academy this season. In the defensive zone, junior Cam Lehan-Allen along with senior Sam Naggar will need to step up to provide leadership at the blue line. Senior Kyle Abbott will help out at the back, as he returns in goal after allowing fewer than two goals per game as a junior.

In addition to Guden, who had 17 points from defense last year, KP also graduated its three top goal scorers from last season, so the forward line will need new faces to step up and consistently find the back of the net. Senior James Boldy is the team’s top returning scorer with seven goals and 10 assists and junior Max Robison adds speed on the wing. Juniors Nate Gartska and Rowan Boulger also saw time as sophomores and provide depth in the forward lines.

“Our goal this year is to establish ourselves as a good solid team in Division 1,” Carlow said. “It’s time for King Philip to step into the upper level of Massachusetts hockey.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Mansfield

2021-2022 Record: 7-12-1
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Mark O’Brien
Mansfield has a lot of turnover to contend with this season, as the Hornets open their first season of Davenport division play. Former assistant Mark O’Brien has taken over as head coach and he takes over a team that will lean on underclassmen to try and find the attacking threat to keep the Hornets in the league title mix and to stay in the tournament mix.

After graduating its top six forwards from last season, Mansfield will be hoping that a host of freshmen and sophomores can step up to the challenge of leading the line this winter. Seniors Cody Gordon, Connor Davey, and Brendan Flynn will provide much-needed leadership in the attacking zone. Sophomores Brendan Vokey, Matthew Tourigney, Matthew Cromack, and Kevin O’Brien and freshmen James Warren, Matt Kelly, Matthew Rabinovich, Liam Wells, and Cody Silva give the Hornets a lot of depth up front but also a lot of untested talent.

The blue line is a very different story. Mansfield’s defense should be a strength this season. Seniors Ryan DeGirolamo and Patrick Gormley return to anchor that end of the ice along with junior Will Cameron and sophomore Declan Foley. Sophomore Thomas Gormley is a newcomer to watch for the Hornets in defense. Freshman Aidan Shea and sophomore Luke McGuire are versatile players who could see time at forward or defense. In goal, Mansfield will have plenty of experience to call upon with senior Chris O’Brien and junior Josh Hussey.

“We have a tremendous group this season and they are committed to the team concept and giving their best effort for each other,” said O’Brien. “We are excited about our talented younger players and confident that our strong nucleus of upperclassmen will lead the way with a focus on team defense.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

North Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 10-11-1
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet 16
Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro head coach Kyle Heagney begins his second year in charge of the Rocketeers and they are looking to improve on last year’s 10-win season as they join the Kelley-Rex division for the second time in program history.

The Big Red will have to look for some new players to step up as they try to fill the void left by the graduation of a talented senior group, including Nik Kojoian, who led the Hockomock League in scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists last season, and Nick Longa, who was second in the league with 17 goals and tied for fifth overall in points with 26 points. The good news is that Heagney and the Rocketeers have one of the top returning forwards in the league in Mark Ayvazyan, who produced 13 goals and 12 assists in the regular season last year.

North will also look for seniors Brody Gaulin and Jack Dluhy to take on increased roles after netting five goals and two assists last season as well as junior Kaden Burns, who had five goals and one helper last season. Junior Kyle Gruber is back between the pipes after impressing last season.




2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Oliver Ames

2021-2022 Record: 6-11-1
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jimmy Tierney
Oliver Ames begins a new chapter in program history as they welcome a familiar face as new head coach in Jimmy Tierney, a former player and assistant coach. Tierney was the inaugural HockomockSports Goalie of the Year in 2013 and was a two-team First Team selection during his stellar career with the Tigers.

Now Tierney will look to guide this year’s team back to the success they experienced during his playing days when they reached the South sectional semifinals and finals during his sophomore and junior years. The Tigers have nearly their entire roster back from last year after graduating just two seniors, including senior center Sean McCarthy, who was second on the team with 10 goals and nine assists, and junior Andrew Livingstone, who earned HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors after leading OA with 12 goals and eight assists. The offense will have plenty of depth with seniors Matt Lawson (15 points), Jack Corey (15 points), Daniel Paul, and Jack Perron, who is a team captain for the second year along with McCarthy.

Sophomore Patrick DeLoughrey and freshman Brenden Teehan will look to make an immediate impact on the offensive end. Along the blue line, junior Sean Kearns (three goals, 11 assists) will look to build upon a solid campaign last year when he earned honorable mention for league all star. He’ll be joined by classmates Landon Grothe and Andy Poulos in the defensive group. The Tigers have experience in the net with senior Brandon Burke back between the pipes after playing in 17 games last year.

“Our biggest strength this season will be the team-first mentality our players have,” Tierney said. “The players care a lot about each other and will do what it takes to put the team first. This along with the hard work they are putting in is what will make us successful.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Stoughton

2021-2022 Record: 11-11-2
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32
Coach: Dan Mark
The Stoughton/Brockton co-op team is coming off its most successful season together, and the Black Knights’ best campaign in over a decade after winning 11 games, including a preliminary game in the Division 3 state tournament.

The Black Knights won’t be competing in the Hockomock League again this season as they team up with the Boxers to try and replicate the success from last year. In order to do so, they’ll blend a mix of veteran and younger players as they navigate through their schedule, which will feature games against Hockomock League teams Attleboro, Foxboro, Oliver Ames, and Taunton. Offensively, Stoughton/Brockton returns a strong core led by last year’s leading scorer senior Charlie Caputo, who netted 13 goals along with 14 helpers. Senior Sean Farley added a team-high 16 goals as well as nine assists, while junior Colby Strunk is coming off a 21-point season as a sophomore.

Defensively, longtime head coach Dan Mark will turn to junior Ryan Summers to anchor a relatively inexperienced group. Summers had five goals and seven assists but the Knights lost three defensemen to graduation. In net, juniors Sean McGowan and Dmytro Yakovenko are battling for the starting job.

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Taunton

2021-2022 Record: 7-10-4
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton comes into the new season with definitely the youngest roster in the league and one of the youngest rosters in program history. Head coach Kris Metea has 35 players in the system this season and 26 of them are sophomores or younger. There is plenty of energy on the ice and plenty of potential, but there may be some growing pains for players getting their first taste of varsity action.

There are a few seniors on the team to provide the Tigers with much-needed experience and leadership. One of those seniors is Colton Scheralis, who will move up from the blue line to the attack at the start of the season. He recorded 13 points as a defenseman last year and should be able to bring his creativity and stick skills to the forward line. Senior Connor McGrath will also give Taunton a scoring punch, after his 13-goal, 13-assist junior campaign. Junior Conner Goranson scored 14 points last year as a sophomore and will be on the top line.

Experience is in short supply in the defensive zone, especially with Scheralis moving forward at the start. Sophomores Travis Cashman and Jon McGrath both saw time as freshmen and will look to build on that first season on the blue line. Sophomore Cam Tomaszycki is back in goal for the Tigers. He was a standout as a freshman, allowing a little more than three goals per game and saving nearly 90 percent of the shots he faced.

“We have a great group of players,” Metea said. “They are excited to go to the rink every day. They love each other and are willing to fight for one another. They make going to the rink a pleasure every day for our coaching staff.”

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton returns a strong group of players looking to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 5-11
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Steve Dunlea
With a good mix of new faces and experienced veterans, Attleboro is aiming to be in the mix of a loaded Kelley-Rex division. For the Bombardiers, it will lean heavily on a deep pitching staff.

It starts with seniors Billy Saltmarsh, who is committed to UMass Dartmouth, and Cian Kelleher, who is committed to Stonehill. They’ll be joined in the rotation by junior lefty Danny Johnson while senior Jamie Bloch and junior Sean O’Hara lend strength to the relief corps. Sophomore Matt Harvie, sophomore Johnny Pagano, and freshman Tyler Dunlea will also be in the mix to see innings on the mound.

Senior captain Owen Taber (UMass Dartmouth) will be an anchor of the Bombardier defense at second base while juniors Peter DelPozzo and Cooper Johnson, along with Pagano, look to fill in at shortstop as senior captain Evan Houle works his way back from an injury from basketball season. Johnson, DelPozzo, and Dunlea are in the mix for the starting job at third while Bloch (committed to UMaine Farmington) and Christian Dame provide depth at first base.

In the outfield, senior Nate George will cover a lot of ground from his spot in centerfield, and the Bombardiers will rotate between Parket Sacket, Hayden Hagerty, Ben Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, Brody McKenna, and Harvie for the other two outfielder spots. Junior Aidan Hochwarter provides a steady presence both at the dish and behind the plate at catcher.

“The strength of this team is its chemistry,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have a great group of returning players who have really worked hard to build a team bond through the pandemic. I give a lot of credit to the captains from last year and this year. Despite the challenges they faced with COVID, they were able to rebuild the chemistry of the Attleboro baseball program that was lost when the 2020 season was canceled.”

Canton

2021 Record: 8-7
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton got off to a great start to the 2021 campaign, winning six of their first seven games but ended up with a first-round exit in the playoffs. With a strong core of returning players plus a couple of promising young players, the Bulldogs are aiming to get back to the postseason again this season.

The Bulldogs certainly have some holes to fill with the loss of a talented senior class and the departure of ace Andrew Middleton. Fourth-year head coach Ben Shuffain will lean on captains Andy Butler and Matt Chafin to lead the charge this season, along with three-year players Nico Bonanno, Matt Quan, and Zach Peters. Chafin was one of the best offensive players in the league last year, finishing second with a 0.442 average.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Shuffain has a lot of options for pitching, with at least a dozen choices to fill out the rotation and relief corps. Jay Kelleher, Hayden Rose, and Owen Lane will all be in the mix for innings on the mound. Matty Lesser, James Young, Jack Digirolomo, and freshman Kyle Redquest will work the infield while the catching duties will fall to Sean Sullivan and Matt Hart.

“We are a very experienced team with a lot of guys with a lot of innings pitched from last season and wins under their belt,” Shuffain said. “With a few of last year’s backups moving into starting roles and the addition of a few younger guys and the experienced upperclassmen this team should have a good season as they will continue to work hard on the field and in the weight room.”







Foxboro

2021 Record: 5-10
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro has some of the top returning talents in the league but will look for some of its younger players to provide the depth needed to compete for a division title this season.

Junior captain Sean O’Leary is one of the top arms in the league and has a lot of varsity experience under his belt already. He will be the ace of the staff that will also feature junior Mathieu Sullivan, who made his varsity debut last season, and freshman Nolan Gordon, who has impressed during the preseason. Pitching depth will come from seniors Andrew Peterson, Tom Marcucella, Liam Mulkern, and junior Alex Stern.

Senior captain Tom Marcucella is one of the most experienced players in the league and his versatility gives head coach Derek Suess a lot of options in the infield. Marcucella can play at any of the four infield spots but will spend the majority of his time at first base. Junior Ryan LeClair is back in the mix at shortstop after a breakout season a year ago, sophomore Tyler Prescott is back for his second year with the squad, and freshman Ryan O’Leary offers a solid bat and glove. Senior Kyle Smith and junior Josh Connolly provide solid depth in the infield.

Senior captain and three-sport star Jack Watts will patrol center field for the Warriors and will be flanked by juniors Kenny Mello and Louis Carangelo, all three looking to make an impact with their bats this season. When not pitching, Gordon will also be in the mix for some innings in the outfield and sophomore Shane Henri gives Suess another solid option. Mulkern is the starting catcher with freshmen Ben Angelini and Mike Marcucella in the mix as well.

“We have great leadership from our captains and upperclassmen which has set the tone for the rest of our guys,” Suess said. “The underclassmen have bought in and can contribute right away. We must embrace the daunting challenge of playing in the Hock, and compete with confidence to give ourselves the best chance to reach our goals.”

Franklin

2021 Record: 16-2
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final
Coach: Zach Brown
Franklin graduated some of the best players in the league after last season, but the Panthers still have a loaded lineup and a deep and talented pitching staff that could result in a very deep playoff run.

Not many teams could lose one of the best hitters in the league (Nate Cooke, 0.429) and one of the best catchers in the league (Jake Fitzgibbons, 0.353) and still boast one of the best lineups in the league but that’s how deep the Panthers are. Jack Marino, Ben Jarosz, and Chris Goode were all among the league leaders offensively a season ago, and Franklin also has sophomore Henry Digiorgio and junior Eisig Chin back after picking up a year of varsity experience. Junior Ryan Gerety, a Northeastern commit, is one of the best fielders in the region and is very dangerous at the plate.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

And after surrendering a league-low 40 runs last season, Franklin returns its entire rotation. Jacob Jette had a great junior season and will be one of the best pitchers in the Hock while junior Alfred Mucciarone will look to build upon a solid sophomore campaign. Relievers James Kuczmiec and Ethan Voellmicke dominated last season, coming in time after time and shutting opponents down.




King Philip

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
It was a good start for head coach Jeff Plympton as the Warriors won eight games last season and went to the playoffs, bowing out to eventual state champions Xaverian.

King Philip has the majority of its lineup back and will be looking to make some noise in a very competitive Kelley-Rex division. After averaging almost five runs a game last year, the Warriors have some key bats back in the lineup this year. Senior Shawn Legere is a returning league all star that starts at shortstop and is coming off a season in which he hit 0.386 and scored a league-best 16 runs. Rudy Gately had a breakout sophomore season and will be a key bat in the lineup again this year.

Gately will also be a go-to option on the mound for Plympton after going 4-0 last season, striking out 33 in 34.1 innings of work with an impressive 1.03 ERA. Tommy Martorano also gained a lot of experience last year as a sophomore and will give the Warriors a solid 1-2 punch for its starting rotation.

“We have a lot of arms to roll out if we need them which is great,” Plympton said. “Shawn Legere provides great leadership to the team and demands hard work at practice and games. Our fielding should be strong this year but I’m looking forward to watching our offense. Last year we struggled at the plate but this year looks promising. Last season we notched our first playoff win in over a decade and we look to keep those strides moving forward this year.”

Mansfield

2021 Record: 8-8
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Chris Hall
With a talented and experienced pitching staff and a list of players eager to make a name for themselves at the dish, Mansfield enters the season with the goal of challenging for the Kelley-Rex division title.

The Hornets were young last spring, and a lot of players earned their first varsity starts on the mound and at-bats. Mansfield has the majority of its team back and will be looking to turn that valuable experience into a successful 2022 campaign. They certainly aren’t shying away from testing that talent with defending state champions Xaverian, Maryland powerhouse Archbishop Spalding, and other top teams on its schedule along with a loaded Hock schedule.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Seniors Anthony Sacchetti, Aaron Blinn, Jimmy Gilleran, and Colby Geddis highlight a deep and talented pitching staff for the Hornets. All of those arms got their feet wet during last year’s season and now give head coach Chris Hall a lot of flexibility with his rotation. There won’t be a drop off as the games go on with four solid options.

The big challenge for the Hornets a season ago was offense, scoring a division low 57 runs. With a strong offseason under their belts, there are a lot of names eager to step up and improve that number. Sacchetti, Gilleran, Geddis, and classmates Andrew Slaney and Jared Fraone will try to lead the way while juniors Conner Zukowski, Sam Martin, Caden Colby, Aidan Jones, and Rocco Scarpellini are all in the mix. Sophomores Connor Curtis and Jake Maydak both played varsity last year and could be impact players right away. Behind the dish, Aidan Jones and Wyatt Bolduc are battling for the starting spot at catcher after the Hornets lost senior Liam Anastasia to an injury.

“The keys to success this season rely heavily on every player doing their job,” Hall said. “The Hornets bring a well-rounded roster to the table and expect to compete all season long. Pitching and defense continue to be a strength for the Hornets. Offensively, the Hornets look to use a variety of talent to score runs and win baseball games.”

Milford

2021 Record: 5-9
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
There were some growing pains for the Hawks a season ago with a young squad, but with just five players graduated from a year ago, the Hawks are hoping to be a contender in a deep Kelley-Rex division.

Head coach Alex Dion plans to get contributions from all four classes this season, starting with a strong group of seniors that cover the field. Tyler Lane and Grant Scudo will see time in the outfield, Justin Luchini mans first base, Alex McColl can play in a number of spots in the infield, Cole Forrest is a versatile weapon, and John Denegris is an option on the mound.

The rotation will be anchored by junior Evan Cornelius, junior Tyler Caldon, and sophomore Anthony LaPierre. Cornelius started every game for the Hawks last season and will play at first when he’s not on the mound. Caldon and LaPierre, both right-handed pitchers, are up from the JV squad and have impressed in the early going.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Offensively, sophomore Keith Lee picked up valuable experience after starting nine games as a freshman last season. He will start behind the dish and be one of the most important bats in the lineup. Sophomores Damien Carter and Sean McGee also started last season and will make up Milford’s middle infield.

“I am excited about the potential that this group has,” Dion said. “With strong senior leadership and varsity players in all four grades we have an opportunity to compete this year and for years to come. This is a great league and I have a lot of respect for the other teams in it. It starts on the mound and if we can get quality pitching out of the arms that we have here we have a chance to compete. We will have to win games in a variety of ways and I believe that we have the athletes to do that.”




North Attleboro

2021 Record: 12-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal
Coach: Mike Hart
After splitting the division title a season ago, the Rocketeers enter the 2022 campaign with a chance at winning back-to-back division titles for the first time in 30 years.

Replacing ace Dennis Colleran won’t be easy but North Attleboro has some solid arms on the mound including senior Danny Curran and senior David Floyd, who missed last season. Curran went 2-0 last year and struck out 22 in 23 innings of work with a 3.65 ERA. Head coach Mike Hart also has pitching options in senior Anthony Wescott, and juniors Jordan Paradis, Derek Maceda, and Ayden Delaney.

One of the big reasons the Rocketeers had such success last season was their offense, which scored a Davenport division 110 runs. Maceda was one of the best bats in the league and will patrol the outfield for the Big Red along with Curran, Paradis, and senior Christian Bates. In the infield, Floyd will be joined by classmates Brody Rosenberg, Gavin Wells, and Nik Kojoian, and senior Tyler Bannon will patrol shortstop. Junior Aidan Conrad had a breakout season starting behind the dish a year ago.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“We’re going to look to put a lot of pressure on other teams offensively,” Hart said. “We have many capable pitchers who can provide quality innings. We feel our defense will limit mistakes and not give many runs away. If we want to have a successful season we will need contributions from everybody on the roster on a daily basis. We will rely on our senior leadership and experience to guide us through the season. We need guys to excel in their role and focus on the job at hand.”

Oliver Ames

2021 Record: 9-6
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After earning a share of the Davenport title last season, the Tigers have the pieces in place to make another run at the division crown this year.

A combination of veterans and new faces eager to make an impression gives head coach Joe Abarr a nice mix to work with. Offensively, the Tigers will look for their senior captains to lead the way. Jake Waxman will play first base and potentially some outfield and is one of the best bats in the Hockomock League while Joe Cicchetti could also see time at first as well as the outfield, and is a strong two-way player. Patrick Finnerty is back in the mix after a strong junior season.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

On the mound, OA has a pair of lefties at the top of the rotation. Nick Clark (3-0, 2.78, 32K) and Jack Richardson (2-2, 2.07, 21K) are both coming off great junior seasons and will give the Tigers a solid 1-2 punch on the mound this year. Richardson will also see time in the outfield and will be a key piece of the lineup offensively.

“We have a good mix of returners and young talented players looking for opportunities to help our team win,” Abarr said. “We are excited for a full ‘normal’ season back in the Hock.”

Sharon

2021 Record: 3-12
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
Sharon enters the season with a roster eager to compete among the Hockomock League’s top teams, but the Eagles will have to do so all on the road this season. With the construction of the new high school currently underway where Sharon’s field was, it will be all road trips for the Eagles this season.

It will start with the 10 seniors on the team, including captains Dan Okstein and Dylan Labbe. Okstein is back after an injury limited his time a year ago and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. He will be the anchor of the outfield, playing mostly in left but could also see time in center. Labbe has a ton of varsity experience and will be the ace of the pitching staff this year. Also on the mound returns sophomore Luke Meixel, one of the league’s breakout players last year as a freshman. junior Alex Coughlin, Ryan Baker, Zach Loomis, Jack Broughton, and Okstein will also be in the mix for innings on the mound.

Offensively, Nate Yaffe is back after a great year at the dish a year ago and will take over at shortstop. Not only is Yaffe consistent with the bat, but he’s also very dangerous on the base paths. Another speedy option at the dish will be Palash Raina and the Eagles are hoping to get key contributions at the plate from Okstein and varsity newcomer Connor Blaney. Liam Conway takes over behind the dish and Will Hippler, Owen Kevorkian, Eli Greenfield, Josh Tolentino, and Jake Loomis are all in the mix for spots in the lineup as well.

2022 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“As a second-year varsity coach, I couldn’t be prouder to see how ready our players are to play their 2022 season,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Poliferno. “It is evident our players worked hard during the off-season to prepare to compete in the Hockomock. Our players are gritty, determined, and not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to improve. In addition to their drive to succeed, the team vibe is positive and players go out of their way to encourage one another. I believe we have the makings of a very talented and passionate group of players ready to make noise for their 2022 season.”

Stoughton

2021 Record: 4-10
2021 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
There will be a lot of new faces in the Stoughton lineup this season, and that goes for the dugout too as Kevin Carty takes over for Mike Armour, who was the longest-tenured coach in the Hockomock League.

Carty is going to lean heavily on his seniors, who make up over half of the Knights’ roster. There is a lot of versatility among the senior class as well with players like Joe McNulty and Jonah Ly, who could see time in the outfield, the infield, on the mound, and in McNulty’s case, even behind the dish. Brad Franey, Anthony Girolamo, Anthony Tilton, James Price, and Owen Wiesnberger are all seniors that are in the mix for infield spots.

Girolamo, Ly, and Price will be joined by sophomore Will Worsley, junior Jeriel Cuello, junior Sean Farley, junior Joe Rush, and sophomore Hunter Malkin as options on the mound for Carty.

“We have a deep group of seniors that will carry us this year,” Carty said. “These seniors are very athletic and can play anywhere on the field. They have the ability to be great leaders for the younger players. We will go as far as they carry us.”

Taunton

2021 Record: 13-5
2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Blair Bourque
Replacing a league MVP is never an easy task as the Tigers have to do with Danny MacDougall, but Taunton has a lot of depth and a lot of new faces looking to make a name for themselves as they help Taunton challenge for the Kelley-Rex title.

The strength of the 2022 Tigers will be offense and defense. Taunton has already lost some pitchers to injury so it will be a group effort on the mound this season. Coming off a season in which they scored 119 runs (nearly 7 runs a game), the offense will once again be a key component. Dawson Bryce had a breakout year after hitting 0.341 and driving in 12 runs a season ago, and junior Ryan MacDougall is one of the best power hitters in the league.

Seniors Evan Cali, Colby DeCouta, Colin Botelho, and junior Braden Sullivan are all very experienced at the varsity level and head coach Blair Bourque will lean on their leadership this season.

“Unlike in years past, we don’t have any true pitchers; our pitching staff consists of position players who will need to step up and give us an opportunity to compete,” Bourque said.”Offensively, we’ll look to have productive at-bats, be patient, and take advantage of mistakes. We should have one of the more productive offenses Taunton has had in some time. Although we’ll continue to play fundamental baseball, we hope to be able to capitalize when opportunity presents itself.”