Tag: John Baez
Sharon Soars To Davenport Title With Win At Stoughton
STOUGHTON, Mass. — Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson is usually preaching for his players to be unselfish, urging them to share the ball and make the extra pass.
But going into Friday night’s clash on the road in Stoughton, Ferguson said the Eagles needed to be selfish.
Not on the court, of course, but rather in terms of the Davenport division title race. Sharon clinched a share of the title on Tuesday, but if the Eagles didn’t grab a win on Friday, there was a chance of sharing the Davenport with potentially Foxboro and/or Oliver Ames.
Fittingly, it was an unselfish performance that resulted in five players scoring in double figures and the Eagles outlasted the Black Knights, emerging with a hard-fought 65-61 to claim sole possession of the Davenport, the program’s first league title since 2014.
“We have been very lucky with some of the results around the league in the games that we have lost, so we didn’t want to leave it up to anyone else tonight, we wanted to take care of it ourselves,” Ferguson said. “And then to do it bouncing back after those first eight minutes, I’m so unbelievably proud of this group. The Davenport beats itself into mediocrity, we are just so evenly matched every night. So to be able to claim ourselves as division champions, it’s got a good ring to it.
“Our fourth quarter, they just didn’t give up. And it was both teams too, neither team gave up. We talked about grinding every single possession, and that’s what that was for the last eight minutes.”
Sophomore Jacob McLoughlin had a team-high 15 points and four assists, sophomore Nate Katznelson added 13 points and four boards, senior Ryan Zunenshine had 12 points and 11 rebounds, senior Donyae Pierre finished with 12 points and eight rebounds, and junior Matt Baur (nine rebounds) scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.
Foxboro and Oliver Ames both did win their games, leaving the chance for a three-way tie as the Eagles and Black Knights ended up as the last game to finish in the league.
After falling behind 16-4 through one quarter of action, the Eagles battled back to make it a one-point game at halftime (26-25) and the two squads were level (38-38) going into the fourth.
The fourth, though it had its share of whistles like the first three quarters, saw the best back-and-forth of the game. There were five lead changes or ties in the opening minutes, and although Sharon led for the final five minutes, the advantage never grew past two possessions and was at one basket for the majority of the frame.
Maybe the biggest swing came just before the three minute mark. After McLoughlin dropped in a runner to make it 51-47, the Eagles nearly had a stop on the other end. Konrad Rogers was able to pounce on the loose ball for Stoughton, got it in the hands of Rayan Sablon (16 points, nine rebounds, four assists), and he found Cashmere Mathurin (10 points, eight rebounds) on a big alley-oop that brought the crowd to their feet.
The home side’s momentum was short-lived. The Knights were caught sinking too far in their 2-3 zone and Katznelson found Baur alone in the corner for a wide-open three.
Rogers answered with two free throws for Stoughton but McLoughlin found some space, got by his man, and finished his shot plus the foul to make it 57-51 with two minutes to go.
Stoughton took advantage of an offense rebound and Sablon kicked it to freshman Matt Greenspoon for a three to cut the deficit in half at 57-54. Out of a timeout, the Eagles got the ball to Zunenshine and he burst past his defender for a layup.
“They played a box-and-one [on Baur] against us last time, we knew they’d want to take him away so we had to have other guys step up, and we have all the confidence in the world in them to do it,” Ferguson said. “Jacob and Nate aren’t playing like sophomores anymore, Ryan stepped up huge for us…every game that came in contributed for us.”
Sharon got a stop and extended the lead to 60-54 on a free throw from McLoughlin. Connor Andrews answered with a tough two, plus the foul, to make it a one-possession game as the clock ticked under a minute to go.
The Eagles missed a pair from the line but Stoughton couldn’t cut into the deficit any further, off on a three and then off on a putback attempt.
Baur made four free throws down the stretch and McLoughlin added another to ice the win.
It was a slow start for both teams, with Sharon holding a meager 2-1 lead through four minutes of action. Stoughton’s offense erupted through and finished with a 15-0 run over the final 3:22. Andrews lone triple of the game helped spark the run, Liam Pearl had a steal and a layup, Sablon added some free throws, and then Pearl beat the buzzer with a putback for a 16-4 lead.
“I thought we missed a few easy baskets earlier in the game that we usually hit, and some late too,” said Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. The Black Knights made just a trio of threes on 21 attempts. “I think it probably had to do with nerves and the excitement of the game, it was a great atmosphere in the gym tonight. But this one felt like it got away from us.”
After Katznelson and Greenspoon traded baskets to start the second, the Eagles’ aggressiveness resulted in a lot of whistles and trips to the line. McLoughlin, Zunenshine, and Pierre cut into the Stoughton lead with free throws and alter in the period, Katznelson drained a three to halve the lead. Katznelson then finished off a steal, Mathurin answered for Stoughton but McLoughlin added a late bucket on a pass from John Baez to make it 26-25 at the half.
“Our second quarter was really good because the first quarter we played poorly and didn’t shoot the ball well,” Ferguson said. “And that bled a little bit into our defense but the second quarter we came back and I thought we played awesome.”
Sharon boys basketball (9-7 Hockomock, 11-7 overall) will close out the regular season with a pair of home games in the Dudley Davenport Tournament, hosting Ashland on Sunday. Stoughton (6-10, 7-10) is on the road for its final three games. The Black Knights are on the edge of the postseason based on the latest ratings but could clinch a spot if they win their final three games, starting with a trip to North Andover on Sunday.
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/15/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 69 @ King Philip, 44 – Final – A fire alarm midway through the third quarter at King Philip was a sign of things for come, but for the visiting Bombardiers. After a tight, back-and-forth first half, Attleboro’s offense caught fire in the second, opening with a 14-2 run and never looking back. The Bombardiers led by just two (17-15) after a quarter, and just three (31-28) going into halftime. Six players contributed to Attleboro’s 21-point third quarter with Evan Houle (nine points) and Jake Struminski (14 points) each chipping in with five, four from Colin Morais (eight points), and three from Alvin Harrison (five points). In his first game back, sophomore Neo Franco added 11 points while senior Joe Francois-Annevil spread out his career-high 17 points for the Bombardiers, who stretched the lead to 52-35 going into the fourth. Braeden Sottile led KP with 15 points while Will Laplante added 14 points.
Canton, 67 @ Sharon, 68 – Final (OT) – Sharon senior John Baez turned a steal into two points, junior Matt Baur hit a key three, and sophomore Jacob McLoughlin added two free throws down the stretch as the Eagles held off Canton to clinch at least a share of the Davenport division title. After neither team scored for the first two minutes of overtime, Baez (13 points) helped off his man and poked the ball free, going uncontested for a layup with 1:51 to play. Nate Mei (15 points) answered with a baseline jumper to tie the game again but the Eagles came back down and Baur (18 points) splashed in a corner three with the shot clock winding down. Sharon got a stop but Canton forced a turnover and Lanse Dorcelus (26 points) sank a free throw to cut the deficit to two with 29 seconds left. McLoughlin (10 points) tacked on two free throws to push it back to four. Matt Chafin (15 points) hit a three as time expired to cut it back to one. Canton sent the game into overtime with a 9-0 run in the final minutes, capped by a three from Conor Hunter with nine seconds to go to tie it 61-61. Sophomore Nate Katznelson added 10 points for the Eagles, who led 11-5 after the first quarter, 27-25 at halftime, and 48-41 going into the fourth.
Oliver Ames, 53 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Foxboro junior Alex Penders scored a career-high 30 points, including some key free throws in the final two minutes, to help the Warriors knock off Oliver Ames and keep their division title hopes alive. OA raced out to an 18-7 lead after a quarter of play and carried a 28-23 advantage into halftime. Senior Dylan Gordon exploded for 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter and Penders added eight as the Warriors put up 20 points to jump ahead 43-42 going into the fourth. Penders extended Foxboro’s lead with free throws to 54-51 with under a minute to go. OA’s Zach Tagliamonte (11-for-13 free throws, 25 points) battled through contact to finish down low to make it a one-point game before Foxboro added a free throw from Sam Golub. Off a miss on the second free throw with 6.5 seconds, the Warriors were able to prevent the Tigers from getting a shot off before the buzzer.
Franklin, 73 @ Milford, 53 – Final – Franklin connected on seven three pointers in the second quarter alone, blowing the game wide open in a win on the road at Milford, which was the 200th career win for FHS head coach CJ Neely. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-10 lead after eight minutes but junior Geino Scaringello and freshman Caden Sullivan each hit a pair of second quarter threes while Evan DaSilva, Will Tracey, and Sean O’Leary each had one as Franklin’s lead ballooned to 43-22 by halftime. Franklin finished with 13 three-pointers in the win and had 10 players find the score sheet, let by O’Leary’s 19 points and Sean Vinson’s 10 points.
Mansfield, 46 @ Taunton, 56 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Stoughton, 50 @ North Attleboro, 61 – Final – North Attleboro saw its first half lead vanish in the third quarter but the Rocketeers bounced back with its best quarter of the game in the fourth, pouring in 24 points to run away with the win and a season sweep of the Black Knights. North jumped out to a 16-9 lead after a quarter as senior Casey Poirier scored nine of his team-high 25 points in the opening frame. A three from Brody Rosenberg (20 points) and a pair of buckets from Givany Carney (eight points) helped the Rocketeers take a 29-23 lead into halftime. Connor Andrews (16 points) hit a pair of threes in the third for Stoughton while Rayan Sablon (11 points) and Matt Greenspoon each hit one as Stoughton surged ahead, 38-37, going into the fourth. Poirier and Rosenberg came to life in the fourth, each attributing nine points as North pulled away with the win.
Girls Basketball
King Philip, 34 @ Attleboro, 46 – Final – Attleboro outscored the Warriors by 10 in the second half to win its third straight game and sweep the season series. The score was 19-17 heading into the locker room, but the Bombardiers had a strong 14-7 third quarter to create a cushion heading to the fourth. Behind six points from Kayla Goldrick and four from Meghan Gordon, Attleboro won the final quarter 13-10 to seal the final win. Goldrick led the Bombardiers with 14 points, including a pair of threes, and Lindsey Perry added nine. Gordon, the team’s leading scorer, was held to eight points in the win. Emily Sawyer and Maddie Paschke both finished with eight points for KP, which also got six points from Liv Lafond.
Sharon, 50 @ Canton, 70 – Final – Canton coach Jim Choquette earned his 100th career win, as the Bulldogs picked up a third straight win. Jasmine Davis had a big game in the loss, scoring 25 points and pulling down 30 rebounds. Eva Poulton added 10 points for the Eagles.
Foxboro, 41 @ Oliver Ames, 61 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Milford, 19 @ Franklin, 80 – Final – All 14 players scored for the Panthers, as they continued their unbeaten run. Milford stayed within seven after the first, but Franklin scored 24 points in each of the second and third quarters to take complete control. The Panthers held Milford to six points in the second half. Olivia Quinn was Franklin’s top scorer with 13 points (11 in the first half). Stefany Padula added 11, knocking down three from beyond the arc, and Katie Peterson and Sasha Tracey each finished with 10 points. Brooke Ferreira scored all of her team-high eight points in the first half and the Hawks also got three points from Erin Michelson.
Taunton, 46 @ Mansfield, 61 – Final – The Hornets came out firing, jumping out to a 25-6 lead that they never looked back from, despite Taunton rallying in the third (winning the quarter 16-5). After Taunton cut the lead to seven going into the fourth, Mansfield scored 19 points over the final eight minutes, including six each from Abby Wager and Olivia Salisbury, to seal the victory. Wager finished with a dozen points. Kara Santos led the Hornets with 14 points, including eight in the first, and Bridget Hanley and Salisbury each scored nine. Kameron St. Pierre scored a game-high 27 points, including all 13 of Taunton’s points in the second quarter. Cali Melo added 13 for the Tigers, all in the second half.
North Attleboro, 48 @ Stoughton, 28 – Final – Summer Doherty scored a season-high 21 points and North Attleboro held the Black Knights to just two points in the third quarter to pull out the road win. It was only a three-point game after one quarter and North built the lead to 21-15 at the half, but then took the third 14-2 to break the game open. Ava McKeon added eight points and Sam Faria had six for the Rocketeers.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames got its second win in as many days, skating to a league win over Attleboro at Asiaf. Matt Lawson, Jack Perron, and Shaun Teehan each lit the lamp once for the Tigers, who had five players record an assist. Junior Brandon Burke made 17 saves in net to get the win.
Canton, 6 @ Smithfield (R.I.), 0 – Final
Attleboro Finally Shakes Sharon For Key Road Win
SHARON, Mass. — The Attleboro boys basketball team led from start to finish on the road at Sharon on Tuesday night, but it was far from a comfortable win.
The Bombardiers looked poised to pull away on a number of occasions throughout its 77-68 road win, but just when it appeared Attleboro had a comfortable cushion, the Eagles chipped away to make a game of it.
There was the 13-point lead in the first quarter that shrunk to six in just seconds. And then another double-digit advantage, up 33-22 with less than 90 seconds to go in the half that Sharon quickly cut in half to trail b just five at the halftime break.
The trend continued in the third, with Attleboro’s lead twice ballooning back up to 11, first on a bucket from senior Joe Francois-Annevil (seven points, six rebounds, four assists) on a nice drive to the rim, and then again on a two-handed slam from junior Trevor White to give Attleboro not only a 46-35 but the Bombardiers got the ball back after a block from Alvin Harrison (10 points) on the defensive end.
Instead, it was Sharon who responded with a 12-4 burst. A three-point play from senior Donyae Pierre preceded a triple from sophomore Jacob McLoughlin (10 points). After a couple of stops, Sam Cohen (eight points, five rebounds) sank a triple and a midrange jumper from Matt Baur (22 points, five rebounds, three assists) made it 50-47 with just under two minutes to go in the third.
Jake Struminski had back-to-back finishes in close and White (career-high 31 points, six rebounds) added another one of his two-handed slams to stem the tide with the Bombardiers ahead 56-49 going into the fourth.
Attleboro boys basketball
It was more of a back-and-forth fourth quarter with Harrison, Francois-Annevil, and White finding success attacking the basket for the Bombardiers. Meanwhile, Pierre, Baur, and a three-point play from Will Hippler kept the Eagles close, down 62-56 with five minutes to go.
“We were just inconsistent throughout that game,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “We were really good at times and then they were able to turn us over and they looked really good at times. To their credit, they’ve had a good year so far and played with a lot of confidence. Our lack of understanding time and score in certain situations kind of hurt us.
“We were prepared for their zone and I thought we looked good the last time a team threw that at us but we stopped getting paint touches and relied on the three-point shot. It can obviously help if you’re making them but when you’re not, you have to change your course of action.”
Attleboro tied its largest lead of the game after senior Evan Houle (17 points, seven assists) threaded the needle with a pass through Sharon’s zone to White down on the baseline for a dunk that established a 71-58 lead with three minutes to go.
But a steal and layup from McLoughlin was followed by an off-balance three-pointer from senior John Baez, and after another stop on defense, Baur found McLoughlin for a three, and just like that, it was 71-66 with two minutes to play.
Like it had throughout the game, Attleboro kept its lead. The Bombardiers never let it slip away and hit a couple of key free throws down the stretch to keep the Eagles at bay to secure a 77-68 win.
“It was just our effort, the guys were just grinding,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We’ve been in a little bit of a slide but we’re just trying to work through our process. We think if we stick to our core values and we work through our process, the results will come. They dug in and they were grinding the entire second half to keep it close. There’s a tremendous amount of belief in this group and they really worked at it.”
Attleboro boys basketball
White proved to be too hard to stop for the Eagles, who were without sophomore big man Nate Katznelson for the season straight game. After not taking a shot in the first quarter and scoring seven points in the second, White sliced through the Sharon defense time and time again to net 13 points in the third quarter and 11 points in the fourth. He finished 11-for-14 from two-point range.
“He’s working hard in practice and I think we’re starting to get more comfortable playing together as a team,” Houle said. “And obviously he’s a big part of that. He’s very talented and has a lot of skillsets that make him a tough match-up for a lot of teams. When he’s running the court, and we can get our inside-out game going, it helps. He did a nice job running the floor and our guys did a nice job finding him there and finding him in the half court too.”
Evan Houle and sophomore Neo Franco (six points, nine assists, three steals) set the tone early for the visitors. Franco had a pair of three-pointers early and a pair of steals while Houle went 4-for-6 from the floor, also connecting on a pair of trifectas. Attleboro, however, only hit one more three the rest of the game, coming off the fingertips of White with 2:27 to go in the second quarter.
Like White, Baur didn’t score in the first quarter but he was Sharon’s leading scorer by halftime. He erupted for eight points in less than two minutes, converting a traditional three-point play, sinking two more free throws, and then drained a three after an offensive rebound from Pierre cut into Attleboro’s lead, 35-30, at halftime.
Sharon continuously cut double-digit deficits down to a two-possession game, getting as close as three near the end of the third and then within five with two minutes to go in the game, but the Eagles were never able to get over the hump and go ahead.
“Trevor White is probably the answer,” Ferguson said of being unable to take the lead. “We just didn’t have an answer for him, he played amazing. Donyae absolutely worked his butt off but when you’re giving up five to six inches to a player like that…Houle hit a couple of threes in the first half to get them going. They’re an unbelievably physical team. I thought our guys battled with them. I thought anytime we needed a stop or a rebound, they were just able to convert and hurt us.”
Attleboro boys basketball (7-2 Hockomock, 9-2 overall) carries a four-game win streak into its home contest with Mansfield on Friday. Sharon (5-4, 7-4) will look to snap its three-game skid when it hosts rival Stoughton on the same night,
Strong Start Sends Sharon Past Visiting King Philip
SHARON, Mass. — The Sharon boys basketball team is starting to make a habit out of good starts.
For the second straight game, the Eagles scored 22 points in the first quarter to establish a double-digit lead that it never relinquished for the remainder of the game.
Despite holding just a one-point edge over the final three quarters, Sharon secured a comfortable 71-53 win over visiting King Philip after a near-flawless start.
“Besides Saturday we really hadn’t been starting well this season so we knew we had to jump on them,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We were a little worried there would be a little bit of a let down after Saturday so I was glad to see they had that energy right from the top.”
The Eagles sliced through the Warriors’ defense early and often, hitting its first six field goals from inside the three-point line (8-for-12 from two-point in the first quarter). Ryan Zunenshine (nine points) and John Baez (four points, 10 assists) each had a pair of layups, sophomore Nate Katznelson attacked the rim for two, and Matt Baur converted a putback to get the offense going.
Senior Will Hippler and sophomore Jacob McLoughlin each added a three, Donyae Pierre (10 rebounds) converted a putback, and Tyler Goodman scored on a breakaway just before the buzzer after a steal from Baur (game-high 19 points, three rebounds).
On the other hand, King Philip tried to spark its offense from three-point range but was unable to hit on eight attempts over the first eight minutes.
The result was a 22-5 advantage for the hosts, a lead that eventually peaked at 24 points in the third quarter and shrunk to as few as 13 points in the fourth, but never went below double-figures to keep the Eagles in front from start to finish.
“That was obviously the difference in the game, they came out and punched us in the face right away,” said King Philip head coach Dave DeStefano. “We did not do a good job responding to it. I think we need to figure out who we are defensively, figure out our identity right now. We’re just too lackadaisical and just expecting the next guy to make a play so we have to figure it out as a team.”
It was relatively even the rest of the way. Sharon put up another 20 points in the second quarter but King Philip’s offense got going with 16 points, despite another quarter without hitting a three.
King Philip had some momentum coming out of half as senior Danny Clancy (four points, 10 rebounds) laid it in for two on a second chance opportunity after Braeden Sottile wrestled his way to an offensive rebound. The Warriors then forced back-to-back turnovers, the first leading to a layup from Sottile on a feed from Will Laplante (nine points, three rebounds, three assists), and the second two free throws from Sottile (13 points, six rebounds).
Sharon boys basketball
Sharon was quick to answer on a nice drive from Zunenshine, and after getting a stop, Katznelson (14 points, six rebounds, two blocks) scored through contact for two more. Baez then grabbed two quick assists, first feeding Katznelson down low and then taking advantage of a KP turnover, hitting Baur in transition for two more.
“Part of the halftime talk was about last night [Stoughton/Canton game] and we’ve been on the other side of games like this before, we came back from 20-points against King Philip a couple of years ago,” Ferguson said. “It’s always in the back of your mind, especially in this league. They had a quick start to the second half but our guys were able to respond.
“We spend 60-70% of practice on defense and I think it’s really starting to bear some fruit this year. John Baez has been unbelievable on the defensive end so far this year and the rest of the team is buying in and especially rebounding the ball. Donyae Pierre came off the bench and grabbed 10 rebounds so when you can get guys to buy into specific roles, your team defense benefits from that.”
Sottile had four points early in the fourth and then a pair of hustle plays from sophomore Trevor Clyde (nine points, four rebounds, three blocks) — first a steal and then an offensive rebound — turned into a three from Sottile and the Warriors capped what turned out to be a 19-8 run over the course of the third quarter and first few minutes of the fourth.
That run cut Sharon’s once 24-point lead down to 13 at 58-45 with just six minutes under to play.
Sharon boys basketball
Sharon, which got threes from Zunenshine and Katznelson in the opening quarter, went without a three in the second and third quarters. The Warriors switched to a 2-3 zone and limited the Eagles’ shooting for the most part.
“I think defensively they did a very good job of getting in our face and made us uncomfortable, and we couldn’t get into a groove,” DeStefano said. “They did a good job with our shooters, we didn’t get many clean looks and it forced us to play out of our element a little bit. And they pressured us with some good hard cuts and it seemed like we were a step late each time.
“They got every 50-50 ball, and anytime it felt like we might make a run they seemed to respond with an offensive rebound or coming up with that 50-50 ball and it just killed our momentum.”
But when they needed a big shot, the Eagles got it off the bench as senior Sam Cohen gave the offense a spark with a three on the ensuing possession. After a turnover, Baez notched another assist by finding Jack Bates wide open for another three, and just like that, the lead ballooned to 64-45 with five minutes to play.
“We want everyone to share the ball, if we can turn down a good shot to get a great shot, we want to. We didn’t shoot the ball well [from three] but I thought we took the ball to the basket really well today which was something we hadn’t done well the last couple of games,” Ferguson said. “So seeing that and making that adjustment was huge for us.”
Sharon boys basketball (4-1 Hockomock, 6-1 overall) will look to make it five wins in a row when it hosts Foxboro in a crucial clash of Davenport contenders on Friday night while King Philip (0-3, 1-4) returns home in search of its first league win when it hosts Milford on the same day.
Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/08/22
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Sharon, 76 @ Oliver Ames, 61 – Final – Sharon scored 22 points in the opening quarter to build a double-digit lead that it never relinquished for its first win over Oliver Ames since 2016. Senior Will Hippler, junior Matt Baur, and sophomores Nate Katznelson and Jacob McLaughlin all connected from three-point range in the opening eight minutes as the Eagles shot nearly 60% from the field to establish a 22-11 lead. Katzneslon, McLaughlin and junior Jack Bates each added a three in the second for the Eagles, who hit seven of their 12 threes in the first half. Baur finished with a team-high 16 points and five rebounds to lead the way for Sharon, who held a 37-25 lead at half and a 55-35 lead going into the fourth quarter. Katznelson added 15 points and eight rebounds, McLaughlin finished with 13 points and five assists, and senior John Baez had eight points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Zach Tagliamonte led OA with a game-high 17 points and five rebounds while senior Drew Baxter and freshman Cole Craffey each had 10 points.
Boys Hockey
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield exploded for four goals in the second period to skate away with a league win over Attleboro. Senior Dillon Benoit scored a pair of goals for the second straight game, senior Ryan Doherty added one, and freshman Matt Tourigney scored his first career goal. The Hornets went a perfect 3-for-3 on the penalty kill, improving to 9-for-9 on the kill in league games this year.
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Canton sophomore Brian Middleton scored the game-winning goal with just over three minutes left in the third period to help the Bulldogs avenge its loss to Franklin from earlier this season, this one in league action.
North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 2 – Final
Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Sophomore Andrew Livingstone scored twice and junior Brandon Burke recorded 30 saves to help Oliver Ames edge out Taunton. Junior Noah Isleib scored his first career goal while sophomore Jack Corey scored once. Junior Sean McCarthy recorded two assists while junior Jack Perron, sophomores Matt Lawson and Jake Cunningham, and freshman Patrick DeLoughrey each had one assist.
Stoughton vs. Cardinal Spellman, 0 – Final – Four different players lit the lamp as Stoughton skated to a shutout win over Cardinal Spellman. Aidan Obrock, Joe McNulty, Colin Alessi and Sean Farley each scored once for the Black Knights while Chris Andrade posted the shutout in goal.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 0 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final
Franklin, 2 vs. Dedham, 1 – Final – Franklin picked up its second win over Dedham in the past two weeks, this time with a 2-1 decision in regulation. Julia Flynn and Shaw Downing (from Maggie McCaffrey) scored for the Panthers while Izzy Brown had a great game in net to earn the win.
Stoughton/Sharon, 2 vs. Old Rochester, 8 – Final – Molly Corvino and Zoe Bangs each scored for the Black Knights while Ava Buckley registered an assist on each goal but Stoughton fell to Old Rochester.
Wrestling
Canton, 24 @ Silver Lake, 51 – Final – All four of Canton’s wins on the day were by pinfall, each earning six points but the Bulldogs fell on the road to Silver Lake. Yurii Leskiv (113, 2:14), Max Kupferman (126, 0:34), Cillian Collins (182, 1:52), and Ruairi Ritson (195, 4:28) each won for Canton.
Panther Invitational (Foxboro, King Philip), 10:00 (@ Whitman-Hanson) – King Philip had five finalists and two individual champions to take first place in the Panther Invitational held at Whitman-Hanson. The Warriors had a total of 140.5 points while second place Milton had 131 points. Foxboro had 47 points. Hunter Hastings won all three of his matches by pinfall, including the 195-pound championship with a fall in 1:52 in the championship round. After a bye in the first round, heavyweight Dan Nineve won the semifinal by pin in 1:37 and then took the championship with a pin in 3:24. Sam Debaggis (126), Colby Cloutier (152), and William Conniff (170) each finished second for the Warriors while Lodan Wells (120) took third and Michael Gorman (145) took fourth. Foxboro’s Maxwell Kornbluth (160) and Ryan Addeche (170) finished third while Adam Addeche (120) and Sebastian Zerpa Aguilar (285) finished fourth.
Norton Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Taunton senior captain Christian Balmain became just the second wrestler in program history to reach 100 wins and the Tigers went 3-0 on the day at the Norton Quad, beating the host Lancers (50-24), Mansfield (61-15), and Quabbin (72-12). Balmain, who wrestles at 152, earned a forfeit win, a major decision (12-4) over Norton, and a pinfall in 1:20 against Mansfield. Michael Leskoski (106), Xavier Sandoval (138), Ethan Harris (182), Avery Justa (195) also went 3-0 on the day while Ryan Jones (113), Brandon Mendes (126), Anthony Vieira (132), Ben Mandeville (145), John Mandeville (160), Charlie Rabel (170), Peter Ye (220), and Robert Tran (285) each won twice.
St. John’s Prep Super Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro picked up three wins on the day, pinning down victories over Bridgewater-Raynham (42-36), Marblehead/Swampscott (55-24), and Beverly (51-24). Three Rocketeers won all three of their matches with Braxton Ferro (132) and Christopher Galligan (138) each grabbing three pinfalls and Jaad Ismail (170) had two pins and one decision. Tanner Ferguson (120), Tyler Tobias (126), Masen Oyola (145), Benjamin Lodi (160), Greg Berthiaume (182), Austin Dean (195), and Keysun Wise (285) each won twice for North.
Sharon Quad (Sharon) – Sharon picked up three wins at home, beating Belmont (57-24), Concord-Carlisle (48-27), and Catholic Memorial (54-18). Vehnil Rangaraman, Adam Landstein, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Aaron Cashton, Philip Varvak, and Cormac Horlbogen all went undefeated for the Eagles on the day.
Oliver Ames Quad (Oliver Ames), 10:00
Central Catholic Tri (Milford), 9:00
Gymnastics
Attleboro, 131 @ Sharon, 123 – Final
Taunton @ Canton, 4:00
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/28/21
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan – Postponed to TBD.
Canton, 46 @ Randolph, 56 – Final
King Philip, 66 vs. New Bedford, 63 – Final – King Philip junior Tommy Martorano hit six fourth quarter free throws to cap off a career-best 36-point performance to lead the Warriors to a win over New Bedford in Randolph’s Blue Devil Holiday Tournament. Without leading scorers Will Laplante and Danny Clancy in the lineup, Martorano took advantage of his opportunity. He came out of the gates flying with 10 point sin the opening quarter and had 23 by halftime as KP established a 46-28 lead by the break. New Bedford cut into the lead in the third and then came out flying in the fourth, getting it down to one-possession a handful of times in the final minutes but Martorano kept the Warriors ahead with shots from the line. Senior Braeden Sottile added 10 points for KP, who will take on host Randolph in the tournament final on Thursday at 6:30.
Milford vs. Bethany Christian – Postponed to TBD.
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 39 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for 26 points in the third quarter, turning a close game at halftime (25-19) into a comfortable victory over Dighton-Rehoboth in the opening round of the Muscato Holiday Tournament. MJ Jean-Baptiste scored eight of his career-high 14 points in the big third quarter for the Tigers, who had six players contribute to the 26-point frame. Zach Tagliamonte added four of his 11 points in the frame and Drew Baxter scored five of his nine.
Sharon, 68 vs. Fitchburg, 64 – Final (OT) – Sharon saw its eight-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter disappear over the final eight minutes but senior John Baez went 6-for-6 at the line in the overtime period to help the Eagles outlast Fitchburg. Baez finished with a career-high 16 points, going 8-for-8 from the line and hitting four shots from the field. Sharon’s bench had a big showing, helping the Eagles rally from a first half deficit. Junior Tyler Goodman led the charge off the bench with 10 points, Jacob McLaughlin added eight points, Nate Katznelson chipped in with six points and five boards, and Nate Yaffe had a key three in the first half. Sharon will take on Waltham on Wednesday night at 7:00 in the finals of the Ashland Clocker Classic.
Taunton, 72 @ Durfee, 77 – Final
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 41 vs. Bishop Feehan, 78 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Attleboro faced it third state title contender in its opening five games and the Bombardiers struggled to contain Feehan’s balanced offensive attack. Eight different players scored for the Shamrocks, including three in double digits, and Feehan 20 or more points in each of the first three quarters to pick up the win. Meghan Gordon led the Bombardiers with 15, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Lily Routhier added nine. Lindsey Perry scored all seven of her points in the second half, as Attleboro scored in double digits as a team in three of the four quarters, despite Feehan’s tough pressure defense.
Foxboro, 53 @ Needham, 47 – Final – Hannah Blake led all scorers with 21 points to help the Warriors win a third straight game and pick up an impressive non-league road victory. Freshman Kailey Sullivan hit double digits for the third straight game, adding 14 in the win.
Mansfield, 42 vs. Westwood, 43 – Final – Despite having junior Abby Wager leave with an injury midway through the third quarter, Mansfield battled Westwood to the final minutes in a game that was back-and-forth throughout. The Hornets had a one-point lead after one, but the Wolverines tied the game at halftime. Westwood won the third quarter 10-9, and held onto that advantage to the end. Kara Santos was the top scorer for the Hornets with seven points, including seven in the first half. Wager scored nine before her injury and Rose Maher and Bridget Hanley each had five. Mansfield will face Fontbonne in the consolation round of the Hearts for Hope Tournament on Thursday at 5:30.
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Walpole, 37 – Final – Oliver Ames built a double-digit lead by halftime and went on to turn it into a blowout win over Walpole. The Tigers, limited to just seven players in uniform, played with a lot of discipline to only have two fouls in the first. Senior Caroline Peper led the way with 19 points, four blocks, and four steals while Jasmyn Cooper added 16 points (8-for-8 free throw) and 12 rebounds in the win.
Sharon @ East Bridgewater – Postponed to TBD.
Taunton, 53 vs. Durfee, 59 – Final – Kameron St. Pierre scored a game-high 28 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers in the first round of their holiday tournament. Taunton went into the break down by just four, 31-27, after St. Pierre beat the buzzer with a near half-court three. She finished the first half with 18 of her team’s 27 points. St. Pierre added 10 more in the second half, including six from the line. Braeley MacDonald chipped in with a pair of threes and eight points in the second half. Durfee’s MacKenzie Carreiro scored 16 of her team-high 23 in the second half to help the Hilltoppers hold on and advance to face North Attleboro in Wednesday’s final. Taunton will face Holliston in the consolation round.
North Attleboro, 41 vs. Holliston, 38 – Final – The Rocketeers locked down on defense, using an effective 1-2-2 press to keep Holliston’s bigs from getting touches, and earned a win in the first round of the Taunton holiday tournament. North led 16-5 after one quarter, went into halftime up by nine and was able to hold off the Panthers in the second half to reach the final. Summer Doherty gave North an offensive spark, scoring 10 of her 19 points in the opening half. Taylor McMath added eight points for the Rocketeers, who missed some chances to put the game away at the line but continued to grind on defense to keep the lead. North will face Durfee in the final on Wednesday at 7:00.
Milford, 40 vs. Norwell, 60 – Final
Canton, 42 vs. Hingham, 51 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. The Bulldogs got off to a tough start to the game, falling behind 21-8 after one quarter and never fully recovered to lose to a fellow D2 tournament contender. Hingham’s pressure defense caused Canton problems early, but Sydney Gallery knocked down a pair of threes, scoring half of her 12 points in the first. The Bulldogs played better defensively in the second, holding the Harborwomen to just seven points and cutting the lead to single digits at halftime. Erin Beatty provided a spark off the bench, grabbing double digit rebounds and hitting a three in the second. Kiara Cerruti (11 points) scored four and Fay Gallery (12 points) added a three in the second. Cerruti added four more in the third, but Hingham extended its lead by one heading to the fourth. Canton put together a fourth quarter rally that cut the lead to just three (40-37), but the visitors went on a quick 11-2 burst that put the game away. Fay Gallery added a pair of threes in the fourth.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 5 vs. Old Rochester, 4 – Final – Tied after each the first (1-1) and second periods (3-3), Foxboro won the third period to beat Old Rochester. Jack Watts factored into each goal for the Warriors, scoring twice and assisting on all three of the others. Matt Grace scored twice, Alex Coviello lit the lamp once, and both Tom Marcucella and Brady Callahan had an assist. Josh Marcoux recorded the win in net.
North Attleboro @ East Greenwich (R.I.), 3:40 (@ Levy Arena)
Franklin, 3 vs. St. Mary’s Lynn, 2 – Final (OT)
Wrestling
George Bossi Holiday Tournament (Foxboro, Franklin, Oliver Ames), 9:00 (@ Lowell)
Taunton, 28 @ North Attleboro, 44 – Final – North Attleboro won five matches by fall, one by tech fall, one by decision, and one by forfeit in a victory over Taunton. Tanner Ferguson (126), Braxton Ferro (132), and Christopher Galligan (138) all earned pins in less than a minute while Griffin Gouck (152) and Austin Dean (195) also win by pin. Jaad Ismail (170) picked up an 18-2 tech fall while heavyweight Keysun Wise took a 9-4 decision. Taunton got wins from Ryan Jones (120, 1:31), Ben Mandeville (145, 3:44), Christian Balmain (160, 6-2), Ethan Harris (182, 11-3), and Peter Ye (220, 12-5).
Taunton, 28 vs. Cumberland, 43 – Final – Ryan Jones (113, 9-1), Christian Balmain (160, 6-3), Ethan Harris (182, 7-2), Avery Justa (195, 0:45), Peter Ye (220, 0:48), and Logan Frank (285, 3:50) each won for Taunton.
North Attleboro, 39 vs. Cumberland, 29 – Final – North Attleboro went 2-0 on the day, adding a win over Cumberland as well. Tanner Ferguson (126, 3:25), Christopher Galligan (138, 4:38), Griffin Gouck (152, 3:03), and Austin Dean (195, 2:35) all earned two pins on the day while Keysun Wise (285, 2:25), and Jaad Ismail (170, 7-5) both went 2-0. Greg Berthiaume (182) added a pinfall win (5:45) for the Rocketeers.
OLiver Ames Tri-Meet @ New Bedford – Oliver Ames picked up two wins on Tuesday, pinning down wins over Plymouth North (58-7) and New Bedford (42-39). Senior captains Giovany Juste (170) and Deric Lipski, Jr. (160) both went 2-0 with two pins while senior John Dobbin (138), junior Kyle Hardie (145), junior Henry Mirrione (152), and junior Jaden Hinton (285) also went 2-0. Against New Bedford, Henry Mirrione’s thrilling come-from-behind pin to win at 152 sparked the rally for the Tigers, who clinched the win over the Whalers when Jaden Hinton pinned his opponent with a quick headlock at heavyweight.
Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/17/21
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 47 @ Franklin, 52 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Oliver Ames, 46 @ Canton, 45 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Nick Asiaf scored all six of his points in the fourth quarter, including a layup with 1:31 to play to proved to be the winning basket for the visitors, giving Oliver Vil his first win with OA. Asiaf’s layup put OA up 46-42 at the time but a steal from Matt Chafin led to a free throw from Lanse Dorcelus. Dorcelus missed his second free throw but tracked down the rebound and sliced through the defense for two, making it 46-45 with 45 seconds to play. Each team missed the front end of a 1-and-1, and then the Tigers were able to get one final stop at the buzzer to secure the win. Senior Jake Grimaldi scored a team-high 12 points while Zach Tagliamonte and Dan Reilly also had six points. Dorcelus had a game-high 16 points and Nate Mei added 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Stoughton, 59 @ Foxboro, 67 – Final (2OT) – Foxboro senior Dylan Gordon scored nine points in the fourth quarter and added 10 more in the two overtime periods to help the Warriors outlast visiting Stoughton. The Black Knights led by 10 late in the third quarter and took a 38-31 lead into the fourth. With the game tied at 44-44, junior Andrew Finn hit a pair of free throws to put the hosts ahead 46-44 but Stoughton sophomore Liam Pearl hit two free throws of his own with 27.5 seconds left to tie it and send it to overtime. Gordon (25 points) split a pair of defenders on a take to the basket with just under 40 seconds to go but Pearl launched a three as time expired to send it to a second overtime. Sam Golub (12 points) hit his second three of the game to put the Warriors ahead and a steal from Cam Barreira led to a layup for Gordon to make it 61-56 and the Warriors never looked back. Alex Penders added 14 points for the Warriors. Connor Andrews led the visitors with 21 points, including 11 in the third quarter, Cashmere Mathurin added 14 points, and Pearl finished with 11 points.
King Philip, 71 @ Taunton, 82 – Final – Taunton senior Trent Santos scored a team-high 22 points while classmates Tristan Herry and Faisal Mass each scored 18 to help the Tigers outscore the visiting Warriors. Santos hit three three-pointers in the opening half, dropping 15 of his 22 points to help Taunton stake a 44-43 edge at the break. Herry added half of his points in the second half and Jordan Costa had six of his eight as Taunton pulled away down the stretch. King Philip junior Will Laplante split his 26 points evenly between the two halves while Danny Clancy added 13 points and Braeden Sottile chipped in with 10 points.
Mansfield, 65 @ Milford, 34 – Final – Mansfield limited the hosts to single digits in each of the first three quarters, including just three in the second on its way to building a 30-11 halftime lead. The Hornets capped it with a 21-point fourth quarter to ice the win. Matt Hyland led the way with 15 points hitting two of the Hornets’ seven three pointers. Chris Hill added 10 points while both Anthony Sacchetti and Caden Colby chipped in with nine points. Paul Roberts led the Hawks with nine points.
North Attleboro, 41 @ Sharon, 55 – Final – North Attleboro had a good start to its season with a strong opening quarter but Sharon surged ahead by halftime and pulled away with a big second half. The Rocketeers led by two after a quarter but the were limited to eight points in each the second and third quarters by the Eagles’ defense. Will Hippler (eight points), Sam Cohen (12 points), and John Baez (nine points, six steals) each hit a three between the second and third quarters to help the Eagles pull ahead, leading 41-30 going into the final quarter. Cohen and junior Matt Baur tied for a team-high 12 points. North Attleboro senior Brody Rosenberg had a game-high 17 points for the Rocketeers, who had nine players enter the scoring column.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 59 @ Attleboro, 32 – Final – Katie Peterson had 27 points and Franklin outscored the Bombardiers 30-14 in the second half to pull out a second win to start the season. The junior forward had eight points in each of the second and third quarters and buried a pair of threes. Olivia Quinn scored six points, all in the first half, helping Franklin jump out to a 29-18 lead by halftime. Sasha Tracey knocked down a pair of threes in the fourth quarter to finish with six points as well. Lindsey Perry was Attleboro’s top scorer with 14 points, scoring six points in each of the second and third quarters. Meghan Gordon was also in double digits, finishing with 10 points.
Canton, 42 @ Oliver Ames, 56 – Final – Jasmyn Cooper’s 17 points led OA to a second straight win to start the season (a 12th straight win going back to the beginning of last winter). Cooper (13 rebounds) scored 14 of her points in the first half, as the Tigers jumped out to a 12-point (28-16) lead by halftime. She also went 8-of-10 from the line on the night. The second half was nearly even, with the Tigers extending the lead by two points. Kaydance Derba added 12 points, 11 of them in the second half, and knocked down three from beyond the arc, while Caroline Peper scored 10 (eight in the second half) and had six steals. Hailey Bourne chipped in with eight points. Sydney and Fay Gallery combined for 33 of Canton’s 42 points, including 21 of the Bulldogs’ 26 in the second half. Sydney finished with 17 and buried three from outside. Fay scored 16 and had four threes.
Foxboro, 43 @ Stoughton, 30 – Final – Freshman Kailey Sullivan led the way with 11 points, as Foxboro earned its first win of the season. Erin Foley also finished in double digits with 10 points for the Warriors. Stoughton head coach Charmaine Steele Jordan praised her teams’ defensive effort for keeping them in the game. Offensively, Kate Bulger had 11 points while sophomore Kartina Varnum added nine points and nine rebounds for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 42 @ King Philip, 56 – Final – KP broke the game open in the third quarter to start the season with a second straight win. Jackie Bonner scored a career-high 26 points for the Warriors, knocking down four from beyond the arc. She scored 13 in each half, including nine in the second quarter as KP opened up a 22-16 lead at the break. She added seven in the fourth quarter to hold off a Taunton comeback attempt. Liv Lafond added 10 points, including seven in the second half, and Elizabeth Molla had all six of her points in the third, which KP won 20-8 to take a 42-24 lead into the fourth. Kameron St. Pierre eclipsed the 20-point mark for the second straight game, scoring 16 of her team-high 25 in the fourth quarter. St. Pierre went 9-of-10 from the line in the final eight minutes. Lexi Haywood added five points in the loss.
Milford, 17 @ Mansfield, 50 – Final – For the second straight game, Mansfield got off to a great start and never looked back. The Hornets took an 18-0 lead from the opening tip and improved to 2-0 on the season. Kara Santos had a big first half, scoring all 10 of her points, to help the Hornets lead by 19 at halftime. Abby Wager scored 11 points, including nine of Mansfield’s 15 in the third quarter, as the Hornets outscored Milford 15-2 to seal the win. Hallie Popat had a game-high 13 points, scoring eight in the second half and burying a trio of threes on the night. Milford was led by Maddalena Mannucci Pacini for the second game in a row. The foreign exchange student from Italy scored nine points, seven in the first half. Brooke Ferreira also chipped in with seven for the Hawks.
Sharon, 29 @ North Attleboro, 40 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
Wrestling
Silver Lake Quad (Stoughton), 4:00
Boys Indoor Track
Sharon, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 74 – Final – Oliver Ames swept the 300M, the 600M, the 1000M, and the long jump to grab a big win over Sharon. Collin Williamson was a double winner for individual events, taking first in the 300M in 39.83 and first in the long jump at 19-01.00. Seniors Johnny MacDonald and Joshua Tocci took second and third, respectively, in the 300M while Guillermo Martino and Ashton Hart completed the sweep in the long jump. Senior Wyatt Fritchman took first in the 600M (1:35.73) followed by classmate Ryan Sroczynski and junior Ethan Mahoney, while junior Ryan Sarney had a league-best time of 2:44.43 in the 1000M, followed by sophomore Brendan Thomas and junior Alexander Pierce. Hart (50M, 6.97), Owen McMorrow (2 Mile, 10:12.30), Brady Burton (shot put, 36-00.00) and Fabrice Fouron (55M hurdles, 8.85; high jump, 5-06.00) also won for OA. Sharon senior Barry Spoto won the 1 Mile race in 5:03.27.
Stoughton, 50 @ Foxboro, 41 – Final
North Attleboro, 70 @ Canton, 29 – Final – Andrew Butler was a double winner for the Bulldogs, crossing first in the 300M (39.69) and winning the long jump with a leap of 19-05.00. Sophomore Sam Vail added a win in the 1000M (3:02.55) while Kyle Downing took first in the 1 Mile race (5:01.14).
Franklin @ King Philip, 4:00
Attleboro, 55 @ Mansfield, 45 – Final – Attleboro picked up key points from the field events, sweeping two and taking two out of three spots in another, to grab a win over Mansfield. Chris Leonardo set a PR with a throw of 44-03.00 to win the shot put, followed by Isaiah Traore and Isaac Pereira, while Blake Garzaro, Damon Dugan, and Hunter Camara swept the high jump. Mansfield’s Jake Wall won the long jump (21-10.75) but Kaiden Murray and James Hill grabbed key points by taking second and third, respectively. Murray also won the 300M and the Bombardiers swept the 2 Miles with Ethan Sylvia (10:54.72) first, followed by Lee Casstevens and Jefferey Hudon. Wall also won the 55M dash (PR time of 6.75) and the 55M hurdles (PR time of 7.89). Other winners for the Hornets included Grady Sullivan (PR time of 1:29.56 in the 600M), Collin Stevens (PR time of 2:57.62 in the 1000M), and Riley Tremblay (1 Mile, 4:49.01).
Taunton @ Milford, 4:00
Girls Indoor Track
Sharon, 34 @ Oliver Ames, 64 – Final
Stoughton, 50 @ Foxboro, 49 – Final
North Attleboro, 49 @ Canton, 51 – Final – Canton senior Kiley Hanlon won a pair of events and took second in another to help the Bulldogs edge out the Rocketeers. Hanlon was first in both the 55M dash (7.98) and the 300M (PR time of 44.88) while taking second in the high jump (4-06.00). Other winners for the Bulldogs included sophomore Liana Camille (600M, 1:57.79) and senior Ella Lewis (high jump, 4-08.00). Kate Oliver took second in both the 55M hurdles (10.86) and the long jump (13-10.50).
Franklin @ King Philip, 4:00
Attleboro, 15 @ Mansfield, 84 – Final – For Attleboro, junior Rebecca Rainey scored in a pair of events, taking second in the 300M (1:54.24) and third in the high jump (4-08.00) while senior Jahela Douglas earned a pair of third place finishes (300M, 49.05; long jump, 13-07.00).
Taunton, 51 @ Milford, 49 – Final – Freshman Emersyn DePonte set a pair of personal bests and won two events while classmate Colby Dunham had a huge kick in the final lap of the 2 Mile race to secure second place by less than a second, helping Taunton just edge out Milford. DePonte won both the 1 Mile (5:51.01) and the 2 Mile (12:32.58) while Dunham clocked in at 12:36.78 for second to pick up some key points. Junior Caelyn O’Leary won the 300M (PR time of 44.67), Nia Mainer-Smith (1:45.71) led a sweep of the 600M, and junior Quinlan Kiley (3:29.36) led a sweep of the 1000M for the Tigers.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 56 @ Taunton, 36 – Final
Foxboro, 42 @ Oliver Ames, 70 – Final
King Philip, 57 @ Milford, 89 – Final
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 7:30
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 55 @ Taunton, 33 – Final
Foxboro, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 84 – Final
King Philip, 98 @ Milford, 57 – Final
North Attleboro @ Sharon, 7:30
Gymnastics
King Philip @ Attleboro, 7:30
Canton @ Mansfield, 7:30
North Attleboro, 116.8 @ Franklin, 143.6 – Final
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
Attleboro
2020-2021 Record: 10-6
Coach: Mark Houle
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
After trotting out an entirely new lineup during the shortened COVID season a year ago, Attleboro is looking to build upon the foundation it built and contend for a Kelley-Rex title in a very deep division.
Senior Evan Houle and junior Trevor White are the two returning starters from a year ago but the Bombardiers have a lot of players back that saw valuable minutes off the bench as well. Houle and White both averaged 10 points per game a year ago and will be two of the main options on the offensive end of the court. Alvin Harrison and Joe Francois both played solid minutes last year and give the Bombardiers some size in the paint. Jake Struminski, Christian Dame, and Michael Beverly all played throughout last season and should be in the mix again this year.
The Bombardiers are getting a big boost in the backcourt with the addition of senior Colin Morais, who transferred in after playing in Rhode Island last year. Morais can score in a variety of ways and can really catch fire from three-point range so he will be a welcome addition to the lineup. Sophomore Neo Franco could see an expanded role right away and help provide additional defensive intensity and some scoring punch. Seniors Hayden Hagerty, senior Nathan Hunter-Evans, and junior Jaiden Outland give the Bombardiers some quality depth on the roster.
“I have been very impressed with our work ethic and how our players have set high standards in practice every day,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “I credit our recent graduates for the past several years who set the high expectations for our teams to work hard, be good teammates, and earn our success in practice. We’re looking forward to the always challenging Hockomock League schedule. We must be prepared and be ready to compete at a high level every game.”
Canton
2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Eric MacKinnon
A new chapter begins for the Bulldogs with Eric MacKinnon taking over as head coach after Ryan Gordy stepped down to take an athletics administrative position with Canton. MacKinnon, a former Hockomock League All-Star for Oliver Ames, has experience coaching at both the high school and collegiate levels and will try to guide a relatively inexperienced group through a tough league schedule.
Canton graduated seven seniors from last year’s team that accounted for nearly 90% of the team’s points scored last year. But with that loss comes a lot of new opportunities for new players to fit into the lineup and rotation. Senior Lanse Dorcelus possesses the most experience of anyone on the roster after getting pulled up to varsity his freshmen year and seeing an expanded role in each of the past two seasons. He could be primed for a breakout year with his ability to attack the rim, and he can score in bunches when he gets going.
Dorcelus is joined by Dillon Nguyen, Conor Hunter, and Nate Mei as returners from last year. All three of those players know what it’s like to play at the varsity level in the Hockomock League so MacKinnon will be leaning on their experience as the Bulldogs try to navigate through a very challenging schedule. MacKinnon is hoping to have the Dogs playing with pace in the halfcourt and will be looking to have a balanced attack on offense with a presence in the post but also a roster that can hit from outside.
“We have a mix of guys who have had varsity experience along with some juniors who weren’t able to swing last year because of covid protocols,” MacKinnon said. “We know we’ll need to be efficient offensively and be sound on the other end to compete every night in this league. We’ve made progress in our early practices and I’ve been impressed by our senior leadership.”
Foxboro
2020-2021 Record: 2-9
Coach: Jon Gibbs
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
There were a lot of growing pains for the Warriors last season, resulting in a 2-9 record during the shortened COVID season. But with its entire starting lineup back plus some added depth, Foxboro could be looking at a worst-to-first type turnaround in 2022.
Senior Dylan Gordon, fresh off an incredible football season for the Warriors, had a breakout season a year ago and was one of the leading scorers in the Hock at 16 points per game. He’s joined by junior Alex Penders, who had some dominant moments at times last year in the paint and averaged 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and juniors Ryan LeClair, Sam Golub (6.4 PPG), and Sean O’Leary. Juniors Andrew Finn and Cam Barreira both played solid minutes at points last year so the Warriors boast eight veteran players now, which is a vast difference from last year when everyone on the roster was making their varsity debut.
The Warriors will look to boast a balanced offensive attack and have the weapons to do so. Whether it’s Penders down low in the post, Gordon slashing to the basket, or Golub lighting it up from deep, Foxboro has options all over the court. Head coach Jon Gibbs is hoping the experience and chemistry the group gained last year will provide a strong foundation for this season. Defensively, the Warriors have some size and length that will allow them to protect the paint, contest shots, and rebound at a high level.
“We have a deep team this year,” Gibbs said. “Guys are pushing each other hard in practice every day as they work to carve out roles for themselves. If we can defend and rebound at a championship level, we have the potential for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
Franklin
2020-2021 Record: 6-5
Coach: CJ Neely
Last season marked the second straight year that the Panthers graduated a large senior class and that means there are a lot of opportunities for new faces to step into the starting lineup and expanded roles this year around.
While the Panthers will have an entirely new starting lineup, Franklin will most certainly be right in the mix in a Kelley-Rex division that is jammed-pack with talent. Gone are leading scorer Declan Walmsley (17.5 points per game) along with the next two leading scorers on last year’s roster in Andrew Byfield (10.2) and Jake O’Brien (9.9). Key depth pieces like Zach Harvey (4.5) and Alex Newman (3.6) also graduated so head coach CJ Neely will be working with some new options this year.
Sophomore Henry Digiorgio burst onto the scene as a freshman a year ago and he’s the top returning scorer at 5.4 points per game, although he did reach double figures in the scoring column three times. Sean Vinson and Ben Harvey are the other two players back in the fold that saw some minutes a season ago. But something we’ve seen Franklin do year-in and year-out is reload so there will certainly be some new names to emerge over the next couple of weeks.
While the players change, the style of Franklin basketball has been consistent for years and defense remains to be the calling card under Neely. The Panthers are always a team that puts a lot of pressure, moves the ball around on the offensive end, and incorporates a lot of motion off the ball to keep opposing defenses on their heels.
“Guys have really showed up ready to compete for jobs,” Neely said. “Obviously with five graduating starters from last year’s team there are a lot of roles up for grabs and practices have been great. We have had a very competitive preseason and it has shown that we have a lot of depth and it will be an ongoing battle all year to earn your spot and maintain your spot throughout the year.”
King Philip
2020-2021 Record: 0-10
Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
With a strong mix of experienced players and new faces, King Philip is looking to make some noise in a very talented and deep Kelley-Rex division, one of the best divisions in the state.
Head coach Dave DeStefano is back after missing the COVID season due to the birth of his son and has seven seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen on the roster to work with this year. KP has a solid foundation with two returning starters back and both averaged double figures in the scoring column. Junior Will Laplante had a breakout year and will be someone every opposing defense will have to keep an eye on after averaging 16.4 points per game last year. And senior Danny Clancy is one of the hardest-working players and fights for a lot of rebounds on the offensive glass; he averaged 12.2 points per game last year.
Senior Charlie Grant, fresh off leading the King Philip football team to the state final at quarterback, is confident with the ball in his hands and will be like a quarterback for the offense by setting the tempo. Seniors Sean Sullivan and Braeden Sottile will be looking to build on their minutes from a season ago and could see expanded roles this go around. Seniors Will Martorano (6’5) and Drew Danson (6’3) should give the Warriors a big, physical presence in the paint. DeStefano is also expecting juniors Tommy Martorano, Grant Kinney, and Collin Peck to be in the mix after improving a lot over the offseason.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” said DeStefano, who is hoping a combination of athleticism and physicality lead to success this year. “The practices so far have been really competitive and physical. We know that everyone in this league can score the ball and if we want to be successful we are going to have to commit on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
Mansfield
2020-2021 Record: 15-1 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield won another division title last season and expectations are sky high yet again this year, as the Hornets look to win their 10th straight Kelley-Rex division title and go on a deep tournament run.
While the Hornets reload every year, they have a pretty good head start this season already with senior Matt Hyland and junior Chris Hill back in the lineup. Both boast a lot of experience at the varsity level and are capable of being the best player on the court. Mansfield lost 1,000-point score Matt Boen (just the second player to reach that milestone under head coach Mike Vaughan despite all of the program’s success) to graduation so both Hyland and Hill will take on more responsibility on the offensive end of the floor.
Seniors Jack Lasbury-Casey, Andrew Slaney, and Anthony Sacchetti, along with sophomore Trevor Foley, all saw minutes during last year’s shortened COVID season and could be in line for expanded roles this year. Sacchetti has impressed in the preseason so far and the Hornets have played well with him on the floor, Foley (6’5) creates a lot of matchup problems with his size and athleticism, and both Lasbury-Casey and Slaney can give the offense a boost with their outside shooting.
Caden Colby, Dante James, and JT Veiking all are coming off very successful seasons of JV and the same goes for sophomore Eddie McCoy, who had a strong year on the freshmen squad. All four players are all in the mix for minutes and give the Hornets a very deep roster. The Hornets are looking to use their size and length to their advantage, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
“Overall the expectations are the same, we want to qualify for the tournament as quickly as possible by playing one game at a time, win the league title, and win multiple tournament games,” Vaughan said. “With the quality of the league and our tough non-league schedule, we have a challenge ahead of us but I think we have the pieces to be a very talented and quality basketball team on both ends of the floor.”
Milford
2020-2021 Record: 3-9
Coach: Paul Seaver
It’s not uncommon for a program to graduate its entire starting lineup, and it’s not even uncommon to see the majority of a roster turnover because of graduation. But Milford is in a unique situation in which it graduated its entire team. That’s right, Milford will boast a roster full of players without a minute of varsity experience.
Head coach Paul Seaver has four seniors, two juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen as the Hawks write a new chapter book in program history. Coaches in the Hockomock League will be checking in with their subvarsity coaches, and maybe even their metro coaches, to try and get an idea of what to expect from the Hawks this year.
While we’ll learn more about the Hawks as the season goes on, we do know one thing. Seaver will be leaning on the leadership of senior captains Nick Schuler and Paul Roberts. Both Schuler and Roberts have varsity experience in other sports so their leadership will be key for a program that will be experiencing this level for the first time.
“With a brand new crop of guys this season, we look to compete on both sides of the floor this year while working towards reestablishing the culture and environment of Milford basketball,” Seaver said.
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
North Attleboro
2020-2021 Record: 8-3
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
The Rocketeers have a roster mixed with new faces and a handful of experienced players and are hoping that combination can lead to some success in a loaded Hockomock League.
After graduating just two seniors two years ago, North lost half of its roster from last year and all five were players that saw valuable minutes for head coach Sean Mukerrins. But on the plus side, the four players back all played a lot of minutes including starters and potential league all-stars Brody Rosenberg and Casey Poirier. Rosenberg was second on the team last year in scoring with 10.4 points per game last year and will need to take on more responsibility on the offensive end this year. Poirier is a capable guard that is confident with the ball in his hands and likes to spread the rock around.
Seniors Gavin Wells (6’3) and Nate Bennett (6’3) are the other two returners for the Big Red and both improved as the season went on last year. Wells emerged as a threat from the perimeter, dropping a season-high 13 points in a road win over Foxboro last season. Bennett can play in a variety of roles and he gives North some good size on the defensive end.
North has developed a reputation for being disciplined and well-prepared on the defensive end of the court, and that will likely be the strength for the squad again this year. On the offensive end, the Rocketeers will follow the lead of Rosenberg and Poirier as an unselfish group that is always looking for the best shot.
“We are excited to get the season started and see where we stack up against the rest of the Hockomock League,” Mulkerrins said. “After graduating a tremendous 2021 class, this group is excited to step in and carve our roles that will help our team succeed.”
Oliver Ames
2020-2021 Record: 9-1 (Davenport division champions)
Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames had a terrific showing during the shortened COVID season, winning the Davenport division in its first season back after four years in the Kelley-Rex division.
Oliver Vil takes over as head coach of the program after the untimely passing of legendary and Hall of Fame coach Don Byron in June. Byron coached through his battle with cancer for the past couple of seasons, leading the Tigers to the Davenport crown with a 9-1 record last winter.
Vil and the Tigers will honor Byron this season when they play Abington; Byron coached the Green Wave to a sectional title in his final season there before coming to Oliver Ames. The Tigers will be raising funds for Coaches vs. Cancer when they host Abington on December 23rd.
Vil, who was an assistant under Byron before taking the head coaching job at Walpole, has two key pieces back from last year’s squad. Senior Drew Baxter is a crafty guard that can really get going on the offensive side of the ball and score in a variety of ways; he will spearhead the offense while Jake Grimaldi, a senior co-captain, gives the Tigers some size down low. After graduating nine seniors from last year’s roster, there are a lot of opportunities for new faces to take advantage of.
“I look forward to continuing the great tradition at OA,” Vil said. “There are big shoes to fill, but my mentor Don Byron has prepared me for this position. I’m excited for this opportunity and challenge.”
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
Sharon
2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon built a solid foundation during last year’s COVID-shortened season and now expectations are high as the Eagles look to build on it and compete for the Davenport division title.
The Eagles have a good chunk of the roster back from last year, all with an important year of experience now under the belt, and an impressive group of young players that are ready to make an immediate impact at the varsity level. Senior John Baez is in his fourth year with the varsity team and will be joined by senior Ryan Zunenshine in the backcourt to give the Eagles an experienced duo spearheading the offense.
The strong senior class also features Sam Cohen, Will Hippler, Donyae Pierre, Nate Yaffe, Ryan Baker, and Brent Cham. Cohen burst onto the scene at the end of his sophomore year and can light it up from three-point range while Hippler is a versatile player that gives the Eagles defensively flexibility. Junior Matt Baur is poised for a breakout season and might be the best player on the court on both sides of the court for the Eagles.
Sophomores Nate Katznelson and Jacob McLoughlin impressed in their first year playing high school ball last year and now will make the jump to the varsity level and could make an immediate impact. Juniors Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman give Sharon quality depth at the guard position. Sharon is hoping to get all five guys on the court involved on the offensive end of the court while a revamped defense could be the spark the Eagles need.
“We are thankful to be playing another season and thank the work of the athletic directors of the league to ensure a full season,” said head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We have been working extremely hard throughout the offseason and the early season to hit the ground running. We have a tight-knit team who have been growing together over the past few years and we can’t wait to get the season started.”
Stoughton
2020-2021 Record: 4-9
Coach: Evan Taylor
With just one starter back from last year, second-year head coach Evan Taylor is relying on a mix of new faces and some returners to make up the nucleus of this year’s squad.
Connor Andrews is the lone starter back for the Black Knights after averaging 8.5 points a year ago. But Stoughton also has a pair of juniors in Josh Rivera and Cashmere Mathurin, along with junior Rayan Sablon, that played meaningful minutes and are in line for expanded roles for the 2021-2022 season. Andrews can do it all on the offensive end and does a lot of the little things right. Not only can he light up the scoreboard with his outside shooting, but he also sets the tone with his hustle and rebounding.
Rivera is a capable ball-handler and likes to get his teammates involved; his energy will set the tone of the defensive end. Matherin’s size and athleticism will give a lot of teams trouble this year and Stoughton is looking for him to be one of the best rim protectors in the league. Sablon will play a variety of roles for the Knights, capable of playing as both the one and the two depending on the scenario. Freshman Matt Greenspoon is a player to watch as the season goes on.
Taylor is putting a big focus on the defensive end of the floor during the preseason. The Black Knights allowed the second-most points against in the Davenport division this year so a renewed focus on defense — with an emphasis on using their speed and athleticism to cause havoc — will be something to keep an eye on.
“We are very pleased with the energy and competition level at practice and we are expecting to be very competitive in the Davenport division this season,” Taylor said.
taunton
2020-2021 Record: 10-1 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
Coach: Charlie Dacey
Last season will always be “what if” for the Tigers, who won their first Hock title by sharing the Kelley-Rex division title with Mansfield. But the past is the past and Taunton is focused on the future, which could be another league title.
There will certainly be a bit of a new look for Taunton with the centerpiece of the offense from the past two seasons Tyler Stewart now causing problems for opponents in the Commonwealth Coast Conference as a member of the Wentworth men’s basketball team, and three-year starter Josh Lopes now suiting up for American International College.
But not all is lost as the Tigers have its three other starters from last year’s squad back in the mix and ready to challenge for another Kelley-Rex crown. Trent Santos is now a three-year starter and led the Tigers in scoring last year with 15.2 points per game and he will be one of the top players in the league again this year. Tristan Herry made a huge jump between his sophomore and junior year and is looking to continue that trend this year, the heart and soul of the defense. And Faisal Mass made a big splash last year and can hurt teams in a variety of ways.
The Tigers are getting a boost with the addition of Jordan Costa, who provides a big boost in the rebounding category and can cause some damage around the rim. He’ll be joined by junior Matt Small (6’4) to give the Tigers another option down low. Sophomores Troy Santos and Morrisette could be contributors to the lineup right away for Taunton.
“We’re looking to be aggressive defensively and dynamic offensively with varied skills being able to finish from different spots and different personnel,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.
2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview
Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/12/21
Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 60 @ Milford, 52 – Final – Attleboro opened its season with a win on the road, edging out the Scarlet Hawks in a close contest. With the gamed tied 51-51, senior Alec Eaton drained a three with just under a minute to give the Bombardiers the lead for good. The visitors led at halftime (31-25) but Milford rallied to take a 40-39 lead into the fourth. Eaton (10 points) had two threes in the fourth while Justin Daniels hit another and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the line in the final frame to help Attleboro secure the win. Daniels finished with a career-high 16 points while junior Evan Houle led the way for the Bombardiers with a career-high 17 points. Milford senior Jordan Darling had a game-high 18 points.
Canton, 45 @ Sharon, 42 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. Canton’s Ryan Connerney scored eight of his career-high 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs held off a late charge from the Eagles to move to 3-0. After a slow first half from both sides, Canton’s offense got into enough of a groove to take a 10-point lead with three minutes to go. But the Eagles continued to claw back into it, getting back-to-back threes from Sam Cohen (11 points). Seven straight points from junior John Baez cut the deficit to just two, 42-40, with 25 seconds to go. Connerney, who went 6/7 from the line in the fourth, hit two more and then came up with a steal on the final inbounds play in secure the win. Eric Mischler added 12 points and six rebounds for the Bulldogs while Matt Baskin had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Eagles.
North Attleboro, 50 @ Stoughton, 42 – Final – North Attleboro took the lead after eight minutes of action and never surrendered the lead, keeping the Black Knights at arm’s length throughout the contest. The Rocketeers extended their lead each quarter, taking a 15-11 lead after one and a 29-23 advantage at halftime. North pushed the lead to 38-31 through three quarters before an improved defensive effort helped the Rocketeers slam the door shut. Senior George Ladd had a game-high 19 points, going 5-for-5 from the line in the fourth to help ice the win. Brody Rosenberg added 13 points and Casey Poirier finished with eight points for North. Waseem Sablon led the Black Knights with 11 points.
Girls Basketball
Milford, 39 @ Attleboro, 71 – Final – Attleboro had to wait a week before tipping off this season, but the Bombardiers put together a strong performance to open with a win. It was a two-point game (13-11) after one quarter but Attleboro pushed the lead to double digits by halftime and then broke the game wide open, as Meghan Gordon and Narissa Smith combined for 19 points in the quarter. Gordon finished with a career-high 24 points and Smith added 16 in her varsity debut. Head coach Marty Crowley praised his team’s defensive effort and a balanced attack on offense. Milford was led by Emma Lawrence with 13 points and Ashanty Barreto.
Sharon, 23 @ Canton, 54 – Final – The Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-point lead by halftime and never looked back, cruising to a second win of the season. Fay Gallery followed up her 22 points in the opener with 19 points against the Eagles, including 16 in the first half. She knocked down five three-pointers in the game. Sydney Gallery added 14 for the Bulldogs, nine in the second half, and Kiara Cerruti scored eight points. Canton had eight players score in the win. Gaby Cabral led the Eagles with seven points and Trinity Payne chipped in with six.
Foxboro, 48 @ Oliver Ames, 59 – Final – The Tigers outscored visiting Foxboro by 10 in the fourth quarter to pull out the win in their opener and hand the Warriors their first loss of the season. The Warriors took the lead early in the fourth but the Tigers won the final frame 15-5 to get the win. Senior Kelsey Yelle led the Tigers with 12 points and 12 rebounds while junior Caroline Peper added 10. OA head coach Laney Holbrook praised the effort of seniors Jess Erlich and Caroline Flynn. Sophomore Maddie Homer chipped in with nine points and tough defense. Katelyn Mollica scored 18 in the loss and Foxboro also got a strong performance from its freshmen, as Camryn Collins scored 11 points and Erin Foley added nine.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 82 @ King Philip, 62 – Final
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 93 @ King Philip, 75 – Final