Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames took the lead just before the halftime break but Attleboro answered just before the final whistle to take a point on the road. Senior Mathias Taylor set up sophomore Joey Carney to give the hosts the lead in the 39th minute. Attleboro sophomore Alex Vecchioli scored off an assist from Esvin Morales in the 74th minute.
Taunton, 0 vs. Durfee, 2 – Final
Girls Soccer
Canton, 0 @ Medfield, 0 – Final
Sharon, 2 @ Milton, 1 – Final – Less than 24 hours after playing Canton, Sharon picked up a road win at Milton. Autumn Simon and Wendy Wooden were the goal scorers for the Eagles, who have taken three points from two games with the Wildcats this season.
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro netted a pair of goals in the second half to earn two hard-fought points at home against visiting King Philip. A long throw from sophomore Luke Hagopian played senior Connor Adema down the right wing, and Adema cut in before tapping a centering pass for an easy touch in front for sophomore Billy Badger in the 58th minute. The Bombardiers doubled the lead in the 67th minute when junior Lucas Marques forced a turnover, connected with Esvin Morales, who one touched it on to Alex Vecchioli and the sophomore’s shot eluded the keeper on the bounce.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Canton twice came back from a goal down in the first half and then Erik Valdovinos found a winner just three minutes after the break to lift Canton to the division victory. Adam Eastman scored twice in the first half for the Eagles. The first came after three minutes when he ran onto a through ball and side-footed his finish into the far corner. His second was in the 24th minute as he rounded the keeper and was able to slide his shot in from a tight angle. Dylan Baird equalized for Canton after a nice turn and a shot through a defender’s legs into the bottom corner. After falling behind again, Canton was able to get back level six minutes before halftime. A low cross from Jake McCabe was partially deflected by Jacob Crugnale into the path of Charlie McKinney and he curled it from 18 yards. Three minutes into the second half, Valdovinos hit a low cross from the left that deflected off a Sharon defender and into the corner for the go-ahead goal. Sharon’s best chance at a tying goal came on a breakaway in the final 10 minutes but Amjad Kordab’s shot was parried by Canton keeper Giovanni Ruggeri and cleared by Jay Kelleher.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to earn a key division win over Foxboro, pushing its win streak to five games. Senior Clide Neau put the hosts ahead in the first half, finishing off a pass from Antonio Fernandes. The Tigers doubled the lead in the second half when freshman Casey Milliken played sophomore Joey Carney for a goal. Mathias Taylor and Michael Haikal played well in the middle for OA.
Milford, 1 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Franklin and Milford traded first half goals and the match finished level with each team taking home a point. The hosts struck first to take the lead when Jack Moran scored off of an assist from Rex Cinelli in the 14th minute. But just five minutes later, Bill Silva knotted the score on a pass from Avi Serri.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – North Attleboro twice erased a one-goal deficit and then scored the final two goals in the last 20 minutes to take a win on the road over Stoughton. The Black Knights opened the scoring in the 16th minute only for North Attleboro’s Brody Rosenberg to equalize in the 35th minute, finishing off a corner from Connor Ward. Stoughton regained the lead early in the second half but Bryce Newth nodded in a cross from Griffin Rodden in the 57th minute to bring the game level again. Quinn Conley gave the visitors their first lead by finishing off a cross from Ward in the 64th minute and tacked on an insurance goal in the 71st minute off a feed from Carson Dameron.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Ella Pisani and Mikayla Thompson each recorded a brace and KP scored three times in each half to pick up the big win and remain atop the Kelley-Rex. Pisani opened the scoring in the 12th minute, finishing a corner kick from Morgan Norrman. Thompson doubled the lead eight minutes before the break, after a great pass by Dani Lomuscio, and then added her second two minutes later, this time off an assist from Pisani. Pisani scored in the opening minute of the second half on a free kick. Norrman had her second assist, setting up Kylie Menendez to make it 5-0 and Sarah Harper wrapped up the scoring with four minutes to play after being played behind the defense by Danielle Gresham.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Jordan Carman found the back of the net with four minutes left in regulation to lift Foxboro to a dramatic win and into a tie for first place in the Davenport division. Camryn O’Connor broke the deadlock with 25 minutes to play, putting the Tigers in front by a goal, but Kailee McCabe equalized from the penalty spot. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said, “I am so proud of my team and the fight they gave today. All-around amazing effort by all!” Kyla Melton and Mary Cross both had strong games for OA.
Franklin, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Anya Zub had a hat trick to lead the Panthers to the road win and keep them within two points of first place in the division. With three goals on Thursday, Zub hit double digits (12) for the season. Kelly O’Connor added the fourth for Franklin. Stella Regan, Bridget Leo, Reilly Lorenzo, and Tori Carmignani all had assists for the visitors. Kailany Ferreira had a big game for the Hawks, making 18 saves to keep the hosts in the game. Brooke Ferreira, Serena Borges, and Aislinn Bennett also played well for Milford, whose head coach Lou Colabello said he was proud of how his team competed despite not getting the result.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Emma Pratt had a goal and an assist and North Attleboro earned its second straight win, moving back to .500 on the season. Steph McKenna opened the scoring in the 32nd minute, off a pass from Pratt. Autumn Hewitt set up Pratt for what turned out to be the game-winner, as Pratt was able to beat the keeper to the ball and finish. Sivannah Marcy got the lone goal for the Black Knights in the closing minutes. North coach Bill Wallace praised the play of midfielders Brayden Rice, Charlotte Moynihan, Brooke Sullivan, and Lily Adams. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima is hoping that his team can carry momentum from a solid performance into Friday’s game with Norwood. He highlighted Morgan Cook for her playmaking and Shayla Ford for being able to create scoring chances. Lima also credited Bianca Casna and Emma Byrne for being able to put pressure on the North defense.
Boys Cross-Country
Taunton, 24 @ Franklin, 32 – Final
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Girls Cross-Country
Taunton, 40 @ Franklin, 21 – Final – Franklin took first and second overall, three of the top five, and used its depth to take a win over Taunton. Senior Charlene Peng clocked in at 20:20 for first overall while sophomore Alexandra Batla took second in 20:30. Taunton freshmen Colby Dunham (20:39) and Emerson Deponte (20:49) finished third and fourth, respectively, while Franklin sophomore Vivienne Loukota took fifth in 21:33.
Oliver Ames @ Canton, 3:45
Golf
Canton, 147 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Canton’s Will Gefteas fired a two-under par round to lead the Bulldogs to a big win on the road. Gefteas came in with a two-under round of 34 for medalist honors while Mekhala Costello shot a 37, and both Conor Hunter and Mike Leonetti carded rounds of 38. Jack Gobin led the way for Taunton with a 38.
Mansfield, 164 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Junior Drew Urban fired a 41 in his first varsity match, helping the Hornets pick up their 10th win of the season against Taunt. Senior Cian Goulet shot a team-low round of 39, senior Hunter Tang added a 40, Urban came in with a 41, and Jordan Tavares, Ryan Doherty and Nathan McLean all shot a 44. Jack Gobin earned medalist honors, leading Taunton with a low-round of 38.
Attleboro, 161 @ Milford, 170 – Final – Brendan Raymond earned medalist honors, coming in as the lone golfer under 40 for the day to lead the Bombardiers past Milford at Hopedale Country Club. Raymond shot a 36, Evan Houle and Leo Lombardo each carded a 41, and Jackson Sweeney finished with a 43 for Attleboro. Nate Lawrence led the Scarlet Hawks with a 40 while Ronan Fleming shot a 43.
Foxboro, 162 @ King Philip, 148 – Final – Mike Matheson had the best individual round of any Hock golfer this season as King Philip took down Foxboro. Matheson had three birdies (three, four, six) and added an eagle on the fifth hole to finish with a 31. Jared Curran added a 37 while both Pat Reardon and Gavin Croke shot a 40 for the hosts. Jack Watts led Foxboro with a team-low round of 37.
Oliver Ames, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jo Jo Gaultier recorded four birdies and the Tigers rolled to a win at Easton Country Club. Gaultier birdied on two, six, eight, and nine to finish with a two-under medalist round of 34. Senior Jake Kaplan added a 38 in the win while sophomores Sean Kearns and David Rodgers each carded a 39. Anthony Hern led the way for the Black Knights with a 41.
Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 1 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Sophomore Alex Vecchioli’s second goal of the game turned out to be the game-winner for the Bombardiers in a win over Stoughton. With the game tied 1-1, Vecchioli pounced on a loose ball inside the six-yard box after a service from Luke Hagopian in the 68th minute to put the hosts ahead. Vecchioli opened the scoring in the 6th minute, taking a pass from Chris Russo before cutting it back on his left foot for a beautiful blast into the top corner at the far post from just under 30 yards out. Stoughton leveled the match shortly before halftime after a great hustle play from junior Joao Marotti led to an open shot from atop the area from freshman Alex Kozak.
Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip scored three goals for the second straight game to earn its second straight win, this time against visiting Canton. After trading early goals, the Warriors scored in the last 10 minutes of the first half and again in the first 10 minutes of the second half for their third win of the season. Matt Crago put the hosts ahead from the spot after Tommy Lomuscio was fouled in the 10th minute but Canton’s Erik Valdovinos equalized moments later to make it 1-1. KP regained the lead in the 32nd minute when Lomuscio finished off a feed from Dermott Amorim to give KP a 2-1 advantage at the break. The Warriors added an insurance tally in the 46th minute when Crago completed his brace on an assist from Sean McCarthy.
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – In a well-played, hard fought match, it was the Franklin Panthers that secured two points after converting a late chance from the penalty spot. Sean O’Leary earned the pen in the 76th minute and senior Terry O’Neill stepped up and buried his shot for the lone goal of the game. Foxboro goalie Derek Axon received high praise from Franklin coach Fran Bositis for his strong play (12 saves) in net.
Sharon, 1 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield senior Matt Hyland scored with less than a minute to play to help the Hornets earn the win and take two points after it looked like the game was destined to finish level. The Hornets had the upper hand in the opening half and converted less than 10 minutes into the contest. Michael Caridi’s long throw in the attacking third was met at the near post by Hyland but his header was turned aside by a terrific reactionary save from Sharon goalie Brady Daylor. The ball bounced off the crossbar and back into play where junior Andrew Bain was quick to clean up the rebound for the lead. Sharon equalized in the 48th minute, becoming the first team to score against Mansfield this season, snapping a 537:15 shutout streak to start the season. Amjad Kordab played a perfectly weighted through ball behind the defense and junior Adam Eastman placed it far post pass the oncoming keeper to make it 1-1. In the final minute, Hyland cut the ball back onto his left while on the right sideline and curled a shot on net that beat the keeper and found the back of the net.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Junior Eduardo Santana scored the go-ahead goal and assisted on the insurance tally — both coming in the second half — as the Hawks picked up a win over visiting North Attleboro. Santana put the hosts ahead on a feed from Alex Siquera and then set up David Desa to double the lead. Milford head coach Antonio Pinto praised the effort from his backline in the shutout.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames pushed its win streak to four with a well-earned two points on the road against a game Taunton squad. Sophomore Joey Carney opened the scoring on a feed from Clide Neau, and the Tigers took that 1-0 advantage into the break. But the game changed quickly when Neau doubled the lead very early in the second half on an assist from Mathias Taylor. Taylor then capped the scoring with a goal assisted by freshman Casey Milliken. Sasha Priajinski picked up his third shutout of there season while Collin Lozano, Jake Williams, Antonio Fernandes, and Hector Bucio all played well defensive for OA.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Zoe Johnson-Kiff recorded her first career hat trick, leading Attleboro to its fourth win in the last five games. Jamie Davies opened the scoring the Bombardiers, from a Kahlan Gray assist. Johnson-Kiff scored the next three goals for the visitors. Emily Dunlea had a brace of assists and Kacey Parker had one helper. Olivia Calderone and Emily Khang both had solid games for Attleboro.
King Philip, 4 @ Canton, 0 – Final – KP went on the road and picked up its sixth win in six league games this season. Ella Pisani scored eight minutes into the game, off a feed from Dani Lomuscio, and it held up as the game-winner. KP added two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half to seal the win. Heidi Lawrence and Mikayla Thompson got the goals, both assisted by Morgan Norrman. Kylie Menendez made it 4-0 midway through the second half, assisted by Pisani.
Mansfield, 6 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – The Hornets made it back-to-back wins with a strong performance on the road. Tarynn Smith scored twice and assisted on two others to lead the Mansfield attack. Anna Darlington scored once and had two assists and Avery Hawthorne, Gabby Smith, and Courtney Crook also found the back of the net for the Hornets. Freshman Autumn Simon started in goal for the Eagles but then moved to forward late in the game and scored Sharon’s lone goal.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North scored twice in the opening 10 minutes to pull out its third win of the season. Steph McKenna opened the scoring just four minutes in, finishing off a pass from Brooke Sullivan. Four minutes later, Emma Pratt ran onto a chip by Caroline Ferrin and made it 2-0. Haley Sinacola wrapped up the scoring with her third free kick goal of the season. Summer Doherty played well in the North defense, marking Milford star Dani Atherton. Maddie Ferrin saw five shots and penalty kick, but earned a clean sheet. Carli Guertin, Chloe Mearn, Kate Johnson, Morgan Eaton, and Jess Hennessey all played well for the Rocketeers.
Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Lucinda Li Cotter scored four goals as the Tigers rolled to a big win at home. Katie Gibson added two goals in the win while Alexa Lane, Carly Gibson and Lindsay Nosalek each scored once for OA, who remained unbeaten at 6-0-1.
Field Hockey
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro defended its home turf by earning a shutout win over visiting Taunton. Madison Ellis scored the lone goal of the game, finishing off a shot on assists from Olivia Hillman and Sarah McMahon.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 5 – Final – North Attleboro took the lead on the road at Canton but the Bulldogs bounced back with five straight to take the win. Julia Puccio put the Rocketeers ahead but Ellie Bohane scored her first of two goals on the night to make it 1-1. Senior Erin Lane and Sophomore Maggie Mcready found the back of the net before the break for a 3-1 halftime lead. Junior Audrey Koen extended the lead for the hosts and Bohane tacked on her second to cap the scoring.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin built a three-goal lead by halftime then pumped in five more after the break as the Panthers stayed red-hot on offense in a win over Mansfield. Haley Wernig and Delaney Hess (first varsity goal) each scored two goals to lead the attack while Raena Crandall, Emily Carney, Kaitlyn Carney, and Ella Mahoney (first varsity goal) all scored once in the win. Shaw Downing, Kaeley Dubriske, Kendall Jones, and Kiera Kotwicki all recorded assists in the win.
King Philip, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Sophomores Kelly Holmes and Mara Boldy each had multi-point games as King Philip bounced back from its first loss of the season with a shutout win on the road on the turf field at Woodland Elementary. Senior Margo Reilly and freshman Makenzie McDevitt also scored in the win while both Sydney O’Shea and Lily Brown had strong games for the Warriors.
Stoughton @ Oliver Ames, 3:45
Volleyball
Taunton, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro shook off a close loss in the third set to take down Taunton in four (25-13, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20) for its fifth win of the season. Senior Natalie Brojek set the offense in motion with 26 assists and had a strong showing at the service line with six aces, freshman Julia Leonardo continued her stellar start to the season with 20 kills, and Lilly Boedeker anchored the defense with 21 serve receptions.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton completed a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-15, 25-12) to earn a key victory over division foe North Attleboro. Sydney Gallery paced the attack for the Bulldogs with 10 kills and also had a great game defensively. Talya DeGraw had a strong all-around match with four kills, six digs, three aces, and two blocks, Taylor Reynolds recorded 26 assists, and Anna Verille put down 15 kills and added four aces in a good all-around team effort from the Dogs.
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin got off to a strong start and then fended off a strong fight from the Hornets for a 3-0 sweep (25-10, 25-23, 25-22). Sophomore Taylor Lacerda recoded nine digs, eight kills, and two aces in the win while Brigid Earley added six kills and four blocks for Franklin. For Mansfield, Lexi Scibilia notched six blocks and a kill, sophomore Elyssa Buchanan added six kills, and Julia Kelly finished with four kills and four digs.
King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – King Philip dropped its first set of the season after a marathon first game but bounced back to take the next three in a win on the road over Milford (26-28, 25-8, 25-13, 25-11). Sami Shore (six blocks) and Ahunna James (three aces, three digs) paced the offense for the visitors with 15 kills apiece while Liv Carey added five kills in the win. Sofia Riedel had a big day at the service line with 29 service points won along with 11 digs while Samantha Asprelli added eight digs.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business at home, sweeping visiting Stoughton (25-11, 25-18, 25-10). The Tigers got key contributions from three different classes with senior Hadley Rhodes recording 15 assists and eight aces, junior Maddie Homer adding 14 digs and 10 serve receptions, and senior Sarah Hilliard finishing with 10 kills and five aces.
Golf
Franklin, 151 @ Attleboro, 152 – Final
Oliver Ames, 167 @ Mansfield, 155 – Final – Mansfield bounced back from a one-stroke loss at Pine Oaks to Oliver Ames by splitting the season series with the Tigers, earning their eighth win of the year with a win over the Tigers at Norton Country Club. Senior Cian Goulet shot an even par medalist round of 36 to lead the way while sophomore Nathan McClean added a 39 and both seniors Hunter Tang and Ryan Doherty shot a 40. Jo Jo Gaultier led Oliver Ames with a 37 while Sean Kearns added a 39 for the Tigers.
Sharon, 173 @ Milford, 167 – Final – Milford broke into the win column for the season with a victory over Sharon at Hopedale Country Club. Anthony LaPierre and Jacob Hipolito both earned medalist honors by shooting a match-low round of 40 in the win. Sharon’s Nathan Daley also took a share of medalist honors with a 40 while Eric Carter added a 42.
Stoughton, 188 @ North Attleboro, 151 – Final – North Attleboro’s Tyson Laviano fired an ever par round of 35 to lead the Rocketeers to a win on the middle course of Heather Hill in a match against Stoughton. Jake Gaskin came in one-over at 36, Dillon Harding shot a 39, and Ishan Kohli finished at 41.
Foxboro, 51 vs. Plymouth South, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Tom Marcucella 18-yard pass to Tommy Sharkey, Sam Carpenter XP good; (F) Safety; (F) Dylan Gordon 14-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 16-yard pass to Rashaad Way, S. Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 12-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (PS) Casious Johnson 76-yard rush, Ian Wernik XP good; (F) D. Gordon 5-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) T. Marcucella 19-yard pass to R. Way, S. Carpenter XP good; (PS) C. Johnson 80-yard rush, I. Wernik XP good; (F) D. Gordon 59-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Franklin, 27 @ Duxbury, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (D) Matt Festa 22-yard pass to Brady Madigan, Dennen Sullivan XP good; (D) M. Festa 26-yard pass to Chris Walsh, D. Sullivan XP good; (F) Jared Arone 15-yard pass to Shane Kindred, XP blocked; (F) J. Arone 35-yard pass to Will Tracey, Garrett Portesi XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 30-yard pass to Will Deschenes, J. Arone conversion pass to S. Kindred; (F) Mack Gulla 46-yard rush, XP blocked.
Stoughton, 14 @ Mansfield, 42 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (S) Jonah Ly 14-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Jarred Daughtry 50-yard pass to J. Ly, J Ly XP good; (M) Rocco Scarpellini 2-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good; (M) Conner Zukowski 7-yard pass to Brian Butler, J. Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) C. Zukowski 46-yard pass to CJ Bell, J. Gilleran XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 24-yard pass to Trevor Foley, J. Gilleran XP good; (M) R. Scarpellini 50-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Connor Curtis 11-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
Oliver Ames, 34 vs. Bedford, 27 – Final
Taunton, 28 @ Middleboro, 8 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (T) Evan Perrotta 8-yard rush, Nathan Keenan XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) Jacob Leonard 6-yard pass to Jose Touron, N. Keenan XP good; (T) J. Leonard 32-yard pass to Isaiah Williams, N. Keenan XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Jacob Briggs 5-yard pass to John Chor, J. Briggs conversion pass to Isaiah Furtado; (T) E. Perrotta 34-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – It was a battle between the boxes for the Bulldogs and the Rocketeers, settling for a scoreless draw and a point apiece. North threatened with a pair of dangerous crosses from Kaden Burns in the second half but couldn’t find the other end of the service. Canton had a pair of dangerous second half corners but couldn’t convert. North head coach Geoff Burgess praised the defensive effort of Brody Rosenberg and Jaad Ismail.
Foxboro, 5 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Foxboro built a 2-1 lead by halftime and then pumped in three more in the second half to take two points on the road at Gavin Pond against Sharon. Seniors Matt Angelini and Jacob Tessier each scored a pair of goals to pace the attack for the visitors while sophomore defender Ian Foley tacked on another goal in the win.
Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Jack Lasbury-Casey denied the visiting Panthers on a pair of good goal scoring chances late to preserve a draw and a point for the hosts. The Hornets have yet to concede on the season with Lasbury-Casey notching his sixth straight shutout to start the season.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Freshman Casey Milliken scored his first career hat trick and the Tigers rolled on the road for their fourth victory of the season. Milliken opened the scoring off an assist from sophomore Carney, added his second to make it 4-0 on a pass from Clide Neau, and completed the hat trick on a feed from Hector Bucio for a 6-0 lead. Bucio, Neau, Ralph Vache, and senior Sam Schoenfeld all scored for the Tigers while Michael Haikal, Mathias Taylor and John Dobbin all had assists. Sasha Priajinski recored his second shutout of the season.
Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Jamie Davies had a brace and an assist, powering Attleboro to its fourth win of the season. Davies set up Bethany Alves for the opening goal of the game after 14 minutes and then doubled the lead, taking a pass from Ayla Santoro, to make it 2-0 midway through the half. Davies added her second and the team’s third shortly after the break, assisted by Avery Vieira. Emily Khang sealed the win with a goal from an Angelic Duran assist.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton extended its unbeaten run to four games, securing a point against North Attleboro on senior night. North Attleboro took the lead on a 40-yard blast on a free kick from Haley Sinacola and then salvaged a point with a goal with less than 10 minutes to go. Brayden Rice connected on a volley from just outside the box in the 72nd minute to bring the visitors level. Gabriella Herivaux had a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs, while Emily McCabe added the second. Freshman Paige Sullivan continued her impressive rookie campaign and classmate Emma Cahill had a nice pass leading to McCabe’s goal. North Attleboro head coach Bill Wallace praised the play of Casey Butanowicz, Charlotte Moynihan, Summer Doherty, and Brook Sullivan in front of Maddie Ferrin.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Kailee McCabe continued to be practically unstoppable, scoring both goals to extend Foxboro’s win streak to six games. McCabe scored in the first half off an assist by Grace Riley. In a hard-fought second half, the Warriors were finally able to double the lead when Lauren Miley played a perfect through ball that split the Sharon defenders. McCabe ran onto it and calmly slid the ball past Sharon’s freshman keeper Autumn Simon, who had an impressive game for the Eagles. Amber Marcus-Blank and Jordanna Morris also played well in the Sharon defense, trying to keep track of attackers McCabe and Jordan Carman. Sofia Goclowski had another solid game in the Sharon midfield, battling with Foxboro midfielder Erin Foley, but an injury to forward Wendy Wooden limited the chances that the Eagles were able to create.
Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Abby Jean scored midway through the first half off an assist from Katie Miller to give Mansfield its fourth straight win against Franklin. The Hornets also beat the Panthers three times last fall, and all four games finished 1-0. Mansfield’s back line of Kara Santos, Gabby Smith, Kayla Doherty, and Anna Darlington played great to limit the Panthers, forcing goalie Olivia Salisbury to make only one save to get the clean sheet. Franklin struggled to get into its typical attacking system, but Norah Anderson and Jackie O’Neil both played well in defense and midfielders Stella Regan, Chloe Barca, and Bridget Leo played well in the second half to try and get back into the match.
King Philip @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 9 – Final – Camryn O’Connor proved too hard to stop, as her four goals powered the Tigers to a comfortable win. OA scored all nine goals before halftime. Lucinda Li Cotter, Katie Gibson, Mary Cross, Emma Gavin, and Taylor deVos also found the back of the net, as the Tigers put together and impressive opening 40 minutes to remain in first place in the Davenport. Sofia Issa made her first start for the Black Knights and played well alongside classmate Sivannah Marcy. Mia Rivera played well in the Stoughton goal, despite the score, and freshman Lauren Mitchell had another solid performance.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Westwood, 4 – Final – Junior Haley Bright turned away eight shots but the Warriors fell for the first time this season, playing in their sixth game in the past two weeks. Seniors Christina Gifun and Margo Reilly played well in the midfield for KP.
Volleyball
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned another sweep, this time knocking off North Attleboro in a non-league clash, 3-0 (25-13, 25-3, 25-18). Junior middle Sami Shore had a strong all-around showing (six kills), but really shined at the service line with 21 service points and five aces. Emily Sawyer put down 8 kills and Ahunna James added seven kills in the win. Sofia Riedel had 13 service points, including two aces, and Stella Bailey recorded four aces.
Taunton, 3 @ Durfee, 0 – Final
Golf
King Philip, 150 @ Attleboro, 152 – Final – King Philip’s depth was on display as all four of the Warriors’ scorers came in under 40 to squeak out a victory over an upset-minded Attleboro squad. Pat Reardon had birdies on both 10 and 12, finishing with a team-low round of 36. Mike Matheson, Jared Curran, and Tim Hartwell all shot 38 to round out the scoring. Attleboro’s Brendan Raymond continued his stellar play with four birdies — on 10, 13, 14, and 17 — to finish with a match medalist round of 34. Dane Holske and Leo Lombardo each shot 39 and Carter Shelton came in with a 40.
Foxboro, 173 @ Franklin, 165 – Final – Sophomore Tyler O’Brien shared match medalist honors, shooting a team-low round of 39 to pace the Panthers to a win over Foxboro. Sophomore CJ Steel added a 41 in the win, freshman Ben Paterson came in with a 42, and sophomore Brendan Collins shot a 43 in the win. Foxboro’s Jack Rounds was the other co-medalist with a round of 39.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – After earning a corner kick, Billy Badger dropped a left-footed service into the area to the six-yard line to an open Cashel Stuger, who headed it to the far post and in for the lone goal of the game in the 13th minute.
Taunton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton scored a pair of goals in each half to knock Taunton from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Dogs built a 2-0 lead before the Tigers got on the board before halftime. Canton came out and tacked on two more in the second half to put the game away. Carson Eagles scored his first career goal while Jacob Crugnale, Caden Mirliani, and Dylan Baird also scored for the hosts.
Franklin, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro took the lead in the first half but Franklin leveled the match early in the second half and the two teams split the points. North struck first in the 12th minute as Patrick McDermott finished off a cross. Givany Carney sent in the pass and Connor Ward made a nice run to draw the defender and dummied it to free McDermott for an open look. Franklin pulled level less than two minutes into the second half when Will Krysak scored on a cross from Jack Moran.
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – King Philip scored three second half goals to earn their second win of the season, handing Sharon its first loss at home in the process. Sharon took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break but the Warriors equalized and went ahead inside the first 15 minutes of the second half. The Eagles equalized shortly after but KP went back ahead with the eventual game-winner in the 62nd minute. Stephen Griffin scored the first two goals for the visitors, the first unassisted and the second off a feed from Tommy Lomuscio. Oliver Blackburn netted the winner with an assist from Josh Canning.
Mansfield, 6 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield found the back of the net three times in each have, rolling to another win this season. Junior Aidan Steele scored in each half to pace the Hornets’ offense, Danny Rowe and Liam Anastasia scored in the first half, and Matt Hyland added another in the second half. Senior Anthony Klimas scored his first career goal in the win. Jack Lasbury-Casey earned the shutout in net.
Milford, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – After trading goals twice, Oliver Ames found the game-winner at the death to pick up two points against Milford, snapping a three-game skid to the Hawks. The visitors opened the scoring on a goal from Nick Ribeiro (assisted by Arthur Tome) but OA responded a minute later on a goal from Hector Bucio (from Christian Haikal). This time it was the Tigers who took the lead, with Bucio setting up Joey Carney for the hosts’ first lead of the afternoon. But Milford had the answer in the form of an equalizer from senior Avi Seri (from classmate Christian Dinis). In the final minute, Haikal finished off a pass from Carney for the winner. Senior Mathias Taylor had a superb game in the midfield for OA while Jake Williams, Collin Lozano, Diego Rivera, and Antonio Fernandes played well in the back.
Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kailee McCabe put on a show to lead the Warriors to another impressive win, the team’s fifth in a row. McCabe, the league’s leading scorer, recorded all five of Foxboro’s goals, including the 50th of her career. She scored direct from a free kick and had a pair of “olimpicos” (goals direct from corner kicks). McCabe also scored one from a Jordan Carman assist and another off a pass from Kylie O’Keefe.
Canton, 5 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Emily Calederon scored both goals for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Anya Zub continued to be on fire in front of goal for the Panthers. After scoring four times on Monday, Zub added a brace to help Franklin beat North and stay a point back of KP in the Kelley-Rex standings. Riley Fitzpatrick opened the scoring off an assist from Avery Greco, who moved into a new position and had a strong game. Steph McKenna tied the game in the 48th minute for North, scoring off a Caroline Ferrin assist. Bridget Leo’s through ball to Fitzpatrick led to Franklin’s second goal, finished off by Zub. Fiztpatrick added her second assist, and third point of the afternoon, to set up Zub for the third Franklin goal that sealed the two points. Chloe Barca, Stella Regan, and Leo played well in midfield for the Panthers and Norah Anderson controlled the back line. North had other chances in the first half, with Charlotte Moynihan and Casey Butanowicz both striking the woodwork. Victoria Donnelley, Abby Pratt, and Lily Adams each had great games in the loss.
Sharon, 1 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – After falling behind by a goal inside the opening five minutes, KP scored five in a row to get the win, remain perfect in league play, and stay in first place in the division. Olivia Soby opened the scoring for the Eagles, ripping a 30-yard shot just under the bar. Ten minutes later, Dani Lomuscio took a pass from Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn and found the back of the net from 25 yards. Ella Pisani also scored from distance to put the Warriors ahead before the break. Midway through the second half, Sarah Harper doubled the KP lead off an assist from Rihanna Mason. Rachel DeFlaminis was then played through on goal by Pisani and made it 4-1. Delia Mahoney wrapped up the scoring with eight minutes to play, finishing a corner kick from Danielle Gresham. Sofia Goclowski and Amber Marcus-Blank both played well for Sharon.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – The Hornets ended a two-game losing streak with a shutout of Stoughton. Tarynn Smith scored twice and assisted on another to power the Mansfield offense. Abby Jean and Olivia Homsi each had a goal and an assist. Avery Hawthorne added a goal and freshman Gabby Smith scored her first career goal. Olivia Salisbury and Caitlyn Zajac combined for one save and the clean sheet. Morgan Cook had her best game of the season for the Black Knights, passing the ball well and taking on defenders to create scoring chances. Emma Tran was close to getting on the board for Stoughton, but her shot came back off the inside of the post. Sophia Issa played well at both defensive mid and left back.
Oliver Ames, 7 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Camryn O’Connor had a hat trick and an assist to lead the Tigers on the road and keep them unbeaten on the season. Halle Kandar, Lucinda Li Cotter (two assists), Jenna Gilman, and Carly Gibson also scored for OA. Dani Atherton had the lone goal for the Hawks.
Golf
Attleboro, 167 @ Mansfield, 153 – Final – Mansfield earned its seventh win in nine tries, defending its home course against the visiting Bombardiers. Cian Goulet fired a medalist round of 37, Ryan Doherty and Cody Nieratko both shot a 38, and Hunter Tang came in with a 40 for the Hornets.
Franklin, 160 @ Oliver Ames, 139 – Final – OA senior Jo Jo Gaultier birdied the first two holes and added another on seven while sophomore Sean Kearns also had three birdies as the Tigers had one of the best performances by any team this season in a win at Pine Oaks over visiting Franklin. Kearns had birdies on two, five, and eight while Gaultier’s third birdie of the day came on seven. Both finished with a two-under 32 to share medalist honors. Senior Carter Allbritton added a 37 and classmate Jake Kaplan shot a 38. Sophomore Anthony Lampasona had a low-round of 39 for the Panthers.
Taunton, 196 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – Sharon picked up its second win at home in as many days, this time knocking off Taunton at The Cape Club of Sharon. Nathan Daley led the way for the Eagles with a medalist round of 38, Rosie Leonard added a 43, Owen Kevorkian chipped in with a 45, and Eric Carter finished with a 47. Nathan Fernandes led Taunton with a 47.
Canton, 148 @ Stoughton, 179 – Final – All four of Canton’s scorers came in under 40 for the day as the Bulldogs earned their fifth win of the season. Will Gefteas took his turn as the match medalist for the visitors, carding a low round of 35. Conor Hunter added a 37 in the win while Mekhala Costello and Mike Leonetti both came in at 38. Anthony Hern led Stoughton with a 41 while Pat Smith fired a 43.
Oliver Ames senior Clide Neau heads in the opening goal in the 4th minute against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Oliver Ames boys soccer has been the class of the Hockomock League for the past decade and last year’s large senior class added to that tradition with another division title.
After graduating over a dozen players and nearly the entire starting lineup, it looked like the Tigers’ grasp of division supremacy might be at risk.
But as Oliver Ames showed in its season opener on the road at Canton, the Tigers aren’t quite ready to give up their spot at the top.
The Tigers jumped all over the Bulldogs from the opening whistle, scoring less than five minutes in and adding two more in the second half to secure an impressive 3-0 result.
“I think the guys were really ready to play on Thursday and then we got canceled so there was definitely some anticipation, some build up going into tonight,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “It’s no longer about the previous teams, these are the guys are taking it pretty seriously. I thought we caught Canton early, maybe a little bit surprised at how we played. I don’t think we’ll surprise them next time but I’ll take any points this year anywhere we can get them.”
OA took the opening kickoff and dumped a long ball into the attacking third, getting bodies forward to pin Canton back. It worked as the Bulldogs were unable to build out of the back and OA took control of the possession and the game.
Sophomores Ryan Linhares and Joey Carney combined to get forward before the latter sent a low cross into the area but senior Clide Neau’s cheeky chip went just over the bar in the 2nd minute.
A minute later, Linhares drove a corner to the far post where freshman Casey Milliken was located but his header hit off the top of the crossbar and stayed out.
The Tigers finally broke through in the fourth minute when Linhares carried down the right sideline before sliding a low cross into the area. The ball was deflected up and Neau was in the right spot, looping a header over the keeper and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
“We had that conversation about the butterflies and the nerves yesterday,” Barata said, noting the Tigers had five underclassmen in the starting lineup. “They were almost overexcited yesterday in training, our shots were off, our passes weren’t crisp. As you saw, we’re going to try and play a little bit whereas people probably thought we’d be a bit more direct and back it in with a new team. But we can’t hide it anymore.”
Canton worked its way into the attacking third in the 11th minute and a blocked shot fell to senior Jacob Crugnale at the far post but a difficult shot on the bounce was turned aside by OA keeper Sasha Priajinski.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
OA came back down the other way and had a pair of chances just off the mark. First, Milliken set up Linhares on the right side for a bid that was off, and four minutes later, Milliken combined with Neau before taking a shot from distance that went over the bar.
The Bulldogs had their best chance of the opening half came in the 30th minute as senior Erik Valdovinos used his speed to get down the right sideline before getting a cross into the middle where Jake McCabe nodded a header down but Priajinski was well-positioned to make the stop. Canton had another crack at it in the 36th minute of a free kick just outside the box but McCabe’s curling shot was over the bar.
Just before half, Canton utilized its timeout to save time on a dangerous set-piece. McCabe was the first to it at the near post, getting a piece before the rebound fell to junior Carson Eagles, who had his half volley bid go high.
After some early back-and-forth action to start the second half, OA won a corner and cashed in. Milliken played a ball right to the penalty spot where senior Mathias Taylor rose up to meet it, smashing a header into the corner for a 2-0 advantage.
Seven minutes later, OA earned a free kick just over midfield. It was played into the box but Milliken was taken down off the ball to give the Tigers a penalty. Taylor stepped up and used power to get his shot past the keeper for a 3-0 lead in the 60th minute.
“What I really liked, once we got a couple of minutes into the game it felt like we were back, we were comfortable, we were knocking the ball around,” Barata said. “The senior leadership has been great. I know it’s early but Mathias is obviously one of the premier players in the region, Michael Haikal is coming back from an injury, [Collin] Lozano has great senior leadership, Sasha jumping into goal…all the way down, the seniors helped us calm down. And then the underclassman looked comfortable out there too. But this job just got started, there’s a lot of soccer to play but hopefully we keep getting better. They’ve set a high bar for themselves.”
Canton’s best chance of the second half came just a minute later on a free kick from distance but McCabe’s bit on target was parried aside by Priajinski.
“We had to be very conscious about conceding to them in the second half,” Barata said. “At halftime, we talked quickly about how I thought they did well in the first half and I was impressed with the level of intensity but we had to keep it up, I told them we can’t let them in. Canton came out strong in the second but we settled again and once we got the second goal, we felt more comfortable.”
Oliver Ames boys soccer (1-0 Hockomock, 1-0 overall) is on the road again on Friday when they travel to take on Franklin. Canton (1-1-0, 1-1-1) will have its first road league game of the season when it heads to Milford.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Two days after suffering a 4-0 loss, Attleboro battled to a scoreless draw with the Hornets to earn a point. Mansfield goalie Jack Lansbury-Casey had a strong outing in net with eight saves.
Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton scored two minutes into the third quarter and that was enough for the Bulldogs in a win on the road. Sophomore Jake McCabe converted a feed from junior Jacob Crugnale for the lone tally of the match. David Floyd had a solid outing in net for the Rocketeers with eight saves.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Foxboro sandwiched a pair of third quarter goals around a tally from Stoughton to earn two points and a season sweep of the Black Knights. After a scoreless first half, Foxboro’s Max Beigel opened the scoring in the 44th minute, tucking his show low to the left into the back corner for a 1-0 advantage. Rhuan Carvalho helped bring the Black Knights level, sending a perfectly paced through ball to Joao Marotti, who was fouled in the box for a pen. Carvalho blasted a left-footed shot that Foxboro keeper Nick Penders got his fingertips to but the ball kissed off the post and in to bring Stoughton level at 1-1. The deadlock lasted less than 10 minutes as Matt Angelini raced onto a loose ball behind the defense and hit a left-footed shot on the run just inside of the far post. Stoughton keeper Nolan Gerome had a strong outing with eight saves.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of first quarter goals a minute apart and held on the rest of the way to earn two points at home over visiting Taunton. Ben Moccia opened the scoring for the Panthers, finishing off a feed from Charlie Amante for a 1-0 advantage. Just a minute later, Ryan Witt set up Ethan Cain, who scored for the third straight game, for a 2-0 lead. Taunton sophomore Riley Rebello cut the deficit in half with an unassisted goal in the second quarter.
Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip battled back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring right before the halftime whistle and then just seconds before the final whistle to grab a point over visiting Milford. Junior Avi Seri put the Hawks ahead in the eighth minute on an assist from Leo Coelho, who scored in the 31st minute on an assist from Arthur Tome to make it 2-0. King Philip cut the lead in half with less than a minute to go in the first half when junior Stephen Griffin converted a free kick. And then with just 12 seconds left, Conor O’Neill buried a service from Evan McCoy to bring the Warriors level at the death.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for six second half goals to earn a big win at home over visiting Sharon. The Tigers built a 2-0 lead at halftime on goals from Mathias Taylor (from Ben Cohen) and Anthony DaCosta (from Colin Milliken). Senior Brady deVos added a second half brace for the Tigers while Milliken, Kevin Louhis, Dillon Cupples, and Jared Goldman also scored. Senior Ryan Ventura and freshman Joey Carney added assists.
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Cathryn Cooney scored twice in the second quarter to lift Mansfield to a win on the road. Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined to keep a clean sheet for the Hornets.
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Alyssa Vandenboom scored three times and Jordyn Collins and Erin Foley each scored twice, as Foxboro’s offense clicked into gear with a big road win. Kailee McCabe recorded five points on the day, finishing with one goal and four assists, and Katelyn Mollica added three, scoring one and assisting on two. Meghan Burke, Jordan Carman, and Collins all had one assist in the win. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima credited the leadership of seniors Mackenzie Manning, Nikki Anderson, and Rebecca DeSousa for keeping the Black Knights going. He said the team had several good attacks for forward Shayla Ford but just couldn’t find the finish.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Clare Bowen’s hat trick keeps the Panthers rolling along, having won all six of their games so far this season and extending their lead to six points in division standings (second-place KP plays on Thursday). Jamie Tanner and Riley Fitzpatrick also scored for Franklin. Izzy Arnold had a pair of assists, while Norah Anderson, Erin Quaile, and Tanner each had one helper apiece.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon’s goal came on a first half penalty kick by Sofia Goclowski that put the Eagles ahead 1-0 but the Tigers scored four straight to get the win on the road. Katie Gibson (assist), Camryn O’Connor (two assists), Emma Pereira, and Carly Gibson scored for OA. Lucinda Cotter notched an assist for the Tigers.
Golf
Canton, 147 @ North Attleboro, 156 – Final – Another day, another new golfer steps up to lead the Bulldogs as Conor Hunter fired a match-medalist even par round of 35 as Canton notched a win on the road at Heather Hill Country Club over North Attleboro. Will Gefteas and Owen Donovan each chipped in with a 37 while Aiden French carded a 38 for Canton. Sophomore Jake Gaskin led the Rocketeers with a team-low round of 37, Sam Gallagher added a 38, Jordan Paradis shot a 40, and Tyler DeMattio finished with a 41.
Taunton, 194 @ Franklin, 149 – Final – Franklin earned its eighth straight win to start the season behind an impressive two-under par round of 33 from senior Jack Paterson. Sean Connelly added a 38 in the win while both Nolan Norton and Pat Dolan carded rounds of 39. Spencer Andrews was Taunton’s top performer, coming in with a team-low round of 44.
King Philip, 158 @ Milford, 173 – Final – King Philip went on the road and earned a win over Milford at the Hopedale Country Club. Jared Curran was the match medalist, shooting a team-low round of 36 to pace the Warriors. Mike Matheson added a 37 and Gavin Croke chipped in with a 42 for KP.
Oliver Ames’ Mathias Taylor tries to dribble past North Attleboro’s Andrew Faris in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – A late goal from North Attleboro nearly led to the end of Oliver Ames’ season during last year’s playoffs.
It’s safe to say the Tigers learned their lesson.
In last year’s D2 South Sectional quarterfinal matchup, Oliver Ames boys soccer saw a lead disappear in the final minutes of regulation before pulling out a victory in the extra rounds of penalty kicks.
Fast forward to the first game of the 2020 season, and while the on-field product certainly looks a bit different under the current circumstances, the Tigers found themselves in the same situation: control of the game but only a 1-0 lead to show for it.
Oliver Ames’ experience was on full display as the Tigers made sure to slam the door shut this time around, opening the season up with a 3-0 win over the Rocketeers.
Similar to a year ago, Oliver Ames jumped in front with a goal inside the opening 20 minutes but couldn’t solve the Rocketeers’ defense and keeper David Floyd over the next two quarters — yes, soccer in 2020 means four quarters.
When North Attleboro finally found itself with some time in the attacking third, the Tigers turned the tables by doubling their lead on the break to make it 2-0, and tacked on an insurance goal five minutes later.
“[North Attleboro] is very disciplined,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “Geoff [Burgess] does a phenomenal job organizing the back four and then they have another line in front of that, so two lines of defense…they are very good at it. We have to do a lot of training to try and find a way to break them down. But then you throw the new rules in, and you throw in that it’s the first game of the season, this was a good first run at it in a real competitive environment.”
The first 60 minutes (or three quarters) belonged to the Tigers, with the Tigers knocking on the door in the 13th minute (a hard shot from Mathias Taylor denied by Floyd) and in the 17th minute (a Colin Milliken shot from inside the area turned aside by Floyd) before the hosts were able to breakthrough.
Milliken’s quick switch — taking a feed from the right side of the pitch and quickly changing the point of attack to the left side — put the ball at the feet of senior Kevin Louhis, who took advantage of the space he was given and deposited a low hard shot inside the far post for a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.
“Honestly, the ball that killed us in the first half was a ball that normally could have been cleaned up with a header,” said North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess. “They played it every time and got Kevin in behind us and how do you defend it? I knew that’s how they’d play so I thought we had a good game plan to try to slow him and we kind of kept him under wraps but the way they move the ball so quickly from side to side, even as organized as we were with our back six, they were just too fast.”
OA continued to pressure but without anything to show for it. Anthony DaCosta had a shot from atop the area saved and then a combination between Michael Haikal and Louhis resulted in a shot from the latter that forced a diving save from Floyd; North Attleboro’s Kyle Robinson was first to the ball to clear it.
North Attleboro’s best chance of the first half came after a miscue from the Tigers in their own defensive third. Ryan Adams-Lopez was quick to intercept a pass out of the back but his bid on net was handled by OA keeper Drew Nickla.
“It’s an interesting dynamic,” Barata said of the effect the modifications have. “It feels like there’s a different intensity level in these games, we’re trying to get the guys to up their urgency. It almost seems that since they can’t challenge hard without it being a foul, they are almost holding back a little bit. But, that aside, once we’re out there playing, it’s great to watch them play even if it’s different. And we have a good style for this opportunity so we’re okay with it.”
North Attleboro Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames Boys Soccer
It didn’t take long for OA to threaten in the second half as Matthew Nikiciuk rocketed a shot off the post a minute in, and Taylor’s cheeky touch over a defender forced a fingertip stop from Floyd in the box.
North Attleboro’s defense made life difficult for the Tigers, who had a majority of the possession but spent a lot of time trying to find a way past the Rocketeers’ packed in defensive group. North’s Donovan Carter had a pair of big plays just minutes apart, winning a one-on-one battle to stop a chance on goal and blocking a shot moments later. Carter’s centerback partner Justin Silva denied a through ball attempt right after as OA continued to push forward.
“The gameplan was to park the bus and we wanted to create through our outside guys but the problem was we couldn’t hold the ball long enough to create anything,” Burgess said. “But credit to [OA], they create a hurried energy so you’re under stress all the time. But I’m starting eight seniors, there should be some composure there and we should be able to pull that off. Not that we have a lot of time to prepare for them Wednesday, but we need to be able to execute that going forward.”
The Rocketeers finally got their offense going at the start of the fourth quarter as junior Brody Rosenberg played speedy senior Matt Conley into some space but his centering pass in the area went without an answer.
North earned a corner moments later but a miscue resulted in a quick counter for the hosts. Taylor quickly cleared the ball up to Louhis, who played it to a streaking DaCosta. DaCosta carried the ball with pace, forcing the lone defender to commit before sliding it back to Louhis, who finished under the sliding keeper for a 2-0 lead in the 66th minute.
“We needed more offense but they don’t let you sustain it for very long with their pressure,” Burgess said. “The kid in the middle [Nikiciuk], he’s just so quick to the ball. He’s so good at disrupting, he does a good job of ruining plays we want to run. We knew what we wanted to do, we just couldn’t execute it which is a credit to them.”
Five minutes later, freshman Joey Carney combined with DaCosta off of a kick-in, the former using a fake to fool the defender before dropping a perfectly placed cross to Milliken, who positioned himself between three defenders. Milliken took the ball down off his chest and use a deft touch with the outside of his right foot to find the back of the net for a 3-0 advantage in the 71st minute.
“We’re very confident that no one is going to give us space because we know that if they do, we can most likely take advantage of it,” Barata said. “We just have to find a way to beat teams when they pack it in a bit. We want the space, we want to be able to run a bit and we’re hoping teams will try to run with us.
“[North] is very good in transition, they are good fast going forward. I just think that we did a good job of pinning them back in their own half for close to 90% of the game. We were definitely on the front foot in this game but we know they’ll make some adjustments and they’ll challenge us again Wednesday.”
Oliver Ames (1-0 Davenport, 1-0 overall) will travel to North Attleboro (0-1, 0-1) for a rematch on Wednesday night at 6:00.
2019 Record: 6-9-3 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Peter Pereira
One more goal scored or one goal less allowed could have changed the entire outcome of the 2019 season for the Bombardiers, who suffered six one-goal losses and three draws. Now with more varsity experience under their belts, Attleboro is aiming to surprise some teams in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season.
Longtime head coach Peter Pereira is counting on that experience to translate into leadership on and off the field. Senior goalie Zackary Brown is back in net for the Bombardiers and is showing more confidence inside the area. Senior Joey Soucy is making the transition to defense and will play alongside classmates Jayden Lockhart and Andrew Fasoldt. Junior Cashel Stuger is also back in the mix defensively while seniors Henry Marini and Alejandro Jimenez could factor into the defensive unit as well.
Jackson Singer emerged as a strong option in the midfield in his first season with the Bombardiers and should be a big piece again this year. Singer will pair up with Hugo Henriquez to give Attleboro an experienced duo in the heart of the pitch. Seniors Ben Fasoldt, Emilio Amaya, and Tyler Sar will all be apart of the midfield while juniors Tom Russo and Emilio Ticas should see valuable minutes for the Bombardiers. Freshman Alex Vecchioli has shown a lot of versatility so far and could play in a variety of roles.
Up front, Attleboro will be relying on a combination of speed, tough, and work effort as they challenge opposing defenses. Depending on the pairing, Attleboro will be able to attack in a variety of ways. Seniors Justin Lurssen and Connor Paquin as well as juniors Liam Bischoff and Yianni Skordas will all see time in the attack. Sophomore Esvin Morales emerged as one of the top attacking threats a year ago and will be among the top finishers in the league.
“We have a good group of seniors and hope that this experience will pay off,” Pereira said. “We believe we will have a more competitive, more mature, and more balanced team.”
2019 Record: 4-12-2 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Danny Erickson
The Bulldogs were very young during the 2019 season with just a half dozen seniors on the squad, but that meant plenty of young players were able to gain valuable on-field experience at the varsity level. Now the Bulldogs will be looking to contend in a very competitive Davenport division in the shortened 2020 season.
The defense will be the backbone of the team this season as the Bulldogs have a lot of experience at the centerback position. Senior captain Matt Giglio is back for his third year with the squad after being a key piece in each of the previous two years. He will be joined in the middle of the defense by Will Keefe, who anchored the Dogs’ backline last year and earned All-Hockomock honors.
Junior Dylan Baird had a breakout sophomore season and will be one of the main pieces in the midfield. After a down season for Canton on the offensive end as a whole last year, Baird’s presence in the midfield will help create opportunities going forward. Up front, the Bulldogs are counting on senior Colton Marliani to be a go-to scoring threat.
Canton already suffered a big blow as senior captain TJ McCabe, who has been with the squad since he was a freshman, will miss the season due to injury. On the flip side, the Bulldogs are getting a boost with the addition of Abdul Barrie. Barrie played in the youth leagues in Canton but will make his CHS debut this fall and could make a big impact for the Dogs.
“I think the rule modifications will challenge us all equally,” said longtime Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “But after a week or so of training, to me, it’s still soccer.”
2019 Record: 7-8-3 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Dan Ambrosio
The Warriors had a sour taste in their mouth at the end of last season, losing the last game of the year to miss out on the playoffs. While Foxboro won’t have the chance to get back to the postseason this year, the Davenport division title is certainly in reach.
Foxboro graduated a couple of stalwarts (Joe Cusack, Dylan Barreira, Will Morrison) that were important pieces of the squad in each of the last couple of seasons, but there are plenty of experienced players back from last year’s seven-win squad plus a handful of new faces anxious to make their mark. Seniors Max Beigel and PJ Frost will give the Warriors plenty of leadership and experience, especially in the midfield and attacking third. Foxboro will look to play quick, using the counterattack to hit on the break.
After giving up nearly two goals a game a season ago, the Warriors are aiming to tighten up the back as they navigate through a very competitive Davenport division. First-year head coach Dan Ambrosio is also counting on new players like John Hollis and Ryan Flaherty to make an impact during the shortened season.
“We are a tight-knit group who like to have fun playing the game and look forward to representing our school and town,” Ambrosio said.
2019 Record: 9-7-4 2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Fran Bositis
With returning players in most areas of the pitch and a trio of top midfielders in the Hockomock League, the Panthers should be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex title, although it could be one of the most competitive seasons since the league split into two.
With just 10 games and all six teams in the Kelley-Rex possible contenders, there is little margin for error. The Panthers will be put to the test right away as they take on Milford, who won the Davenport two years in a row and went to the D2 State Final last season, in the opening week. But longtime head coach Fran Bositis has plenty of talent on his roster to try and make a push for the division title. It all starts in the midfield with a trio of returning starters in Ethan Cain, Tyler Powderly, and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Terry O’Neill.
All three bring something different to the table which will make Franklin’s midfield among the most dynamic in the league. Powderly’s speed on the wings will give defenses fits while Cain will bring plenty of creativity as the Panthers push forward. O’Neill won’t be able to dominate in the air like he did a season ago thanks to the new modifications that ban headers, but the junior is also such a calming presence with the ball at his feet and will help Franklin keep possession. Ben Moccia, who started in the midfield a season ago, is moving up top to the number 9 spot, while Charlie Amante, Ryan Witt, Jack Moran, and Kevin Proenca will also see time in the attack.
The Panthers have some new faces in the defensive unit. Will Fox is the lone returning starter and has impressed in the early stages of the season. Sam George, Robbin Tappin, and Karl Gruseck will all factor into the Panthers’ defense while Aidan Griffith, Nelson Martinez, and Connor Scagliarini will be options for Bositis to play either defense or in the midfield. Newcomers Trey Lovell and Rex Cinelli could see valuable minutes right away. Former Panther standout goalie Freddie Backmann, who is without a season at Regis College, is mentoring Luc Boudreau, this year’s starting keeper for Franklin.
“I think that we have a very good group of athletes (soccer players) who have worked real hard in preparation for this season,” Bositis said. “I know that they are all excited to be playing and that they are looking forward to competing against the other Kelley-Rex teams and putting themselves in a position to challenge for a league championship.”
2019 Record: 8-5-6 2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Mike O’Neill
King Philip was the surprise team of the 2019 season, overcoming a large amount of inexperience to take third in the Kelley-Rex and qualify for the state tournament. While the Warriors won’t sneak up on anyone this season, the skill and experience they return should put them in the mix for the division title.
Second-year head coach Mike O’Neill has strong players in all areas of the pitch, starting with senior captain Evan McEvoy. A four-year player with the program, McEvoy is coming off a breakout season in 2019 and will be among the top midfielders in the league. He will control the pace for the Warriors from the center of the pitch, working with fellow captain Alex Leon, who will use his speed to patrol the wings and get in behind the defense. Both Caleb Waxman and Stephen Griffin made an impact last season and should see expanded roles in the shortened 2020 season. Sophomore Matt Crago is a new face that could make a splash in his first year.
The Warriors should have one of the top defenses in the league again this season. Senior captain Aidan Lindmark is back in goal and his distribution skills will factor in heavily to how KP plays out of the back. Jeremy White had a strong 2019 season at center back and will bolster the Warriors’ backline when he returns from injury. In the meantime, four-year player Ajae Olsen, who is normally patrolling the wing or up top, will have his versatility on display as he slides into the centerback spot.
“Our players and coaches are thankful that we are at the point where we can have a season,” O’Neill said. “So much work and sacrifice have gone into getting the Hockomock League schools to this moment. I’m looking forward to some excellent and competitive soccer. I expect every game to be extremely competitive – there are no easy games in the Hock. Five wins may win the division.”
2019 Record: 6-7-5 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Steve Sheridan
With just 10 games scheduled for the season, every game – from the first to the last – is going to be important. No one understands that more than the 2020 Hornets, who came up just short of the state tournament last year. After a slow start, Mansfield became one of the toughest teams to beat down the stretch, finishing on an eight-game unbeaten streak that featured an upset of division champion Oliver Ames but came just one point shy of postseason play.
With the postseason not in the picture for this year, the focus shifts on the division title. The Hornets are hoping to carry the momentum from the end of last season into this year. Mansfield will have a mix of veterans and inexperience in its defensive unit. Senior captain Evan Eames will be the centerpiece of the group alongside classmate Michael Jeans, who missed all of last season due to injury. Sophomores Grady Sullivan and Nate Kablik round out the Hornets’ back four while senior captain Eric Sullivan will take over starting in goal.
Senior captain Tommy Lanzillo will run the show from the center of the pitch, helping the Hornets transition from defense to offense. Lanzillo is strong with the ball at his feet and will help distribute as the Hornets hit on the counter. Senior Colin True and juniors Matt Hyland and Dan Rowe will join Lanzillo in the Hornets’ midfield. Junior Dylan Buchanan is back for his third year with the squad and will play up top alongside Aiden Steele.
2019 Record: 18-1-2 2019 Finish: D2 State Finalists Coach: Antonio Pinta
Milford arrives in the Kelley-Rex division with a huge target on its back. Coming off back-to-back Davenport division titles and a trip to the D2 State Final a season ago, the Hawks enter their new division as the favorite. But game in and game out, Milford can expect to get everyone’s best.
First-year head coach Antonio Pinto might be new to the varsity position but has been with the program during this successful run as an assistant and JV coach. It will all start with the reigning HockomockSports Player of the Year and Hockomock League MVP Leo Coelho, who can play just about any position on the pitch at a high level. If there is a need to shut down a high-powered offense, you might see Coelho playing defense. Or if the Hawks need a boost offensively, he can just as easily move up front and provide creativity in the final third.
The Hawks are far from a one-trick pony with both Lucas Da Silva (eight goals, seven assists) and Joao Pedro Da Silva (six goals, three assists) back in the mix this season. Replacing the Hockomock’s leading scorer in Pedro Araujo (25 goals, 11 assists) will be tough but we saw the Hawks do just that when Araujo took over for former HockomockSports Player of the Year Wallison de Oliveira.
Defensively, the Hawks will be strong up the middle. Junior Kevin Gomes returns to start in goal for the Hawks after getting valuable experience there during last year’s season and deep playoff run. And junior Chris Tocci is back in the heart of the defense at centerback after a breakout sophomore campaign. While the new regulations will certainly challenge the Hawks defensively with heading and slide tackling banned, Milford should have a big advantage offensively because of their strong possession skills.
“I’m very excited to be out there with the guys this season,” Pinto said. “We are ready to play no matter what the rules and conditions are! We’re ecstatic to have a season.”
2019 Record: 9-7-4 2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Geoff Burgess
The Rocketeers and head coach Geoff Burgess have found a recipe for success over the past couple of seasons and will be looking to replicate that again this year. Defense always comes first for the Rocketeers, who allowed just 0.68 goals per game last year. While every team is being forced to make changes because of the new modifications due to COVID-19, the Rocketeers might be affected more than most with heading, slide tackles, and shoulder-to-shoulder challenges banned.
But the Rocketeers have adjusted during the preseason and will be relying on defense and goalkeeping once again this season. Replacing two-time HockomockSports Best XI selection Kyle Briere in net won’t be easy but the North Attleboro is turning to junior David Floyd, who is one of the most athletic players on the team this season according to Burgess. The Rocketeers also boast one of the best centerback combinations in the league with seniors Justin Silva and Donovan Carter back in the fold this year. With a season of experience playing together, it will be tough for teams to find ways to get by the defense anchored by that duo.
While defense remains a top priority for the Big Red, that doesn’t mean North isn’t a dangerous team in the attacking third. As they’ve shown over the past two seasons, speed can kill. Relying on the counterattack and set pieces for the majority of their offensive chances, North brings back senior forward Matt Conley (one goal, five assists) to try and beat defenses with his speed and skill. Junior Connor Ward will have a lot to say about the pace the Rocketeers play at as he orchestrates the team from the center of the pitch.
“With an abbreviated season and a large senior class, we hope to challenge OA for the league title,” Burgess said. “This will obviously be a huge challenge but our defense will be tough to breakdown and you can’t lose if the other team does not score.”
2019 Record: 15-4-0 2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal Coach: John Barata
Oliver Ames has reached the D2 State Final three times since 2014 and with a large group of experienced and skilled players back from last year’s team that went 15-4, another trip to the finals might have been in the cards for 2020. But with postseason canceled due to COVID-19, the Tigers are looking to make as big of an impact as they can.
After a four-year stint in the Kelley-Rex, one that included a pair of division titles (2017 and 2019), the Tigers are back in the Davenport division where they won five titles in the first six years after the Hockomock split. OA brings back nine players that either started or saw a good amount of minutes on the pitch last year, highlighted by HockomockSports Best XI selections Colin Milliken, Brady deVos, and Kevin Louhis. Milliken will help the Tigers transition from defense to offense from his center mid spot, Louhis will be a go-to option on the offensive end, and deVos is back to anchor the defense for the second straight season.
The Tigers will have plenty of options to go along with Milliken (10 goals, 14 assists) and Louhis (4 goals, 9 assists) in the attacking third. Jimmy Keane (six goals, one assist) bolsters the midfield while Anthony DaCosta (six goals, one assist) has improved each of the past two seasons and will be a handful for opposing defenses. Senior Matthew Nikiciuk really emerged as a force in the middle of the pitch last season and will be a big part of the offense, especially through set pieces. Both Mathias Taylor and Dillon Cupples burst onto the scene a year ago and will be in the mix as the Tigers push forward.
Senior goalie Drew Nickla returns in net after a strong year in 2019. The Tigers graduated the most from the defensive unit so the early challenge will be developing chemistry quickly in the backline. Head coach John Barata is also looking for Ben Cohen, Michael Haikal, and Hector Bucio as viable options for the Tigers while sophomore Jake Williams and freshmen Ryan Linhares, Joey Carney, and Diego Rivera are new faces to keep an eye out for.
“We are looking forward to competing this fall and enjoying the opportunity to grow as people and players,” Barata said. “This is a unique situation for a very unique group of players and we are going to make the best of it and play the best soccer we can. These young men are fantastic and we are going to have a great time this season regardless of the on field results…but we hope to have a few of those too!”
2019 Record: 6-7-5 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Scott Nathan
The Eagles enter the 2020 campaign with a chip on their shoulder, coming up just one point shy of the state tournament a year ago. While Sharon can’t make up for that with a tournament appearance this year with the playoffs canceled due to COVID-19, the Eagles can certainly make some noise while challenging for the Davenport division title.
Sharon said goodbye to a handful of experienced veterans including Michael Baur, Brian Higgins, and Isaiah Stessman, but first-year head coach Scott Nathan has a group of proven players plus a bunch of news faces eager to make their mark. Senior captain Bryce Nathan and junior captain James Zhang will lead the way both on and off the pitch this year as the Eagles compete for the Davenport crown.
Bryce Nathan is one of the most versatile players in the league, playing anywhere from defense to striker during his tenure with the Eagles. Zhang, fresh off an impressive sophomore campaign, is very confident with the ball at his feet and does a nice job distributing from the center of the pitch. Sophomore Matthew Baur is back in goal after getting a varsity season under his belt. Rhys Davis and Brandon Mauricio highlight a list of returners defensively while Coby Jacobson, Samid Khandaker, Adam Landstein, Aaron Livshin, and Daniel Zagoren are all back with varsity experience as well.
The Eagles will focus on a sound defense first before transitioning into offense. Patience will be key this year as Sharon looks to make the most of each opportunity as they push forward. Brady Daylor, Malachi Diaz, Adam Eastman, Daniel Fishman, Amjad Kordab, Jack Landstein, Rohan Prakash, Elliot Pototsky Nicholas Rincon, Aaron Tamkin, Jeffrey Xiang, and Tony Yang are new to the varsity level and will be looking to make an impact on the pitch for the Eagles in 2020.
“The game will be different…for players, coaches, referees, and fans,” Scott Nathan said. “I am just happy for the boys that they have the opportunity to play the game they love!”
2019 Record: 3-13-2 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Jon Grant
With a year of experience under coach Jon Grant, the Black Knights are aiming to have a bounce back year and compete with the top teams in the Davenport division.
There were plenty of bumps in the road during the 2019 season but Stoughton certainly showed some bright spots, including wins over Mansfield and Canton. Now the Black Knights will try to compete in each game and string some results together. Captain Nolan Gerome returns in goal for Stoughton and is among the best keepers in the league. Opposing head coaches have raved about saves Gerome has made over the past couple of seasons and he will be the anchor of the Black Knights’ defensive unit.
Playing in front of Gerome will be senior captain Ryan Sears and junior Owen Roddy, who both played valuable minutes last year. With a good amount of experience and skill in the back, Stoughton is hoping defense will be a cornerstone for the 2020 season. Grant is looking for Rhuan Carvalho to be a top playmaker for the Black Knights, distributing from the center of the pitch to create some offensive chances.
“Our goal for this year to improve on last season,” Grant said. “This year the players came in to the short season fairly well conditioned and with a great attitude. All the players are so grateful to have this opportunity to be back out on the field. This will definitely help us in this short season.”
2019 Record: 2-9-7 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Taylor Whitters
It’s easy to look at Taunton’s record from a season ago and make assumptions, but upon further review, the Tigers were in just about every game they played. Five of the nine losses were decided by just one goal and the Tigers had a league-high seven draws; one goal either way and the Tigers were that close to a spot in the tournament. It goes to show how competitive the league was and how important each goal is.
With a strong nucleus of players back from last year’s squad, the playoffs wouldn’t have been such a far reach for Taunton this season. But with the postseason not in play, the Tigers will shift focus on being a darkhorse in the Kelley-Rex division title hunt. The new modifications will make it tough for all teams when it comes to defending, but it will also benefit something that Taunton has plenty of: speed. The Tigers plan on utilizing their pace on both ends of the pitch, getting behind the defense on one end while using their speed defensively to fend off opposing offenses.
Taunton will be strong up the middle with senior Travis Nunes back in the heart of the pitch and sophomore Riley Rebello back to anchor the defense. Senior Hunter Cabral will give the Tigers flexibility by playing in both the midfield and up front. Head coach Taylor Whitters is looking for sophomores Joseph Renquinha Jr., Aidden Fitting, Quincy Jones-Sylvia, Jonathan Trinh, and Nathan Keenan to all be in the mix this season.
“Despite everything that has occurred in recent months, we have one of the most versatile and technically sound teams that Taunton High School Boys Soccer has seen in a long time,” Whitters said. “This group of young men have the number one factor in the success of any team: chemistry. They have the willingness to play for the team, not for themselves. I feel with their talents, abilities, and desire to work together as a unit, we will be a team to watch in our division this season.”
