01/18/202301/20/2023

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/19/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
Sharon, 39 vs. Leominster, 56 – Final

Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Stoughton, 56 – Final – Stoughton swept the long jump and the 55M dash as well as taking both relays to pick up an impressive win over Oliver Ames, securing a second-place finish in the Davenport division. Matt Singletary’s leap of 20-04.00 took first (second best in the Hock) with Alex Huynh and Tito Nwosu rounding out the sweep for the Black Knights, while Zachary Feist (7.00) won the 55M dash followed by Matt-Andy Beauchamps and Tyler Noel. Singletary also won the high jump (6-02.00), Thomas Laz won the shot put with a throw of 40-10.50, and William Tinkham won both the 55M hurdles (7.99) and the 300M (38.18). Tinkham also anchored Stoughton’s 4×200 relay team along with Beauchamps, Feist, and Noel, setting a new school record in 1:34.12. Oliver Ames swept four events on the night: the 2 Mile (Brody Lake, Oscar Feodoroff, Jonah Sobieraj), the 1000M (Aidan Dupill, Ryan Sarney, Brendan Tomas), the 600M (Sarney, Dupill, Thomas), and the 1 Mile (Alexander Pierce, Ethan Mahoney, Landon Sarney).

Canton, 41 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Foxboro finished first in eight races, and took second in the other two as they earned a win over Canton. Daniel O’Malley earned 15 points with three first place finishes, winning the high jump (6-00.00), the 55M hurdles (8.56), and the 300M (37.39). Other first place finishes for the Warriors were Edosa Omeumu (long jump, 17-06.25), Joe Flanagan (league-best shot put throw of 47-03.50), Brooks Stone (1000M, 2:45.85), Stephen Haney (600M, 1:27.37), and Chris Proulx (1 Mile, 4:53.92). Trevor Palmer and Johnny Ahearn earned four points with a second-third finish in the 2 Mile, and Jaiden Jean and Ishmel Sillah did the same in the 55M dash for Foxboro. Canton’s Luke Darling won the 2 Mile (11:03.65) and Christian Hanlon took first in the 5MM dash (7.13). Canton won both relays with the 4×400 team (Dan Glemaud, Sam Vail, Austin DiBiasio, Mohith Arugollu) clocking in at 4:06.38, and the 4×200 team (Hanlon, Joshua Richards, Charlie Zack, Alex Kraslynkov) finishing in 1:40.33.

Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 25 – Final – Mansfield completed an undefeated dual meet season with a win over Sharon anchored by sweeps in the shot put and the 55M dash, first place finishes in six more events, and wins in both relays. The Davenport division champs picked up all nine points in the shot put led by Ayden Agbasi’s throw of 44-10.75 with Billy Gardner and Daniel Mintz rounding out the top three. Myles Brown earned first in the 55M dash in 6.76 followed closely in second by Nate Kablik (6.88) and third by Sirius Li (6.96). Talon Johnson had a league-best time in the 1000M, clocking in at 2:40.46 for first, Evan Thevenot took first in the long jump (19-11.50), freshman Joey Federline Jr. won the 2 Mile by breaking 11 minutes for the first time (10:58.15), Troy Penney won the 600M (1:29.04) by less than a second over Sharon’s Karthik Pisupati (1:29.77) with Kyle Dickinson’s PR time of 1:32.37 good for third, Colby Quersher took the 1 Mile in 4:54.12, and Grady Sullivan (37.26) and Matthew Breitenstein went 1-2 in the 300M, both setting new PRs. For Sharon, Naeem Prempin won the high jump (5-04.00) and Alexander Gong clocked in at 8.12 to win the 55M hurdles.

Attleboro, 52 @ Franklin, 48 – Final – Attleboro won both relays, setting a new school record in the 4×200 in the process, to rally for a win over Franklin and clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. Trailing by one going into the final relay, the Bombardiers 2×400 relay team of Peter DelPozzo, Michael Huntington, Jordan Rivera-Silva, and Adrian Rivera registered the best time in school history at 1:33.08 to win the relay and the dual meet. Attleboro’s 4×400 relay team of Austin Bowie, Nicolas Graber, Sean Kaswale, and Camden Martin won in 3:33.62, less than a second ahead of Franklin. Sean O’Hara-Ouellette won the high jump (6-00.00), Adrian Rivera and Jordan Rivera-Silva went 1-2 in the long jump, DelPozzo clocked in first in the 55M hurdles (8.47), and Rivera-Silva took first in the 300M. Luke Hagopian (1000M), Kamron marsh (shot put), and Graber (600M) each had key second place finishes to secure key points. Franklin picked up wins from Jacob Bowser (shot put), Tyler Apicella (2 Mile), Luke Sidwell (55M dash), Jack Halter (1000M), Jake Vaccarezza (600M), and swept the 1 Mile (Jonathan Pink, Will Boozang, Bradford Morin).

King Philip, 42 @ Taunton, 58 – Final – Taunton won both relays, picked up nine points in each the 55M dash and the 300M, and had three more first place finishes in a win over KP. Dmitrius Shearrion anchored both sweeps for the Tigers and was apart of the winning 4×200 relay. Shearrion won the 55M dash in 6.75 followed by Jonathan Trinh and Xavier Spencer, while his win in the 300M (35.30) anchored the sweep along with Jared Spencer and Chris Wallace. Sam Denis added a win in the 2 Mile (10:34.45), Andrew Cali clocked in first in the 1000M (2:50.25), and Cam Door won the 600M in 1:33.23. Degen Granese won a pair of events for the Warriors, taking first in both the long jump (19-04.75) and the shot put (41-09.00), Keagan Fletcher won the high jump at 6-00.00, Kevin Smith’s time of 8.45 won the 55M hurdles, and Nathan Sylven crossed the finish line at 4:43.44 to win the 1 Mile race.

North Attleboro, 66.5 @ Milford, 33.5 – Final – North Attleboro’s Nathan Shultz continued his dominance this season, taking three wins — all three with league-best finishes — to lead the Rocketeers to a win over Milford. Shultz was the fastest in the 55M dash, recording a league-best time of 6.69 and then posted a league-best jump of 6-06.00 to win the high jump and a Hock-best leap of 22-05.75 to win the long jump. Connor Peterson anchored a sweep in the 2 Mile with a time of 11:01.51 followed by William Atwood and Brendan Simpson. North also got 1-2 finishes in the long jump (Kyle Conroy), the 55M dash (Abraham Guir), the 1000M (Brady King, Yousef Abdalla), and the 300M (Sam Bush, Guir). Milford’s Christopher Benson won the shot put with a throw of 35-04.00 and Ben Parson took first in the 600M (1:29.99).

Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Stoughton, 43 – Final – Oliver Ames completed its second straight undefeated dual meet season to claim another Davenport division title, their seventh overall. The Tigers swept a pair of events with Katie Sobieraj anchoring both of them. Sobieraj had a Hock-best time of 3:00.38 in the 300M and was followed by teammates Molly Capece and Erin Reilly while also winning the 2 Mile in 12:39.50 with Iole Apostoli and Brynn Cushing rounding out the top three. Jenna Gilman added a win in the 600M (1:41.67), Catie Wilson took another win in the shot put (28-03.00), and Taegan Hodges and Hailey Goldman went 1-2 in the 1 Mile race. Stoughton’s Gabriele Julien won both the high jump (4-10.00) and the long jump (15-08.50), Shayla Ford was also a double-winner by taking the 55M dash (7.56) and the 300M (42.78), and Belleya Franck added a first place finish in the 55M hurdles (9.73).

Canton, 77 @ Foxboro, 23 – Final – Canton collected key points by sweeping both the shot put and the 1000M in a win over Foxboro to conclude the dual meet season. Emma Massih anchored the sweep in the shot put along with Allie Wong and Jess Brathwaite while Tahlia Weaver led the charge in the 1000M with Daphne Golden and Sarah Dempster rounding out the top three. Katie Oliver was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the 55M hurdles and the long jump, Maggie McCready had a 10-second personal best time while taking first in the 1 Mile, and Lexi Piazza won the 600M race, setting a new PR by seven seconds.

Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 24 – Final – Mansfield took first in 10 events plus one relay to claim a big win over Sharon. The Hornets swept the shot put (Caitlin Garrahy, Juliana Machado, Joselyn Saba), the 55M dash (Abigail Scott, Chloe Guthrie, Meghan Driscoll), and the 300M (Olivia Barry, Brooke Penney, Alexandra Leman) for a total of 27 points. Guthrie also won the long jump (15-10.00), Elyssa Buchanan won two events, taking first in the 55M hurdles (9.47) and the high jump (4-08.00), Anna Moore won the 2 Mile in 12:10.00, Norah Puleo took first in the 1000M (3:23.01), Avery Hawthorne added five points by winning the 600M (1:50.11), and Alexandra Petrova clocked in at 6:09.78 to win the 1 Mile. Olivia Nau had six points for the Eagles, taking second in both the long jump and the 55M hurdles.

Attleboro, 9 @ Franklin, 90 – Final – Franklin swept eight events in a dominant showing, finishing off a 5-0 season to clinch the Kelley-Rex division crown for the first time since 2018. The Panthers swept the high jump (Abigail Griffith, Sarah Dumas, Vera Hansen), the long jump (Dumas, Barra Pfluke, Cailyn Bruno), the shot put (Lily DeForge, Elizabeth Hopkins, Darby Nicholson), the 55M hurdles (Ella Chandaria, Hansen, Bruno), the 55M dash (Dumas, Chandaria, Sophia Cuneo), the 1000M (Gwenyth Holland, Allison Powderly, Katie Barrow), the 600M (Bruno, Anna Cliff, Ella McLaughlin), and the 300M (Cuneo, Olivia Costa, Cassidy Carmignani). Mackenzie Mann added a win in the 2 Mile, clocking in at 13:43.88. Attleboro’a Emilia Smith won the 1 Mile in 5:39.10.

King Philip, 54 @ Taunton, 45 – Final – King Philip won the 4×200 relay by less than two seconds to secure a win over Taunton in a close battle. The Tigers won the 4×800 relay in 4:25.63 (the team of Phylicia Dias, Braelyn Nichols, Sydney Martin, Caelyn O’Leary) to have a shot at the win but KP’s 4×200 relay team of Sarah Glaser, Madeline Hill, Ali Gill, and Alex D’Amadio finished in 1:52.79 to secure the win. D’Amadio collected six points from a first place finish in the 300M (43.25) and a third place in the 600M (1:51.23), Gill and Glaser finished 1-2 in the 55M dash, and Hill added 10 more points by winning both the long jump (15-05.00) and the 55M hurdles (9.74). Katherine O’Neil added a win in the shot put (32-00.50) and Cheyanne Kelley won the 1000M in 3:34.06. Taunton’s Colby Dunham won the 2 Mile in 13:09.23, Emersyn DePonte and Sarah Mendonca went 1-2 in the 1 Mile, and Dias and Martin finished first and second in the 600M.

North Attleboro, 50 @ Milford, 50 – Final – Milford and North Attleboro entered the relays tied, and after splitting the relays, finished that way in a 50-50 tie. There was no separation between the Hawks and the Rocketeers, who had 45 points apiece before the relays. Milford won six of the 10 events but North had key depth by getting points from second and third place finishes. Kiyanna Simas won both the long jump (17-04.00) and the 55M dash (7.43), both were league best finishes on the night. The Hawks also got wins from Kay Wheelock (55M hurdles, 10.16), Carly Haley (1000M, 3:30.71), Sydney Kalil (1 Mile, 5:40.35), and swept the 300M (Gabby Peniche, Kaylee Whitney, Wheelock). North picked up wins from Sydney O’Connor in the high jump (4-08.00) with Caroline Folan and Megan Ladd rounding out a sweep, Sienna Newth in the shot put (32-06.50), Ellie Fournier in the 2 Mile (13:34.87), and Faith Wilder in the 600M (2:06.43).

01/02/202301/04/2023

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/03/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 68 @ Bishop Feehan, 67 – Final (2 OT) – Attleboro senior Jaiden Outland sank a pair of free throws with just two seconds left in the game to help the Bombardiers complete a comeback win over Bishop Feehan. The Bombardiers stormed back in the fourth quarter, erasing a 13-point deficit at the start of the period with 24 points that included four three-pointers, including one with 30 seconds left from Hayden Crowley (career-high 19 points) to tie the game at 55-55. Crowley and Spencer Sherck hit back-to-back threes in the first overtime but the Shamrocks climbed back in it to force a second overtime. With Feehan leading by one, Attleboro got the ball to Outland (14 points), who faked a three to draw the defense, and then drew contact going up for a layup to get to the line. He sank both to give Attleboro the win. Junior Neo Franco added 18 points for the Bombardiers, scoring 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime periods.

Mansfield, 61 @ Natick, 52 – Final – Mansfield had a strong end to the third quarter and went on to dominate the fourth quarter to rally for a win over Natick. Davon Sanders hit a three just before the buzzer at the end of the third to get the Hornets within two, and Mansfield opened the fourth with a 7-0 run and held Natick scoreless for over four minutes to start the frame. With just two minutes to go, the Hornets turned a 47-45 deficit at the start of the fourth to a 58-50 lead. Junior Eddie MccCoy hit a trio of threes and poured in a career-high 23 points, adding seven rebounds, three assists, and a pair of steals to lead the way for Mansfield. Trevor Foley added 12 points — all coming in the second half — as well as five boards, four assists, four steals, and a pair of blocks, and Sanders finished with 11 points and three steals.

Girls Basketball
Stoughton, 46 vs. Waltham, 37 – Final – Freshman Kirsten McKay and sophomore Leah McCarty combined for 29 points and Stoughton picked up its first win under head coach Eric Adams. McKay led the way with 15 points, while McCarty added 14 points and three rebounds. Raina Tat chipped in with eight points and pulled down six boards. Katrina Varnum continued to be strong in the paint, snatching 12 rebounds and blocking four shots in the win.

Boys Indoor Track
Sharon, 45 @ Oliver Ames, 55 – Final

Foxboro, 20 @ Mansfield, 76 – Final – Mansfield took first in all but one event, including relays, and had two of the top three in eight events to run away with a win over Foxboro. The Hornets got key points by finishing 1-2 in the 2 Mile (Sam Taylor, Kiernan Hoff), the 55M dash (Myles Brown, Sirius Li), the 1000M (Marco Geminiani, Sean Higgins), the 600M (Troy Penney, Kyle Dickinson), and the 600M (Grady Sullivan, Matt Breitenstein). Evan Rawlings added a win in the high jump (5-02.00) and the 55M hurdles (8.30), Evan Thevenot won the long jump (19-04.25), and Talon Johnson won the 1 Mile race in 4:49.98. Foxboro’s Joe Flanagan took first in the shot put with an impressive throw of 47-00.00, second best in the Hock on the night.

Stoughton, 79 @ Canton, 21 – Final

Attleboro, 58 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final

Milford, 21 @ Taunton, 79 – Final

Franklin, 54 @ King Philip, 46 – Final

Girls Indoor Track
Sharon, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 66 – Final – Oliver Ames earned nine points from each the shot put and the 1 Mile race by taking the top three spots in each event on its way to a win over Sharon. Katie Sobieraj (5:13.48) crossed first in the 1 Mile with a league-best time by over 20 seconds with Hailey Goldman (fifth best time in the league) and Madeline Stewart rounding out the sweep. Catie Wilson continued her success in the shot put, landing a toss of 26-11.75 with Bridget Hughes and Nicole Brooks taking second and third, respectively. Adama Lamin-Bangura (high jump, 4-02.00), Amelia Andre (long jump, 15-07.00 and 300M, 45.37), Iole Apostoli (2 Mile, 13:24.13), Taegen Hodges (1000M, 3:15.10), and Jenna Gilman (600M, 1:43.95) also won for OA. Sharon’s Maude Kilmer won the 55M hurdles in 9.06.

Foxboro, 28 @ Mansfield, 68 – Final – Mansfield picked up nine points from a sweep of the shot put and took first in eight other events to earn a win over rival Foxboro. Caitlin Garrahy took first in the shot put, landing a throw of 32-03.75 with Julianna Machado and Joselyn Saba taking second and third, respectively. Chloe Guthrie and Elyssa Buchanan were both double winners for the Hornets, with Guthrie taking first in both the long jump (16-07.00) and the 55m dash (7.52) while Buchanan won the high jump (4-06.00) and the 55M hurdles (9.60).

Stoughton, 60 @ Canton, 40 – Final – Stoughton’s Shayla Ford and Belleya Franck each won a pair of events to propel the Black Knights to a win over Canton. Ford crossed first in the 50M dash (7.62) as well as the 300M (42.06), and Franck earned first in the 55M hurdles (9.89) and the high jump (4-06.00). Other winners for Stoughton include Sivannah Marcy (long jump, 14-08.50), Simarah McPherson (shot put, 29-06.50), Elaine McCarty (1000M, 3:34.07), and Julie Richardson (600M, 1:51.60). Canton’s Nora Giannacopoulos (1 Mile, 6:08.14) and Johanna Bouwmeester (2 Mile, 14:14.06) each came in first in their event.

Attleboro, 47 @ North Attleboro, 53 – Final

Milford, 43 @ Taunton, 57 – Final – Taunton swept the 1000M, took the top two spots in two more events, and swept the relays to secure a win over Milford. Braelyn Nichols took first in the 1000M (3:34.79) with Kiley Quinlan and Jakhi Nicholson rounding out the top three. Caelyn O’Leary won the 600M in 1:46.93 while Phylicia Dias took second, and in the 300M, Ava Uhl (46.00) and Emersyn DePonte went 1-2.

Franklin, 69 @ King Philip, 31 – Final

Boys Swimming
Franklin, 77 @ Milford, 85 – Final

Girls Swimming
Franklin, 93 @ Milford, 62 – Final

11/20/2022

Oliver Ames Edged By Silver Lake In State Championship

Oliver Ames girls soccer Lucinda Li Cotter — Oliver Ames junior Lucinda Li Cotter dribbles past a Silver Lake defender in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

WALPOLE, Mass. — The Oliver Ames girls soccer team only allowed one goal against throughout its impressive playoff run.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, it was the lone goal of the Division 2 state championship game.

OA’s impressive season came to a close with a 1-0 loss to Silver Lake on Saturday afternoon.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We had four great games in a row and today we didn’t play our best, but that’s life and that’s soccer,” said longtime Oliver Ames head coach Britt Sellmayer. “You have to tip your hat to them. Everyone talks about Shea Kelleher, and how great she is, and she was today, but I think what gets overlooked is how great their back four is. Our front three is pretty good and their back four won the day, both halves. We generated some corner kicks but we didn’t generate any crosses into the area. They had some great players in the back that really shut us down.”

The Tigers rolled to a 4-0 win over Ludlow to start the postseason run and followed with a 3-0 decision over league rival Stoughton. After edging out Duxbury in the quarterfinals, the Tigers had a thrilling double overtime win over Grafton to reach the state championship game.

But this time out, Oliver Ames just couldn’t find its footing in the attack. They were limited on their through balls as Silver Lake’s center back combo did well to clear everything. The Tigers couldn’t get much going on the outside either. OA has had success getting down the wings and finding a target in the middle, but didn’t create many of those opportunities either.

“We also had an off day but that’s life,” Sellmayer said. “It’s a learning experience for our team. We’re young and we have a lot of players coming back, a lot to look forward to. Hanging around for 28 years, you keep things in perspective. Would it have been great to win? Yeah, but it was also great to be here. There’s a lot of teams that want to be here and we were.”

OA’s best two chances in the opening half were on corner kicks, but both of them were dealt with by Silver Lake keeper Abbey Cook.

Although OA keeper Janiya Matier was a bit busier, she wasn’t seriously tested much either, thanks to a strong defensive effort from the Tigers’ back four of Catie Wilson, Sophia Byron, Taylor deVos, and Molly Capece.

It was more of the same in the second half as Silver Lake continued to dictate play, but couldn’t get much through the back four, and when they did, Matier was there off her line. Senior Mary Cross also had a strong game in center mid, thwarting a handful of chances up the middle of the pitch.

“Sophia Byron and Taylor deVos did an outstanding job, Catie Wilson had a great game and has come a long way, and Molly Capece too,” Sellmayer said. “We made one mistake. I always talk about a great soccer game being 2-1…we didn’t get our two but they got their one.”

The Lakers finally broke the deadlock just past the midway point of the second half. Julia Lawrence connected with Grace Flaherty, and she played it wide for Cassidy Conroy. A service into the area dropped between the defense and the keeper, and Silver Lake freshman Avery DePaul raced to the ball first, touching around the keeper and firing a shot into the far post.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

OA tried to mount a comeback in the final minutes with Lucinda Li Cotter, Emma Gavin, Jenna Gilman, and Carly Gibson all trying to find a shot but the Tigers couldn’t register a final chance at an equalizer.

“This was a great season and it’s all about keeping in perspective,” Sellmayer said. “We beat some very good teams in the playoffs and we only gave up one goal in a five-game run, we just gave it up in the wrong game.”

Oliver Ames girls soccer finishes the season at 16-4-1.

11/15/202211/16/2022

Matier Saves, Gavin Scores, and OA Secures Spot in Final

Oliver Ames girls soccer — Emma Gavin scored six minutes into the second overtime to beat Grafton 1-0 and advance Oliver Ames to the state title game for the first time since 2007. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

MANSFIELD, Mass. – As the game stayed scoreless into the second overtime, every ball into the box, every set piece, even the most low-percentage shot took on an extra edge of anxiety. Add in the cold and it was important that a goalie stay prepared because you never know when they might be called upon.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Sophomore goalie Janiya Matier’s moment came in the 93rd minute. Grafton’s Olivia Campbell cut across the top of the box and hit a right-footed shot that was slicing into the upper 90. Somehow, Matier (six saves) got all the way across and managed to get to hands up into the top corner to push the shot to safety.

Three minutes after Matier saved the day for Oliver Ames, classmate Emma Gavin won it. Senior Jenna Gilman, who scored the winning goal in the first round and the quarterfinal, made a burst down the left wing and, for one of the first times in the match, was able to get all the way to the end line. She cut it back to Gavin racing into the box for a first-time finish and a 1-0 win in Tuesday night’s Div. 2 semifinal at Mansfield’s Alumni Field.

The goal secured OA’s first trip to the state title game since the Tigers won it all in 2007.

“I was so distracted by that save and then we go down and I looked and we scored and I was just like, oh my goodness,” Matier said after the game. “Hard work just pays off and we’ve been working very hard this whole season and we’ve definitely earned this and deserve it.”

When asked how she managed to stay ready to make that big stop when called upon, Matier explained, “Always making sure I’m paying attention in practice and just being myself. I’m so happy to be here and that was really crazy. I didn’t expect to get it! You have to keep on practicing and never giving up.”

This was the fourth clean sheet in four tournament games and OA coach Britt Sellmayer was full of praise for his defense after the game.

“My back four held on,” he said. “Molly Capece, Catie Wilson, they’re not year-round soccer players, they’re kids that show up in August, and they did a great job on the outside. Sophia Byron and Taylor deVos, our center backs, they just did enough. They’re super, super players.”

About the game-wining goal, Sellmayer added, “Emma ‘Big Game’ Gavin. This girl runs from 18-to-18, she does everything for us in the middle of the field.”

Grafton, which came into Tuesday’s match unbeaten, gave OA its biggest test of the tournament so far. The Gators, especially Bridget Kennedy and Elie Bristol, managed to keep OA from getting the ball out to the wings and bottled up every Tigers attack. Up front, Caity Tyldesley was causing OA problems by finding space in front of the back line to create.

Just five minutes into the game, Matier was called into action to prevent an early goal. Sophia Kling slid a through ball behind the OA defense to Campbell, but the OA keeper was off her line quickly and had no hesitation diving at the feet of the attacker to make the save.

Matier also made a good save on a long shot by Tyldesley and cut out a nice diagonal ball across the box that nearly found the feet of Gina DeBaradinis.

The first half hour belonged to the Gators, but OA started to find a foothold in the final 10 minutes of the half and got the ball to its front three of Lucinda Li Cotter, Jolie Diaz, and Gilman.

It was Cotter that would create the first look at goal by springing Gilman down the left. Her looped cross into the middle was headed wide by Gavin. A couple minutes before the break, Gilman again managed to find space on the left side and she picked out Cotter all alone inside the six, but Cotter was only able to get a flick on the header and it went wide.

“Let’s be honest, Janiya hard four or five big saves today and their goalie didn’t have a lot to do,” Sellmayer said about OA’s struggles in attack. “This Grafton team is a very, very good team, they move the ball very well.”

He continued, “It was one of those games, I just kind of had a feeling if we hung around something good was going to happen.”

Kling would get a chance to test Matier in the 50th minute when she latched onto a loose ball from the edge of the box. deVos would put a couple of long-range free kicks into the hands of Grafton keeper Shyla Kulesza, but it was increasingly difficult to create good scoring chances on either end of the field. Diaz would cause problems for the Grafton back line throughout the second half, but the final ball into the box wasn’t finding a black jersey.

OA’s best chance at a winner in regulation came with nine minutes to play. Diaz was on the left wing and cut the ball back to Cotter in the box. Cotter took a touch, turned, and laid a pass off for Gavin to run onto, but the shot went over the bar.

In the first overtime, the only chance of note was a long shot by Kennedy that Matier held onto comfortably. Gavin would take a chance from distance early in the second OT but that was similarly easy for Kulesza to hold.

Grafton seemed to have its spot in the final secured when Campbell let fly, but Matier’s brilliant save denied them. It was a match-saving moment that was soon followed by Gavin’s match-winning one. OA entered the season not quite knowing how good they could be, but three months later will have the opportunity to play for the D2 title.

“No clue,” Sellmayer said. “We lost our first game to Franklin then we won a couple games and I said, ‘Hey we could be pretty good.’ I came to practice every day, ‘Are we pretenders or are we contenders?’ We’re contenders.”

Oliver Ames (16-3-1) will face No. 10 Silver Lake in the title game on Saturday at 3:15 at Walpole High.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

11/12/202211/12/2022

Gilman’s Goal Sends Oliver Ames to D2 Final Four

NORTH EASTON, Mass. – When the ball was cleared out of the Oliver Ames defense, it looked harmless. As the ball landed in between the last Duxbury defender and the goal keeper, everything seemed to be under control. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Jenna Gilman came flying into the picture.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The defender had a 10-yard head start, but Gilman flew past her, forcing the goalie to quickly retreat into the box. It looked like a long touch might allow the keeper to come up with the ball, but Gilman managed to keep it alive and keep her composure. The senior forward pulled the ball to the edge of the box and dispatched a left-footed shot into the now vacant goal.

Gilman’s third goal in as many games would prove decisive, as the OA defense held Duxbury scoreless on Saturday afternoon at Muscato Stadium and the Tigers pulled out a 1-0 win to reach the Div. 2 Final Four for the first time in the new format.

“It was really hard to sit on the bench last year and watch,” said Gilman who missed out on last year’s postseason run with an injury, “but I’m just so happy to keep going this year and see how much further we can get.”

OA has made a habit of starting quickly in the playoffs. Seven of the team’s eight postseason goals have come in the first half. After scoring in the opening minute in the last round against Stoughton, the Tigers nearly repeated the trick on Saturday.

A slip in the midfield allowed Emma Gavin to win possession and she played the ball infield to Lucinda Li Cotter, who in turn sprung Jolie Diaz on the right wing. Diaz was clean through on the keeper but her shot from just inside the box would be right at the goalie.

“The trick to the game is to score right away because then you’re so confident and you can just hold them off,” Gilman explained. “We try to make plays all the time and have while doing it.”

Just a minute later, Sophia Byron had the chance to swing in her first corner of the match and caused havoc inside the Duxbury box. The ball landed inside the six and Gilman, Cotter, Taylor deVos, and Gavin all had chances to take a swing at it but each time the Dragons were able to get a block before finally clearing.

“That something that our coaching staff drive in,” said senior midfielder Mary Cross. “We always say the first five minutes, then when the first five minutes goes by we say the next five. We always go five minutes at a time.”

The front line of Gilman, Cotter, and Diaz has been terrorizing defenders all season and it continued against Duxbury. In the 23rd minute, Cotter picked up the ball in front of the Duxbury defense, turned and ran at her marker before forcing a save with a left-footed shot. Three minutes later, right back Catie Wilson sent a high ball into the box that Gilman did really well to bring under control before snatching at her shot and sending it wide.

In the 29th minute, Diaz looped a ball over the top of the defense. Gilman did well to win the battle for possession and get to the end line, but her low cross into Cotter was cut out just before it got to her strike partner.

“Our chemistry is great,” Gilman said of her partnership with Diaz and Cotter. “We love each other. We really do see each other as little sisters, it’s amazing.”

The Dragons were struggling to get anything going at the other end. OA keeper Janiya Matier was finally given something to worry about when Morgan Cheverie dangerously lined a 25-yard free kick diagonally through the box without a touch.

With the half winding down, OA continued to press for the opening goal. Rhiya Fisher won the ball in midfield and quickly got it forward to Cotter, who played Gilman in behind the Duxbury right back. Gilman’s deep cross picked out Diaz on the far side and she in turn crossed to Gavin in the middle. The ball was allowed to bounce and Gilman latched onto it but sent it just wide.

After controlling play throughout the half, it looked like OA would have to settle for a goalless draw at half, until Gilman’s speed and finishing turned the game on its head.

Duxbury came out for the second half determined to get back into the game and had its best spell of pressure in the match. Cheverie cut across the box on her right foot and forced Matier into her first save. A minute later, Megan Carney showed off her footwork in the box to elude deVos. Byron slid in to make an important tackle and Matier was bravely off her line to smother the loose ball.

Chances were coming at both ends of the field. Cotter hit a ball across the face of goal that was kneed over the bar for a corner. The resulting kick was parried by the keeper into the path of Carly Gibson, but her shot went just wide. After a mishit clearance on a back pass, Elizabeth Yucius had a wide open goal to aim for but put her shot the wrong side of the post.

In the 63rd minute, Diaz had a chance to wrap it up. Cotter again picked up the ball in space in the middle and fired a pass out to the left wing. The freshman forward ran at her marker, cutting inside onto her right foot and curling a shot towards the bottom corner only to unluckily see it come back off the post.

Duxbury was pushing, increasingly desperate to find an equalizer with each minute that ticked off the clock. But, the OA defense, which has yet to allow a goal in the playoffs, continued to hold strong and keep everything well outside the penalty area. Cheverie had one last shot but it was again from distance and easily held by Matier.

“We came a long way,” Byron said about the OA defense. “At the beginning of the season, we made some adjustments and from there we’ve kind of known what to do going forward. It’s all about keeping our composure and talking because we don’t want to get lost.”

She added, “Me and Taylor have done a really good job working together. We communicate non-stop and I don’t think a minute goes by where I’m not telling her where to go or what to do and same thing for her.”

The top seed was moving on and will get the chance to play in the state semifinal.

“It’s amazing,” Gilman said. “Being a senior, going this far this last year, it’s awesome. Being with this group of girls has been a great experience.”

Cross added, “Words can’t describe it. We’ve worked so hard and we’re so happy to be here.”

Oliver Ames (15-3-1) will face No. 5 seed Grafton in the Final Four at a date, time, and location to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

11/10/202211/10/2022

Quick Start Leads OA Past Stoughton and Into Quarters

NORTH EASTON, Mass. – When you’re the underdog, the team that is new to the playoff experience, the team on the road facing the top seed and league champion, you want to make sure to stay close early in the game. You want to keep within touching distance to build confidence and let the favorite start to fell the pressure.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Stoughton went into Wednesday afternoon’s visit to Muscato Stadium with that game plan, but it last all of 40 seconds before Oliver Ames opened the scoring. The Tigers would add two more within a minute and then kept the Black Knights at arm’s length for the final 70 minutes to secure a 3-0 victory and a place in the Div. 2 quarterfinal.

“They came out gunning for us,” said Stoughton coach Jon Grant. “They came out very fast. They came out very clean and they capitalized on every moment. I tip my hat to them, they’re a phenomenal team. They basically punched us in the mouth the first 10 minutes and then we battled and battled and battled. It’s hard to comeback from a three-goal deficit.

Before the crowd had even gotten settled into the bleachers on a chilly night, OA was on top. Emma Gavin picked up the ball in space in the midfield and slid a pass out to the right wing for freshman Jolie Diaz to run onto. Diaz carried the ball to the end line and then cut the ball back to Gavin, who was making a late run into the box and smacked it past Stoughton keeper Katrina Varnum (seven saves) with a first-time shot.

Eight minutes later, OA doubled its lead on a very similar goal. This time it was Lucinda Li Cotter on the right wing and she dribbled her way to the end line and fired a low cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Jenna Gilman was waiting to power her shot inside the post.

Less than a minute was off the clock before OA had put daylight between itself and the visitors. Diaz again provided the assist with a hard-hit cross into a mass of bodies in the box. Varnum made a diving parry on the pass, but only managed to knock it to the feet of Carly Gibson, who made no mistake with another unerring finish.

“We had senior night here and it was 0-0 and we spent the whole night in their half, but they’re so hard to break down,” said OA coach Britt Sellmayer. “You have to get to the end line and get the ball across because you’re not going to beat [Katrina] high. The first two goals were low and Carly’s was just a bullet through a crowd.”

Holding onto a 3-0 lead took some of the impetus away from the Tigers, who were content to hold the ball and continue looking for its dangerous front three of Cotter, Gilman, and Diaz.

The rest of OA’s chances in the first half came from set pieces. Taylor deVos forced Varnum into a save with a 35-yard free kick. Another deVos delivery, this time from a better angle, went straight across the box to Gavin at the far post, but the sophomore midfielder could only find the side-netting.

Stoughton was struggling to create anything going forward, which wasn’t helped by an injury to sophomore Emma Tran midway through the half. OA keeper Janiya Matier was forced into only one save, on a ball that ricocheted off the knee of Makenzie O’Connor. The Black Knights almost forced an opening in the final minute when Morgan Cook slid a pass into Shayla Ford, but Matier was off her line quickly to collect on the slide.

Coming out of the break, OA nearly added to its lead. A ball in behind the Stoughton defense let Gavin have a chance from close-range, but Varnum was able to smother it. Seconds later, the ball was recycled out to Gibson, who forced the Stoughton keeper into a nice diving stop to her right.

Stoughton had more possession and more of the territorial advantage than it did in the first half, but the Black Knights still struggled to create any chances of note. The OA back line of deVos, Sophia Byron, Catie Wilson, and Molly Capece was impenetrable.

“First half we had to basically stop the bleeding, we had to stop them from scoring,” Grant explained. “In the second half, it was okay lets see if we can get some offense going. We were able to get a little more forward in the second half, but their counterattack, they dump and they’re fast and they’re good. They capitalize on any mistake.”

In the end, OA managed the second half well, making sure to keep the game from getting dramatic in the closing minutes. After a loss at this stage last year, the Tigers were determined to get to the next round.

“We talked about that,” Sellmayer admitted. “Having Jenna gives us an edge and having Jolie gives us pace up front.” When asked about managing the lead late in the game, he added, “It wasn’t as efficient in terms of containing the ball, but we didn’t give them any corners kicks, they had a couple scary chances. They’re a real physical team and we wanted to match it but didn’t want to foul.”

For Stoughton (8-8-4), this season marked the first playoff appearance in 14 years and has the potential to be a jumping off point for a talented sophomore class that makes up a good chunk of the team’s starting lineup.

“Phenomenal,” said Grant. “Absolutely night and day from last year. The work ethic has been phenomenal, the leadership from the seniors has been phenomenal, they’re going to be missed. We do have a young crew coming up and hopefully they can match the leadership that’s been there, but this has been a good building block for the next two years.”

Oliver Ames (14-3-1) will host the winner of Canton and Duxbury, who meet on Thursday, in the quarterfinal on Saturday at a time to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

11/06/202211/06/2022

Sunday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 11/06/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Soccer
Division 2
#32 Ludlow, 0 @ #1 Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Lucinda Li Cotter had a goal and an assist and OA had a convincing first round win over visiting Ludlow. The Tigers hit the post twice in the opening 90 seconds of the match, setting the tone for a first half that they dominated. Jenna Gilman, who missed the end of last season with an injury, got the hosts off to a strong start when her cross from the left went off a defender’s leg for the opening goal. The Tigers doubled the lead in the 16th minute. Laney Carroll was able to bring down a clearance from the Ludlow defense, took a touch, and fired a 25-yard shot just under the bar. Cotter would make it 3-0 when she stooped to meet a low cross from Taylor deVos and guided it inside the near post. She would then set up the fourth goal just a minute after the break. Cotter made a run down the left side, getting all the way to the end line, and then cutting it back for Emma Gavin’s powerful first-time hit. While OA had the majority of possession and chances, Janiya Matier was called upon to make a couple of first half saves, including one nice catch on a free kick that looked like it was headed for the corner. OA will face the winner of #16 Stoughton/#17 Marblehead in the next round.

Division 3
#23 Foxboro, 1 @ #10 Dedham, 2 – Final (2 OT) – Dedham scored late in the second half and then scored on a free kick late in double overtime to pull out a win in a thrilling rematch of last year’s Div. 3 state semifinal. Chloe Ostis put the Warriors in front in the first half, finishing off an assist from Erin Foley. Foxboro would hold onto that lead until the final 12 minutes of regulation. Allie Tuohey, Jaclyn Vecchione, Maddy Luck, and Lindsey Resnick played well in defense to limit the chances for the Marauders to test keeper Allie Sougaris. Sougaris did come up with several great saves when called upon. Foley, Grace Riley, Neve Taylor, and Shea Dorney patrolled the midfield for the Warriors, while Ostis and Lauren Miley worked up front to create scoring chances.

Field Hockey
Division 2
#19 Plymouth North, 1 @ #14 Oliver Ames, 2 – Final (OT)

Division 3
#28 Stoneham, 0 @ #5 Foxboro, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Ella Campbell’s hat trick led the way for the Warriors in a dominating performance to kick off the postseason. Foxboro took a while to get going against the visiting Spartans, but Campbell scored twice in the second quarter to finally give the Warriors a lead that their pressure deserved. A well-worked corner would give Foxboro a 3-0 lead. Mia DiNunzio passed it to Mary Collins at the top of the circle. She moved the ball to her right to Mya Waryas, who let fly with a hard shot through traffic. Kaelin Connors settled it on the end line and played a quick pass across the goal to DiNunzio for the tap in. Foxboro sealed the win in the fourth quarter. Stoneham goalie Gabby Stamps made nearly 20 saves to keep her team in it, but Campbell pounced on a rebound for her third and her team’s fourth. With two minutes to play, a rebound popped out to Collins, who was at the heart of everything for Foxboro, and she coolly slotted a shot into the bottom corner.

10/23/202210/25/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/24/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Franklin, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin converted a penalty kick 15 minutes into the second half to get a win on the road over Attleboro and clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. An unlucky hand ball on a service into the area from Noah Cain gave the visitors a chance from the spot. Senior Trey Lovell stepped up and buried a low shot for the only goal of the game.

Canton, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – North Attleboro scored once in each half to record a win at home over visiting King Philip. Givany Carney found Zach Smahi at the top of the box and he deposited his shot into the back of the net just five minutes into the game for a 1-0 advantage. Smahi returned the favor in the second half, setting up Carney at the 50th minute mark to double the hosts’ advantage. Cole Templin had some big saves for North Attleboro to keep the Warriors off the board. “I’m extremely proud of the effort from all of the seniors tonight,” said North Attleboro head coach Mike Lacasse.

Mansfield, 2 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – A back-and-forth battle ended in a 2-2 draw with each side taking a point. Senior Matheus Groberio blasted a free kick into the back of the net from just outside the area to give the hosts the lead but just two minutes later Connor Palinski finished off a cross to bring the Hornets level. Mansfield carried that momentum and scored again less than 10 minutes after tying it as Dan Checkoway headed in a corner kick from Grady Sullivan. Stoughton came back and found the equalizer before the break as Groberio set up Sam Santos to make it 2-2. Mansfield freshman goalie Troy Lasbury-Casey made 13 saves and played well in his first career start.

Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks deposited a pair of goals in each half to return home with two points via a 4-0 win over Taunton. Eduardo Santana opened the scoring, running onto a long ball from Nate Dinis and poking it past the keeper to make it 1-0. Rodrigo Lourenço drew a foul with clever dribbling and Lucas Nalon Ribero buried the free kick to double the lead going into the half. Ribero grabbed his second of the day, blasting a rocket of a shot from 40 yards away to make it 3-0. Kaua Pereira capped the scoring for the Hawks, finishing off a corner from Lourenço.

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames broke the stalemate midway through the second half to get a win at home over visiting Sharon. Senior Mirray DaSilva converted a pass from Joey Carney in the 60th minute for the lone goal of the game.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Anya Zub’s hat trick pushed the Panthers to a big home win and maintained their lead at the top of the Kelley-Rex. Selene Hammad opened the scoring for Franklin just two minutes into the game, with Zub picking up the assist. Zub would score the next three goals. Kelly O’Connor, Olivia Costa, and Hammad had the assists. Jamie Davies added a late goal for the Bombardiers, converting a penalty after Tatum O’Brien’s nice run into the box drew a foul. Alexis Campbell made double digit saves in the loss.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – After Foxboro battled back to tie the game, Mekhala Costello’s second half goal lifted Canton to the win and kept the Bulldogs within two points of league-leading OA heading into the final game of the regular season. Canton grabbed the lead in a first half that was delayed by lightning. Foxboro answered back three minutes into the second half. Grace Riley got the equalizer off a Shea Dorney corner. Costello found the winner with a blast from distance to secure two points.

North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Mikayla Thompson scored twice and Heidi Lawrence and Ella Pisani each recorded two points to keep the Warriors in the league title mix with one match remaining. KP sits just a point back of Franklin in the division. Lawrence opened the scoring for KP when she took a nice pass from Pisani and lifted it over the keeper. Pisani also had the helper on KP’s second goal four minutes later, putting in a perfect cross for Thompson to tap home from close-range. Thompson would add KP’s third in the second half, this time getting a toe to a cross from Lawrence.

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Olivia Salisbury set a new school record with her 30th career clean sheet (ninth of the season), as Mansfield continued its impressive run. The Hornets have gone 11 games without a loss and picked up a sixth straight win. Avery Hawthorne made it three straight games with a goal, scoring what turned out to be the winner 10 minutes into the second half. Bridget Hanley’s ball over the top set up the goal. Mansfield added a second just two minutes later when Lyla Nappa scored off a cross from Olivia Dunham.

Taunton, 1 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford celebrated senior night with its biggest win of the season. Dani Atherton scored a brace to the lead the way for the Hawks, who scored four unanswered in the second half to break open a close game. Kaylee Whitney, Serena Borges, Paige Caldon, and Ava Baglione each scored once for Milford and Kayleigh Tourtellot had a solid game in goal. Juliana Matos had the lone goal for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Emma Gavin recorded three goals and Lucinda Li Cotter had four points (two goals and two assists) to lift the Tigers to a win in a back-and-forth game in the rain at Sharon. With the win, OA kept hold of a two-point lead on Mansfield and Canton going into the final match of the regular season. Jolie Diaz added a goal and Jenna Gilman had a pair of assists for the visitors. Sharon battled back two get within two twice, Autumn Simon finishing with a brace. Sofia Goclowski and Jessica Li had the assists. Taylor Standring had a strong game in net for the Eagles.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Attleboro kept it close, trailing just 2-0 at halftime, but Franklin scored a late goal in the third quarter and two more early in the fourth to pull away for the win. After a scoreless first quarter, Emily Carney scored three minutes into the second (from Kaitlyn Carney and Sophia Cuneo) and then again with under a minute to play until halftime (from Haley Wernig and Cuneo). Payten Crandell (from Kaitlyn Carney) pushed the Panthers’ lead to 3-0 with just over a minute to play in the third, and both Wernig and Kaitlyn Carney scored inside the first five minutes to make it 5-0. Siany Ortez made 10 saves in net for the Bombardiers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield scored two goals in each the first and third quarters and tacked on one each in the second and fourth quarters to get a win over Stoughton. Ava Adams opened the scoring and Danni Cuzzi scored back-to-back goals, one in the first quarter and one in the second to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead at halftime. Adams grabbed her second in the third, Kristina Kipp made it 5-0 in the third quarter, and Adams completed her hat trick with the lone goal of the fourth.

Taunton, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Kaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a shutout win on the road at Milford. Caelen O’Leary added one goal to go along with DeMoura’s two while Jasmine Lucier made three saves in net for the shutout.

Oliver Ames @ Sharon – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/25 at 3:30.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Mary Collins scored midway through the fourth quarter to cancel out Maggie McCready’s opener and send both times home with a point. The first half was a defensive struggle, with Foxboro having the only shot on net in the opening 30 minutes. Canton turned things around in the third, dominating the quarter and breaking the deadlock. Carolyn Schiavo created space on the right side and fired a shot that Kathryn Ferguson needed to save. The rebound sat in the crease for a couple seconds before McCready pounced to knock it home. Foxboro took control of play in the fourth. Carolyn Durand made a series of good saves but eventually Mya Waryas’ shot from distance was tipped in the circle by Collins. The ball caromed out from the back of the net, causing confusion, but after a discussion between the officials the goal was given.

Volleyball
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip landed a dominate win at home, and along with Franklin’s win over Attleboro, the Warriors moved back into a first place tie atop the Kelley-Rex division with one match to go. Emily Sawyer landed 10 kills along with seven aces and three blocks to lead the Warriors to a 3-0 (25-15, 25-7, 25-11) win over the Rocketeers. Sami Shore (three aces) and Ahunna James (five digs) each added seven kills while Olivia O’Neil finished with four kills and two aces.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Junior Claire O’Rourke had a big day at the net to help Oliver Ames shake off a close loss in the third set and finish off the win, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 24-26, 25-15). O’Rourke notched 13 kills while Sarah Hilliard added 12 kills to lead the offense. Maddie Homer had 16 digs and six aces, Clare Kavolius recorded 35 assists and five aces, and Cecelia Cupples had a strong game at the net.

Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Foxboro, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton rallied from a 2-1 deficit to stay alive and force a fifth set and then outlasted visiting Foxboro to get the win, 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 15-9). Jess Wright had an efficient night at the net, hitting 0.425 with 19 kills while Liana Lamparelli added 13 digs, three kills, and three blocks for the Bulldogs. Seniors Haley Duhaime, Nevaeh Osborne, Liz Beal and Riley Costa played well in the five set battle.

Stoughton, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

Taunton @ Milford, 5:15

10/18/2022

Mansfield Survives Wild Finish to Hold Off OA

Mansfield girls soccer — Mansfield players celebrate the opening goal by Maddie Fernandes in a 2-1 win over league-leading Oliver Ames. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

MANSFIELD, Mass. – Sometimes the final minutes of a game are about calmness, composure, and coolly holding onto possession to see out the result. Other times, those last few minutes are all about holding on for dear life and doing anything and everything to keep the ball out of your net.

The finish to Tuesday night’s Davenport division clash at Alumni Field was anything but calm.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Maddie Fernandes scored twice in two minutes to put Mansfield in front but fellow freshman Jolie Diaz halved the deficit for Oliver Ames with 11 minutes play, setting up a wild, frenetic ending. In a game that had playoff intensity, the Hornets demonstrated a trait that could serve them well in two weeks, when tournament play begins, holding off OA’s late charge and pulling out a 2-1 win.

“I told Britt those last 10-plus minutes you guys were making every crack for us evident and you got one of them through and I was waiting for the next one to get through, but we kind of held it together,” Mansfield coach Kevin Smith explained. “We’ll learn from it.”

“We’ll learn how to clear the ball and how to have composure. It’s a great learning experience for us. We did hold…enough, so that was good. We’re getting better every day.”

While OA coach Britt Sellmayer was happy that his team kept fighting to the final whistle, he wanted that level of intensity much sooner. “Happy how we played the last 15 minutes but you have to play 80 minutes and we didn’t have that sense of urgency when we came out.”

“The idea is not to put yourself in that position and we did.”

From the opening kick, Mansfield made it a point to put the pressure on OA, trying to put balls in behind the defense and pressing high up the pitch. The Hornets started the game well, pinning OA back and limiting the chances to move through midfield, but they also weren’t creating many opportunities of their own.

Despite the home team having an edge in territory in the opening 40 minutes, it was the visitors who had the best chances.

Lindsey Nosalek created the first look at goal after 12 minutes, crossing a ball from the right wing to Rhiya Fisher, whose first-time effort was comfortably held by Mansfield keeper Olivia Salisbury (five saves). Two minutes later, Mary Cross teed up a long shot for Taykor deVos but again it was easy for Salisbury.

Midway through the first half, Mansfield had its first good look. Freshman Olivia Dunham played an angled free kick into the box to her center back partner Kara Santos, but the junior headed wide of the far post. Carly Devine then had a chance with a quick turn after a throw in and OA keeper Janiya Mathier was able to push the shot around the post.

OA finished the first half with a flurry of chances. Diaz chased a long ball down the right wing, won the battle for possession, and cut back inside before firing a shot that Salisbury had to hold near the post. Inside the final five minutes, Jenna Gilman got loose on the left and cut the ball back. Mansfield was unable to clear cleanly and Emma Gavin popped up with a shot on target from the edge of the box.

“Mansfield played so well in the first half,” said Sellmayer. “We played seven minutes in the first half, they dominated about 30 of it. We were lucky to be there at that point. We decided to play the last 15 minutes of the match and that’s not good enough. That’s a life lesson and we’re going to have to learn from it.”

Mansfield turned the game on its head 10 minutes after the break.

Olivia Homsi played the ball to freshman Alexandra Fernandes, who worked space for a powerful strike that Mathier (four saves) kept out at full stretch. The OA keeper was quick to her feet and charged down Lyla Nappa, who was racing in to get the rebound. Dunham curled the resulting corner to the back post where Maddie Fernandes was able to get enough of the cross to sneak it inside the post.

With the momentum of the opening goal, Mansfield quickly doubled the advantage. Good pressure down the right wing forced a loose ball about 20 yards from goal. Fernandes ran onto and drilled a shot up over the keeper and just under the bar.

“We don’t have a lot of big-time, double-digit goal scorers,” Smith said about how his team seems to have a different player stepping up each game. “We kind of spread it around and it’s a team effort. We’re a good sum of our parts.”

The cliche is that a two-goal lead is the most dangerous in soccer. It started to feel that way for the Hornets when OA suddenly picked up the tempo of its play in the final quarter of an hour.

With 11 minutes to go, the Tigers were able to get on the board. deVos angled a long free kick to the back post where Gavin rose highest and cleverly nodded it back across the face of goal. The Hornets were drawn to the first ball and Diaz was alone in the six to head it in.

OA seemed to have wind in its sails and started to deliver a series of free kicks into the Mansfield penalty area. Each one seemed to bounce around multiple times before it was eventually cleared. Diaz also created a chance with a cut back to deVos that Salisbury was able to hold and with three minutes to go deVos had another set piece that hit players on both sides before Salisbury gratefully fell on it a few feet from the goal line.

“One of our three keys is put so much pressure on the other team that they have trouble playing forward,” Smith said about his team’s energy level from the start. “We know we can do that and we can come up with that second ball, force errant passes, and then go on our attack. We did it really well for a large part of the game tonight.”

Mansfield (7-3-3) extended its unbeaten run to eight games, since a loss to OA in the first meeting, and will try to keep that going when Sharon comes to Alumni Field on Thursday. Oliver Ames (10-2-1) saw its 11-game unbeaten run come to an end on Tuesday, but can still seal at least a share of the league title with a win against Canton on Friday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

10/12/202210/13/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/12/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 1 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton senior Riley Rebello scored a pair of first half goals and the Tigers raced out to a big lead and never looked back. After trading goals in the opening 20 minutes, the Tigers finished the first half with four goals. Quincy Jones-Sylvia opened the scoring, Devin Poe scored his first of the game for Taunton’s second goal, and Rebello scored back-to-back goals: one on a terrific strike from distance and another off a free kick. Conal Scully and Poe each added a goal in the second half. Marco Pacini scored a first half goal for the Warriors.

Stoughton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of first half goals and tacked on a key insurance tally in the opening moments of the second half to secure a win over visiting Stoughton. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini opened the scoring for the hosts, finishing off a feed from junior Rex Cinelli in the 13th minute to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Just past the half hour mark, sophomore Wyatt Herndon set up junior Hansy Jacques to double the hosts’ advantage. Just two minutes into the second half, Trey Lovell capped the scoring with an unassisted strike.

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Mansfield got the odd goal in five to pull out a win at KP. All the goals were scored in the opening half. Dan Checkoway opened the scoring for the Hornets finishing off an assist from Grady Sullivan. Aiden Steele got the second with a pass from Lucas DeSousa. Sullivan got what turned out to be the game-winner after 27 minutes. Tyler Znoj had the assist. Matt Crago had a goal and assist for the Warriors and Oliver Blackburn got a goal from the penalty spot. Will Bowen also had an assist for KP. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan praised his team’s effort in the second half to hold onto the one-goal lead.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Carson Dameron scored seven minutes into the second half to give North a big win over Sharon. Bryce Newth got the assist on the goal. North’s back line of Jack Regan, Brody Carter, Sam Bush, and Kaden Burns put in a strong shift to limit Sharon’s scoring opportunities.

Canton, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Jamie Davies recorded three points (two goals and an assist) and Alexis Campbell saved a penalty, as Attleboro picked up a critical road win that moves the Bombardiers back within a win of .500. Davies had a first-half brace, the first assisted by Tatum O’Brien after seven minutes and the second assisted by Tatum Leahy 15 minutes later. Campbell came up with a big stop on a penalty kick that kept the Bombardiers in front at the break. Attleboro kept up the energy to win the midfield battle in the second half and O’Brien sealed the win with a goal, assisted by Davies, three minutes from the final whistle.

Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Lauren Miley had a goal and an assist and Foxboro ended a 10-game winless streak to pick up the home win on senior night. Freshman Shea Dorney opened the scoring off a Miley pass and then Miley double the lead in the second half, assisted by Erin Foley. Lindsey Resnick led a strong defensive effort for the Warriors along with goalie Allie Sougaris.

Franklin, 1 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Franklin got its second clean sheet in as many days, holding on for a win that moves the Panthers one point ahead of KP in the league title race ahead of Friday’s showdown. Lauren Mitchell and Emma Tremblay both played well in the Stoughton defense, helping keep Franklin to one goal. Katrina Varnum made 11 saves for the Black Knights.

King Philip, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Avery Hawthorne scored a winner midway through the second half to lift Mansfield to the upset of Kelley-Rex leader King Philip. Bridget Hanley opened the scoring for the Hornets with a first-half penalty. Mikayla Thompson equalized with an unassisted goal for the Warriors 12 minutes after the break, but Hawthorne popped up five minutes later to finish off a pass from Meghan McCann.

Milford, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – OA scored six times in the first half and the Tigers made it 10 straight wins, opening up a five-point lead atop the Davenport division. Taylor deVos scored a brace, while Lucinda Li Cotter, Jolie Diaz, Jenna Gilman, and Carly Gibson each scored once to build a 6-0 lead. Cotter and Diaz also had assists. Dani Atherton scored a brace in the second half to bring Milford closer.

Golf
Attleboro, 184 @ Oliver Ames, 183 – Final (5 cards) – Tied through four cards, Oliver Ames pulled off a one-stroke victory on the fifth card to take a win over visiting Attleboro. Oliver Ames’ Sean Kearns and Attleboro’s Leo Lombardo shared medalist honors after each shot a 34 on the day. Michael McGinnis and Braden Shapiro each added a 37 for the Tigers, Daniel Paul came in with a 38, and Ryan Smith, Carter Hanson, and David Rodgers each shot a 39. For Attleboro, Carter Shelton fired a 35 and Ryan Hill finished with a 36.

North Attleboro, 176 @ Foxboro, 187 – Final – Jake Gaskin was the only player to shoot a sub-40 round, taking medalist honors with a 39, as North pulled out the non-league win. The Rocketeers also got rounds of 41 from Tyson Laviano, 47 from Caiden Albergio, and 49 from Ishan Kohli. Foxboro was led by Zac Georgantas, who had three pars and a round of 45. Louie Carangelo was one back with a 46 and Reese Curreri and Josh Connolly each shot a 48 for the Warriors.

Taunton, 177 @ Sharon, 174 – Final

Stoughton, 39 @ Weymouth, 100 – Final

Milford, 155 @ Canton, 161 – Final – Milford earned a close win over Canton, led by Jacob Hipolito’s medalist round of 36. Anthony LaPierre also broke 40 for the Hawks, finishing with a 37. Eric Farrell added a round of 40 and Zach Hippolito shot a 42. Canton’s low scorer was Brendan Tourgee with a 38, while Brian Middleton had a 39. Charlie Vaughan finished with a round of 41 and the Bulldogs had three golfers, Matt Yeaton, Danny Hall, and Joey Ryan, shoot rounds of 43.