Tag: Jordan Borges

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/18/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 32 – Final

King Philip, 28 @ Taunton, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: (KP) Robert Jarest 29-yard rush, XP failed; (KP) R. Jarest 43-yard pass to Brian Wassersug, R. Jarest 2pt pass to Alex Behling.
2nd Quarter: (KP) R. Jarest 12-yard pass to A. Behling, XP good; (KP) R. Jarest 17-yard pass to Drew Danson, XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) Trent Santos 2-yard pass to Nigel Choate, Collin Knorr XP good.
4th Quarter: (T) Bretton Heggs 2-yard rush, 2pt rush failed.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Mansfield, 36 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 62-yard rush, Michael DeBolt XP good; (OA) Nathan Cabral 3-yard rush, XP failed.
2nd Quarter: (M) Cincere Gill 12-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) M. DeBolt 8-yard rush, M DeBolt XP good; (M) Jack Moussette 61-yard pass to Danny Rapoza, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Nick Marciano 37-yard rush, N. Marciano 2pt rush.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames and Attleboro traded goals inside the first 20 minutes but the Tigers scored five unanswered to pick up the win. Junior Anthony DaCosta converted a feed from sophomore Mathias Taylor in the 18th minute before the hosts knotted the score two minutes later. OA jumped back ahead when junior Colin Milliken set up classmate Kevin Louhis in the 33rd minute. Taylor made it 3-1 in the 38th minute on a feed from junior Jimmy Keane. The Tigers scored three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half to pull away. Keane, Milliken and Nicholas Farley each scored with Milliken, Louhis and Dillon Cupples recording assists. Matthew Nikiciuk, Ben Cohen, Harry Ahearn, Matt Nosalek, Jon Freeman all played terrific for OA.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Colby Ciffolillo, Caden Mirliani, and Jake McCabe scored to help the Bulldogs pick up a win over visiting Stoughton.

Milford, 6 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Milford scored three goals in each half to secure a big win on the road at Foxboro. Senior Pedro Araujo scored four goals in the win to break the program’s single season point record, with 32 points so far this season. Araujo opened the scoring halfway through the first half on an assist from Nuno Mestre, and then grabbed his second eight minutes later on a penalty kick. Joao Pedro Da Silva made it 3-0 with Araujo recording the assist. Jordan Borges set up Araujo for his third goal with a beautiful through ball just a minute into the second half. Araujo grabbed his fourth in the 50th minute with Da Silva notching the assist. David Desa scored the final goal with Eduardo Castro getting the assist. Kevin Gomes had the shutout in net while both Borges and freshman Nick Ribeiro had strong showings in the midfield.

Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield freshman Aiden Steele scored a goal and had an assist to help the Hornets knock off Franklin to keep their postseason hopes alive. Steele set up Colin True in the 55th minute for the opener, and then scored his first career goal in the 68th minute off a corner from sophomore Matt Hyland. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan said his defense played great, adding Peter Oldow and Colin Caridi had phenomenal games in the midfield.

Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip and Taunton traded goals back and forth throughout 80 minutes, with the hosts finding the equalizer in the final five minutes to earn a draw. The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute when junior Travis Nunes converted a pass from classmate Kevin Monteiro. Cam Lawrence (from Colin Wesley) tied the game for KP in the 23rd minute, and KP took its first lead when Alex Leon scored off an assist from Tadhg Keller in the 32nd minute. Taunton’s Hunter Cabral knotted things up five minutes later with Khalil Ba picking up the assist. Taunton went back ahead in the 55th minute when Cabral netted his second, assisted by Paiva. Lawrence brought the hosts level once again, this time finishing a pass from Owen Teixeira in the 76th minute.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – North Attleboro keeper Kyle Briere and Sharon goalie Matthew Baur both played well, each earning a shutout as the Rocketeers and Eagles split the points.




Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Erin Holmberg scored four goals to pace the hosts to a big win at home. Caroline Peper also scored in the while while Allison Evin had two assists. Lauren Sellmayer and Jenna Gilman each had one helper for the Tigers. Attleboro freshman Emily Dunlea scored her first career goal for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 9 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – King Philip senior Chloe Layne scored twice in the first half and added two assists as the Warriors built a 4-0 lead by the break and never looked back. Layne finished with four assists while Avery Snead had four goals and one assist in the win. Maeve Lawlor, Ella Pisani, and Jenny Montville also scored while Taylor Butler had the shutout in goal.

Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon’s Cass Barbera and North Attleboro’s Regan Fein posted shutouts as the Eagles and Rocketeers took a point each. Lydia Hershey, Colette Petit, and Lily Adams all played well for North Attleboro.

Field Hockey
Milford, 2 vs. Bellingham, 1 – Final – Milford defended home turf with a 2-1 win over Bellingham. Kat Swineford scored once and added an assist for the Hawks, setting up a goal from Olyvia Whyte.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business on Friday evening, sweeping visiting Attleboro, 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-14). Junior Sarah Morley shined at the service line with 12 aces and a total of 24 service points. Allie Kemp added 19 assists, Alison Barth notched 20 digs, and Ryley McNeeley chipped in with five kills and five assists.

King Philip, 3 @ Walpole, 0 – Final – King Philip earned a regular season sweep over non-league foe Walpole picking up a 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-15) sweep. The Warriors had a strong showing from the service line as Emma Brooks had 20 service points with three aces and Lily Carlow added eight service points (three aces) and four digs. Nicole Coughlan (12 kills) and Catherine Waldeck (10 kills) pace KP’s offense at the net.

Milford, 2 vs. Nipmuc, 3 – Final

Golf
Canton, 160 @ Mansfield, 155 – Final – In a battle of division champions, Mansfield earned bragging rights with a close win over Canton at Norton Country Club. Mansfield juniors Brian See and Joseph Gormley shared match medalist honors to lead the way, finishing at 38 for the day. See had birdies on both the sixth and seventh holes. Junior Ryan Dow added a 39 and junior Nate Morreale finished with a 40 for the Hornets. Canton’s James O’Keeffe had a team-low round of 39, Chris Lavoie and Mike Leonetti each shot 40, and Owen Donovan finished at 41.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/16/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.

Sharon, 4 @ Milford, 6 – Final – Milford built a 3-0 lead with a strong first half but had to survive a wild second half to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Junior Lucas Da Silva scored the first two goals of the game with Pedro Araujo and Jordan Borges earning assists. Borges then set up Araujo to give the Hawks a 3-0 lead at the break. Sharon’s Brian Higgins scored from Bryce Nathan to begin the second half, Nathan grabbed a goal of his own to make it 3-2. Araujo (from Leo Coelho) restored Milford’s two-goal lead only for Higgins to bring the Eagles back within one on James Zhang’s second assist. Coelho set up Da Silva for his hat trick and Araujo completed his hat trick on a pass from Joao Pedro Da Silva to make it 6-3. Nathan bagged his second of the game to get Sharon within two.

Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Taunton keeper Nolan Melo made save after save to keep the visiting Tigers in the game but Oliver Ames was able to solve him once, and that was enough for two points. “Their keeper was ridiculous, he was great,” said OA head coach John Barata. OA junior Matthew Nikiciuk scored in the 60th minute on a shot from outside of the area to put the hosts ahead. OA’s defense of Harry Ahearn, Matthew Nosalek, Jon Freeman, and Brady deVos played well in front of keeper Drew Nickla (sixth shutout).

Girls Soccer
Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Franklin keeper Breanna Atwood was terrific in net for the Panthers but King Philip scored a pair of first half goals to earn the win. Chloe Layne finished off a corner from Makayla Griffin in the 22nd minute to give the hosts the lead, and Avery Snead doubled the advantage four minutes later, heading in another corner from Griffin. Atwood made eight great saves to keep Franklin in the game. King Philip’s defense of Grace Lawler, Paige Varvarigos, and Griffin along with keeper Taylor Butler earned their 12th shutout of the season.

Boys Cross Country
Milford, 25 @ Canton, 35 – Final

Girls Cross Country
Milford, 25 @ Canton, 30 – Final

Golf
North Attleboro, 165 @ Canton, 149 – Final – Canton earned a win over North Attleboro to finish unbeaten in division action this season, going 10-0, and improving to 13-0 overall this season. The Bulldogs had a trio of golfers share match medalist honors with Chris Lavoie, Conor Hunter, and James O’Keeffe all finishing with a 37. Will Gefteas and Mike Leonetti each shot 38 in the win. North Attleboro’s Jake Gaskin had a team-low round of 38, Jillian Barend and Jared Bankert each shot 42, and Aidan Weir chipped in with a 43 for the Rocketeers.

Oliver Ames, 160 @ Mansfield, 149 – Final – Mansfield picked up some momentum heading into the league championship meet, earning a win over Oliver Ames at home. Brian See fired an impressive three-under par round of 33 to earn match medalist honors. Ryan Dow added a 35, Jason See shot a 40, and Cian Goulet finished with a 41 for Mansfield.

Milford, 179 vs. Nipmuc, 188 – Final

Foxboro, 156 @ Milford, 179 – Final – Foxboro earned a win on the road to close out its division schedule, finishing 8-2. Noah Hicks led the way for the Warriors, firing a round of 37 to earn match medalist honors. Matt Lathrop added a 39 for Foxboro while Jack Rounds and Dylan Quinn each shot 40. Tyler Wetherbee and Wes Murdock each carded a 42 for the Hawks.

Taunton, 174 @ Stoughton, 181 – Final – Taunton earned a win on the road at Easton Country Club over host Stoughton. Kyle Robinson and Dillion Schofield led the way for the Tigers, each shooting 42 in the win. Stoughton’s Max Huminik was the match medalist with a 39.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/09/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Milford senior Jordan Borges notched three first half assists as the Hawks picked up a win over visiting Stoughton. Senior Dan Santos finished off a corner from Borges to open the scoring early in the first half, and Pedro Araujo scored off a feed from Borges minutes later to make it 2-0. Lucas Da Silva made it 3-0 with Borges collecting his third helper. Araujo scored on a free kick to make it 4-0 and sophomore Dan Desa scored his first career goal in the second half (from Leo Coelho) to cap the scoring. Da Silva had a strong showing in the midfield while Chris Tocci played well defensively for the Hawks.

Taunton @ Attleboro – Postponed to Monday, Oct. 21 at 3:45.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro @ Taunton – Postponed to Monday, Oct. 21 at 3:45.

Field Hockey
Taunton @ New Bedford – Postponed to Saturday, Oct. 19 at 10:00.

Da Silva Hands Milford a Thrilling Win Against OA

Milford boys soccer Dan Santos
Milford senior captain Dan Santos heads in the Hawks’ second goal of the game in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


MILFORD, Mass. – Prior to Friday afternoon’s game with Oliver Ames, Milford coach Brian Edwards was joking about his team’s lack of a long throw. The Hawks used one in the defensive zone to occasionally relieve pressure but rarely utilized a throw in the attacking third.

With the game tied 2-2 and the clock winding down inside the final two minutes, Milford won a throw on the near touch line. Sophomore defender Chris Tocci had made a rare foray forward and he grabbed the ball, stepped back, and unleashed a throw into the middle of the OA penalty area.

It pinballed around, taking several deflections off both teams before finding the foot of junior Joao Pedro Da Silva, who fired a low, hard shot through traffic and into the back of the net. That goal proved decisive for the Hawks, who pulled out a 3-2 victory in a playoff-like atmosphere worthy of two teams that entered Friday unbeaten and leading their respective divisions.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We’re talking about how neither of us have a long throw and I was like, well Tocci has one but we only use it deep in our own end to get it out of there,” Edwards joked. “He just happened to be up there and said I’ll take it. Not how we drew it up but it was quite a finish.”

He added, “I told the guys after they tied it, ‘You have nine minutes. We’ve been here before. I’m not nervous now because I feel like you can score a goal or two.’ Overall I thought we played a good game, but they’re an awesome team. Anytime you get to play OA you get to test yourself, and I thought we rose to it today.”

The first half was an even contest with both teams creating chances. Milford junior Leo Coelho skimmed the post and found the side netting with a shot from 20 yards, then OA nearly grabbed the lead when junior Colin Milliken slipped a pass behind the defense for classmate Anthony DaCosta, but Milford keeper Leo Oliveira was out quick to smother the chance.

In the 14th minute, the Hawks took the lead. Senior Pedro Araujo created the opportunity with a slick through ball to Da Silva, but OA keeper Drew Nickla was off his line to block the shot. The ball flicked high in the air and had to be cleared off the line. The rebound effort was also sent goalwards but went off the arm of an OA defender.

Araujo, the league’s leading goal scorer, stepped up to the spot and slipped his shot under the dive of Nickla (five saves).

Milford had a couple of good chances to double its advantage before the break. Coelho latched onto a bad clearance, heading past the defender, but he skied a shot when clean through on goal. Jordan Borges set up Lucas Da Silva in the OA box, but his shot was skewed wide.

The Tigers had their own moments to try and get on the board in the first half, only to be denied by Oliveira (four saves). Milliken had the best chance but his curling free kick was palmed away by the keeper at full stretch. The junior almost grabbed a goal with another set piece from a tight angle but just missed the top corner. Jonathan Freeman also tested Oliveira with a long free kick that the keeper was forced to punch clear of the OA attackers.

“That’s the best game Leo’s played,” said Edwards. “He made some big saves. It was tough in the first half cause the sun was in his eyes and the wind in his face. I thought he played great and he’s come a long way because he’s working hard and he’s grinding.”

Just a minute after the break, OA was inches from equalizing. Brady deVos made a slide tackle on the far sideline, taking possession and driving towards the right side of the box. He hit a perfect cross to the back post where it was met by Kevin Louhis, but somehow Oliveira managed to get across and deny the shot in the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, Milford led 2-0. Araujo swung in a line drive corner to the near post and Dan Santos got across his marker to flick in the header, his second goal in as many games.

The Hawks seemed in control, but the Tigers took advantage of a defensive lapse to get right back into the game. Milliken sent in a corner and deVos was wide open in the middle of the box for a simple, close-range header.

“They kept working hard. They’re learning,” said Oliver Ames coach John Barata about his team’s ability to fight back after falling behind. “We gave up some really soft goals on set pieces, really poorly defended, so we have to learn, but it was good to see them come back. It was a good test and good to see them come back again and again.”

Leading by one, Milford had a series of chances to try and put the game away. Borges looped a cross into the box that landed directly on top of the crossbar and then he sprung Araujo on a break that was only stopped when Matthew Nosalek somehow got back in front and blocked the shot with a sliding tackle.

A minute after that chance, Borges whipped a free kick into the top corner from 30 yards, only to have it wiped away because the call had been for an indirect kick. With 10 minutes remaining, Araujo again cut in on his left foot and again was denied a goal, this time by the post. The rebound was put back on frame but Harrison Ahearn cleared it off the line.

The missed chances proved costly, as the Tigers kept going and managed to find an equalizer with nine minutes left to play. Mathias Taylor found himself in acres of space on the right and he hit a low cross to Milliken, who coolly finished over the onrushing keeper.

After letting the Tigers come back from two goals down, Milford could have settled for a draw, but instead fought back to find a winner and extend its lead in the Davenport title race to five points.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Barata said, “Their attack is deadly and we needed to work harder than any other game. It was a great test.”

Edwards noted, “I think you find out who you are when you play a team like that. Today, I think we took a step in the right direction.”

Milford (7-0-1, 7-0-1) will be on the road on Monday night to face Canton. Oliver Ames (8-1-0, 8-1-0) will also be on the road Monday, when the Tigers travel to face second place King Philip.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/27/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Game of the Week – Football
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 10 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 1-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: (C) O. Lehane 27-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Football
King Philip, 26 @ Franklin, 14 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
1st Quarter: (KP) Robbie Jarest 25-yard pass to Brian Wassersug, Dylan Conti XP good; (F) Thomas Gasbarro 53-yard pass to Cole Lakatos, Parker Cheuvront XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 1-yard rush, D. Conti XP good; (KP) R. Jarest 11-yard pass to Andrew McKinney, XP blocked.
3rd Quarter: (F) Mack Gulla 1-yard rush, P. Cheuvront XP good.
4th Quarter: (KP) R. Halliday 11-yard rush, 2pt pass failed.

Taunton, 6 @ Mansfield, 31 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Michael DeBolt 3-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) Nick Marciano 58-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; M. DeBolt 9-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) M. DeBolt 35-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (M) Nico Holmes 7-yard rush; M. DeBolt XP good; (T) Josh Lopes 1-yard rush, XP no good.

Milford, 41 @ Sharon, 7 – Final

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Attleboro erupted for three goals in the final 10 minutes of the first half, and added on three more in the second half to earn a big win. The Bombardiers and Warriors were knotted at 1-1 entering the final 10 before Attleboro scored in quick succession. Michael Russo scored four goals in the win.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Six different Warriors found the back of the net as KP picked up two points at home on Friday afternoon. Ajae Olsen opened the scoring in the 18th minute, finishing off a shot from distance into the bottom corner. Owen Teixeira and Evan McEvoy added first half strikes for KP, who led 3-0 at half. Colin Wesley (penalty kick), Connor O’Neill, and Caleb Casseta-Waxman each scored in the second half.

Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Milford scored twice in each half to earn two points on the road over the Tigers. Jordan Borges banged in a shot from distance off the bottom of the crossbar to make it 1-0 in 27th minute, and Dan Santos put the Hawks ahead 2-0 just five minutes later off an assist from Pedro Araujo. Araujo converted a penalty kick in the second half to make it 3-0, and Joao Pedro Da Silva capped the scoring for Milford off an assist from freshman Gabriel Godoy. Leo Oliveira and Kevin Gomes combined for the shutout in net while Carlos Terrinha and Leo Coelho had strong games defensively for Milford.




Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final

Mansfield, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored a pair of goals in a three-minute span in the second half to earn a win at home over Mansfield. Freshman Emily McCabe knotted the score before junior Olivia Rodman bagged the game-winning goal to give the Bulldogs two points.

Franklin, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. The Panthers scored twice on first half set pieces to secure the victory. Sabrina Addi’s long free kick was flicked on from the edge of the box by Erin Quaile midway through the half, catching the keeper off her line for the opening goal. Addi scored the second on a corner kick that bounced around in the North box. She finally latched onto the loose ball and lifted it into the back of the net. Lydia Hershey, Colette Petit, and Taylor Ward played well defensively for the Rocketeers, while Alex Moulson played a solid all-around game in midfield.

King Philip, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – King Philip scored four goals in the final 25 minutes of the game, turning a one-goal game into a big win on the road, earning head coach Gary Pichel the 200th victory of his career. Ally Stanton put KP ahead in the 27th minute on an assist from Chloe Layne, and the duo linked up again in the 57th minute to make it 2-0. Layne added a goal of her own seven minutes later (assist by Ava Tormey), Makayla Griffin blasted a shot from 30 yards out with six minutes left, and Maeve Lawlor (from Brianna Quirke) made it 5-0 in the 75th minute. Taylor Butler recorded her seventh shutout of the season.

Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford freshman Dani Atherton factored into all three goals as the Hawks defended home field with a win over visiting Taunton. Atherton scored a pair of goals and assisted on the other, setting up Jillian Michelson for a goal.

Field Hockey
Franklin @ Walpole – Postponed to Saturday 9/28 at 10:00.

King Philip, 1 vs. Algonquin, 2 – Final – The Warriors pushed the unbeaten T’Hawks to the limit, the visitors scoring the game-winning goal with just 64 seconds left to steal two points from KP. Makenzie Manning shined in net with 23 saves for KP, who earned a penalty corner with no time left and registered two shots on could before Algonquin (8-0-1) got the clear to end the game. Senior Sammy Robison, junior Grace Crocker, and senior Char Colella all played well for KP.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-20) sweep over the visiting Rebels of Walpole High. The Warriors’ dynamic duo of Nicole Coughlan (13 kills, one ace) and Catherine Waldeck (11 kills, two blocks) continued to shine while Emma Brooks added four aces and three digs in the win.

Mansfield, 2 vs. Brockton, 3 – Final – Mansfield jumped out to a 2-0 lead but Brockton rallied to win three straight as the Hornets dropped a 2-3 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 16-25, 10-15) decision at home. It was the third time in the week that Mansfield played five sets. Sam Sternburg shined defensively with 19 digs while Steph Walker had nine assists and 10 service points.

Milford @ Hopedale, 5:00

Golf
Attleboro, 162 @ North Attleboro, 153 – Final – North Attleboro’s Jillian Barend sank a birdie on the sixth hole and finished with a medalist round of one-over 36 at the middle course of Heather Hill to lead the Rocketeers past rival Attleboro. Jake Gaskin was right behind Barend with a 37 while Sam Gallagher (39) and Brett Dusel (41) also scored for North. Brendan Raymond had a team-low 37 for Attleboro, Brian Houle added a 39, Jack Handy finished with a 42, and Ben Wood chipped in with a 44.

Taunton @ King Philip, 3:30

Milford Slips Past North With Early Second Half Goal

Milford boys soccer Jordan Borges
Milford’s Jordan Borges winds up for a shot in the second half against North Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It was a clash of styles on Wednesday evening at Beaupre Field as North Attleboro hosted Milford boys soccer in a battle of two of the top teams in the Davenport division.

The Hawks are one of the top offenses in the league with a handful of skilled players that can break down opposing defenses at will at times. On the flip side, the Rocketeers emphasize defense first with plenty of numbers behind the ball and then look to hit on the counter.

The game played out accordingly as Milford controlled the majority of possession but didn’t create a ton of chances against North’s strong defense. And the Rocketeers’ best chances came counter trying to get in behind the Hawks’ defense.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The difference came just moments into the second half as Milford capitalized on a North Attleboro miscue defensively to score the only goal and grab a 1-0 win on the road.

“Kudos to Geoff [Burgess], his team is so well-coached and so well organized, you have to be on your toes the entire game,” said Milford head coach Brian Edwards. “If you make one mistake, they will capitalize. We were fortunate they didn’t score on that header right before half, and if they do it’s 1-0 and we probably don’t win that game.

“They are a really tough team to move the ball against. They are athletic, they are disciplined, they don’t give you any good chances. They all communicate well and they all tackle well. That’s the best team we’ve seen all year easily.”

The best chance for each side in the opening half came in the final five minutes. Junior Leo Coelho connected with senior Pedro Araujo, and the Hawks’ striker played the ball wide for freshman Nick Ribeiro. Ribeiro got to the ball first, beating the keeper lower but his shot clanked off the near post and his rebound bid went over the bar.

North nearly struck in the 40th minute when senior Joey Coscarella whipped in a cross from the right sideline and classmate Matt Mordini elevated over his defender but his header was just off target to keep the game scoreless.

After a lack of real chances in the first half, Milford came out in the second half and had three real good chances. Milford capitalized on the first one, just seconds in, as Araujo pounced on an errant pass between North defenders, getting just enough on his shot to North keeper Kyle Briere and the ball trickled over the line for the lone goal.

“You know what they want to do, but we know what we are and we’re a team that’s best going forward,” Edwards said. “We trust our players to not make a mistake that will let them punish us. We weren’t going to change how we play because of their game, we just made some adjustments. They really force you to be focused the entire game.

“They give you some space and you want to take that extra touch, and you want to try and break them down, but sometimes it’s really difficult when you have that space because you fall into that trap. But I thought we did a good enough job today, even without getting many quality chances. They always have three or four guys behind the ball so its tough to create a lot.”

Milford’s offense got some life from the goal as Coelho was able to create some space and rip a left-footed blast that was just high, clanking off the football goal post and bouncing into the net. And in the 43rd minute, Lucas Da Silva took a pass from Coelho and blasted a shot from inside the area but it was wide at the far post.

North Attleboro coach Geoff Burgess called a timeout to relax his squad, and the break worked out as the Rocketeers returned to form, with a stingy defense and wing players streaking down the sideline on the counter.

Coscarella combined with classmate James Sales, playing Sales in behind the defense but Milford keeper Kevin Gomes was quick off his line to thwart the bid. The duo combined again five minutes later but the shot rolled wide.

“I thought after the start of the second half, I thought we upped our level of play,” Burgess said. “We had one mistake [defensively]. We had a couple of chances with through balls, with Sales and Coscarella linking up, and the offsides call was pretty close. Those were three great chances there. I don’t think too many teams are breaking down them like that because they have the four backs plus the holding [midfielder] in front.”

Briere did well to come off his line in the 65th minute to deny a connection from Coelho to Araujo, forcing the shot to go wide.

The Rocketeers thought they had the equalizer in the 66th minute as Matt Conley laid a pass off for Sales, who beat the keeper, but it was ruled Sales was in an offside position.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Our mantra is stay disciplined, keep the ball in front, intercept passes, and get out on the break,” Burgess said. “That was what we did tonight, and you saw, once we get rolling we can be pretty dangerous. We just have to put it in the back of the net.”

Both teams had chances in the final moments as Araujo flashed a header wide a the near post after a service from Gabe Alvarenga for Milford, Conley had his header go over the bar off a free kick from Andrew Tolfa, and North defender Jeremy Folan won a key challenge in the box in the final minute.

Milford boys soccer (5-0-1 Hockomock, 5-0-1 overall) travels to Taunton on Friday while North Attleboro (3-3-0, 3-3-0) visits Franklin the same day.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/13/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Canton, 35 vs. Bellingham, 0 – Final
1st Quarter: (C) Kyle Fitzgerald 60-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good; (C) Johnny Hagan 31-yard pass to David Allen, O. Lehane XP good; (C) K. Fitzgerald 8-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good; (C) Gersom Rivera 48-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) Ben Guerini 12-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

King Philip, 20 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (KP) Robert Jarest 4-yard rush, XP no good; (F) Shayne Kerrigan 1-yard rush, Tyler James XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) T. James 25-yard field goal; R. Jarest 5-yard rush, Dylan Conti XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 15-yard rush, D. Conti XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Mansfield, 16 @ LaSalle HS (OH), 38 – Final
1st Quarter: (LS) Zach Branam 38-yard pass to Jake Seibert, J. Seibert XP good; (M) Cincere Gill 87-yard rush, Michael DeBolt XP good; (LS) Gi’Bran Payne 50-yard rush, J. Seibert XP good.
2nd Quarter: (LS) Z. Branam 7-yard pass to J. Seibert, J. Seibert XP good; (LS) J. Seibert 35-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (LS) Z. Branam 30-yard pass to J. Seibert, J. Seibert XP good; (M) Matt Boen 32-yard pass to Danny Rapoza, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (LS) Cameron Porter 2-yard rush, J. Seibert XP good; (M) M. DeBolt 25-yard field goal.

Sharon, 0 vs. Ashland, 21 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.
1st Quarter: (A) Dominic Cavanagh 5-yard pass to Kevin Russell, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (A) D. Cavanagh 4-yard pass to K. Russell, XP good; (A) D. Cavanagh 8-yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Stoughton, 47 @ Medford, 6 – Final
1st Quarter: (S) Clayton Rahaman 32-yard pass to Christian Ais, Anthony Girolamo XP good; (S) Christopher Ais 41-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good; (S) Savion Scott 1-yard rush, XP failed; (S) Christopher Ais 7-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Christian Georges 5-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (S) Gerrard Theodore 31-yard rush, A. Girolamo XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Medford 30-yard pass, XP blocked; (S) Jonah Ly 65-yard interception return, no XP attempt.

Taunton, 24 @ Durfee, 21 – Final




Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final– Attleboro’s Joey Soucy netted a first half hat trick to lead the Bombardiers to a big win at home. Michael Russo had a goal and an assist in the win while freshman Esvin Morales netted his first career goal.

Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin opened the scoring less than 10 minutes into the contest and added two goals in a 10-minute span in the second half to knock off visiting Canton. Lucas Moura put the Panthers ahead on an assist from Ben Moccia in the 7th minute. Trevor O’Neill doubled the lead for the hosts in the 54th minute on an assist from Jacob Cummings. Junior Ethan Cain capped the scoring five minutes later with a goal in the 59th minute.

Foxboro, 0 @ Taunton, 0 – Final

Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Milford scored once in each half to earn two points on the road at King Philip. Lucas Da Silva played Leo Coelho in behind the defense, and Coelho used a curling left foot shot from atop the 18-yard box, knocking his shot off the far post and in. KP tied the game in the 51st minute as Colin Wesley connected with Caleb Casseta-Waxman. Casseta-Waxman’s deflected service fell in behind the defense and junior Tadhg Keller nodded the loose ball over the keeper to tie the game. The Hawks found the winner in the 70th minute when Pedro Araujo tracked down a ball from Jordan Borges. Araujo cut inside onto his left foot and sent a dipping shot off the far post and in for the game-winner.

Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Colin Milliken converted a penalty kick in the first half to help the Tigers secure a shutout win over the visiting Rocketeers. Drew Nickla made four saves to record his third shutout of the season. Matt Nikiciuk had a strong game in the midfield for OA while Matt Nosalek, Jon Freeman, Harry Ahearn, and Brady deVos anchored the defense.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Briley Harnois scored three goals and added an assist and Isabella Salviati had a goal and two assists, as the Bombardiers scored five goals in the second half to pull out the win. Harnois opened the scoring in the third minute, but the Black Knights responded with three straight goals to grab the lead. Katherine Dennehy brought Attleboro back within one before the break. The Bombardiers grabbed the lead for good with three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Harnois scored from Salviati and then the combo switched places to make it 4-3 before Harnois completed her hat trick in the 49th minute. Ashley Macia and Cassondra Stuger each scored to put the game away for the visitors. Attleboro coach Steve Santos said, “Totally different second half. We settled the ball down, had some good combinations and made some great runs.” Stoughton’s Shayla Ford, Mackenzie Manning, and Ashley Camilo each scored once for Stoughton.

Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Four different Foxboro players scored in the opening half to build a 4-0 lead by the break, and the Warriors added five more in the second half for the win. Sophomore Kailee McCabe had a hat trick to lead the offense while Jordyn Collins had two goals and an assist. Olivia Nicholson, Caroline Rongione, Reagan Buckley, and Katelyn Mollica all scored once for Foxboro while Alyssa VandenBoom had an assist.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Warriors and Hawks traded early goals but King Philip scored four unanswered to get the win. Avery Snead (on a cross from Chloe Layne) put KP up under two minutes in before Milford’s Ashleigh Starks scored off a corner kick from Maddie Boyle to make it 1-1. Jenny Montville scored twice in a four-minute span, one set up by Layne and the other by Snead, to give KP a 3-1 lead at halftime. Layne scored her first of the contest on a through ball from Ally Stanton, and Stanton scored in the final 10 minutes off a corner from Makayla Griffin. KP’s defensive core of Olivia Berry, Paige Varvarigos, Taryn Greenberg, Grace Lawler, and Griffin had a strong showing.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. The Tigers scored three goals in the first half to take control of the game and stayed unbeaten on the season. Erin Holmberg scored from Camryn O’Connor to put OA ahead inside the opening 10 minutes and then Lauren Sellmayer scored twice off of Holmberg corners to put the Tigers well ahead before halftime. North starting goalie Regan Fein made a pair of diving saves to keep North within three goals. O’Connor scored OA’s fourth goal on a rebound after North back-up keeper Caitlin Echeverri made a stop on Holmberg. The Rocketeers got on the board with a nice move in the closing minutes. Alex Moulson found space on the right and her low cross was side-footed in by Olivia Wills. Summer Doherty and Lydia Hershey played well in the back for North while Lily Adams and Caroline Ferrin had strong showings in the midfield.

Field Hockey
Foxboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Stoughton goalie Kayla Laboy made an incredible 30 saves but Foxboro was able to earn the win on the road. Jenny Gallagher scored her first goal and Jaime Notarangelo added another for the Warriors.

Sharon, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final




Volleyball
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip earned a 3-0 (25-12, 25-20, 25-20) sweep of North Attleboro in a non-league contest. The Warriors had a strong day at the service line as Emma Brooks (nine digs) notches seven aces, Lily Carlow (six digs, two kills) added six aces, and Ali McNamara had four aces. Nicole Coughlan slammed down a team-high 11 kills while Catherine Waldeck added 10 kills.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business at home with a 3-0 (25-8, 25-19, 25-16) sweep of visiting Bridgewater-Raynham. Junior Jordan Bennett had a strong all-around game with five kills and two blocks. Allie Kemp finished with 35 assists and eight aces, and Jordan Bossed added 15 kills and four aces.

Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 0 – Final – Taunton’s defense had a strong day to help the Tigers break into the win column with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-19, 25-21) win over visiting Durfee. Fabiana Pereira had 16 digs, Kailara Andrade added 10 digs, and Shea Pimental finished with eight digs in the win. Hailey Sullivan, Mikayla Cleary, Alyssa Turcotte, and Ella Dunderdale each had seven kills to pace the offense.

Golf
Attleboro, 177 @ King Philip, 153 – Final

North Attleboro, 180 @ Franklin, 154 – Final – Franklin junior Jack Paterson concluded the week with his fourth medalist round, this time shooting a team-low 36 to capture co-medalist honors. Quinten Faro also fired a 36 for the Panthers, who got a 39 out of Pat Dolan and a 43 from Brian Sandham. Jillian Barend shot a team-low 43 for the Rocketeers while Jake Gaskin carded a round of 44.

Fast Start, Strong Finish Helps Milford Beat Franklin

Milford’s Pedro Araujo fires a shot while under pressure from Franklin’s in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
MILFORD, Mass. – It doesn’t matter the sport, coaches always preach getting off to a strong start each season.

Such was the case for the Milford boys soccer team on Friday afternoon.

The Hawks needed less than two minutes to find the back of the net and then capitalized on a pair of second half chances to earn a 3-1 decision over Franklin in the season opener for both squads.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I think that’s an incredible Franklin team, I just told [Franklin coach] Fran [Bositis] I haven’t seen a team close down space as quickly and efficiently as they do,” said Milford head coach Brian Edwards. “I was very happy with how we were able to move the ball at times against them. The score is great but we have a lot of work to do. We made some mistakes, I thought we were fortunate in how we scored. I think we showed flashes of what we can do but we’ll need to keep getting better each game.

“But anytime you can get a result against a good team like that, we’ll take it.”

Junior Leo Coelho turned some heads with a terrific individual run, beating multiple Panthers before depositing a perfect shot just under the bar to give Milford a lead in the second minute.

Franklin tied the game in the 17th but Milford scored a pair of goals in the final half hour of play to emerge with the victory.

After Coelho’s strike, the Hawks continued to pressure early and had a couple of chances at doubling the lead. In the 9th minute, senior Pedro Moura played Coelho in behind the defense but Franklin keeper Jack Rudolph (eight saves) came charging off his line and Coelho’s touch was just wide of the post.

It wouldn’t be the last time Rudolph would deny the Hawks on a good goal scoring chance.

The Panthers equalized in the 17th minute on one of their few chances in the contest. Senior Donny Tappin made a darting run down the left side, centering with a low cross. Junior Ben Moccia was able to slide and beat his defender, tapping the pass into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

Thanks to Rudolph, that was the scoreline heading into the half. In the 20th minute, Moura connected with Lucas Da Silva, who flicked it back but Moura’s low left-footed shot was swallowed up by Rudolph.

And then just minutes before halftime, Coelho hit one from distance that forced Rudolph into a diving save, getting his fingertips to the shot to force it to hit the post and out for a corner.

Milford regained the lead in the 52nd minute. Senior captain Nuno Mestre looped a throw into the box where Moura was taken down for a penalty kid. Moura hit one down the middle, and Rudolph was able to get the original stop but Moura was alert to the rebound and sprinted up and tapped it in to make it 2-1.

The Hawks had a couple of other chances to add to the lead but couldn’t solve Rudolph. In the 56th minute, Moura tracked down a ball over the top and had an open chance but was denied by Rudolph and the rebound rolled wide. In the 60th minute, Joao Pedro Da Silva connected with Coelho but his shot sizzled just over the bar. Senior Jordan Borges cracked one off the corner of the crossbar and post on a 30-yard free kick in the 64th minute.

The Hawks stifled any efforts from the Panthers to get forward over the final 10 minutes. Coelho moved back from forward to a center defensive midfield position and helped shore up the defense.

“Jack bailed us out, I thought he played great today,” Bositis said. “[Milford] is very crafty, quick, well-skilled…they are good. For us, it was similar to Xaverian where we just aren’t getting it done in the final third.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Just before the final whistle, won a challenge in the attacking third, catching Rudolph off his line and he calmly dropped a shot into the far post to make it 3-1. Moura nearly made it 4-1 in the final seconds but Rudolph came off his line to deny a partial breakaway chance.

“You want to play a team like that because they test you,” Edwards said. “They’re so well-coached, they’re so athletic, they are good at every position. When you play Franklin, you know every guy is going to be a good athlete and each guy can defend well. So it was a good litmus test for us. We want to be able to move the ball on the ground quickly against big, strong physical teams.”

Milford boys soccer (1-0 overall, 1-0 Hockomock) is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to Sharon while Franklin (0-1, 0-1) heads to King Philip on Monday night.

Boys Soccer: Ten Players to Watch in 2019

Hockomock Boys Soccer Players to Watch
North Attleboro goalie Kyle Briere makes a diving save against Foxboro in 2018. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Hockomock Boys Soccer Players to Watch

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Player are listed alphabetically

Dylan Barreira, Senior – Foxboro

Foxboro senior striker Dylan Barreira had a breakout campaign a season ago, pouring in 22 goals in the regular season to tie for the league lead. Just one of three players to have over 20 points last season, Barreira is the lone returner of that group and is poised to have a big final season for the Warriors. Barreira is a pure striker and exactly the type of player you want in or around the ball inside the area. He’s creative with the ball on his feet but it’s his finishing ability that really sets him apart from others. If you give him any space around the 18, Barreira isn’t shy about having a go and can finish from distance. Opposing defenses will have to pay extra attention to him which will free up teammates.

Jordan Borges, Senior – Milford

Milford has a good amount of talent back to try and defend its Davenport division title, and three-year starter Jordan Borges will be a main piece in the heart of the Hawks’ lineup. A four-year varsity player, Borges will be looking to cap his high school career with a second consecutive division crown. He will be tasked with pulling the strings in center midfield. He showed last year the ability to link the defense with the offense as the Hawks dominated possession in most games. With Milford looking to rebuild its defense, the Hawks will look to Borges to help smooth the transition and solidify the middle. And we’ve seen it before, and it’s already happened this preseason: Borges is lethal from distance. If defenses decide to sit back and give him space, he has no problem putting one on target from distance.

Kyle Briere, Senior – North Attleboro

North Attleboro senior Kyle Briere took over the starting position last season and emerged as one of the best keepers in the region, earning a HockomockSports.com Best XI selection. He was the anchor of the best defensive group in the Hockomock League, allowing just nine goals all regular season. He posted 12 shutouts last year, a big reason why North Attleboro was one of the toughest teams to score against. If teams were able to break the North defense down, Briere would often come up with big save after big save. He’s very strong in the air and takes away crosses and services into the box that other league teams are often so good at. With a year of varsity experience under his belt, Briere is poised for another big season and should certainly help the Rocketeers contend for a league title.

Leo Coelho, Junior – Milford

Milford junior Leo Coelho is one of the most versatile players in the league and that affords head coach Brian Edwards a lot of flexibility in the lineup. One of the most talented players on the ball, Coelho played all over the field last season to help the Hawks win their first Davenport title. That will likely be the case again this year as Edwards can slot Coelho wherever he needs him most. He can really control the game from the center midfield spot and he’s shown the ability to play a defensive role. But maybe the best fit for Coelho is in an attacking role on the wing as he possesses terrific skill with the ball on his foot, the ability to set teammates up, and can finish with the best of them. With more size and a year under his belt, look for Coelho to really emerge as one of the most dynamic players in the Hock.

Joe Cusack, Senior – Foxboro

There are a lot of terms and phrases that can describe how Foxboro senior Joe Cusack plays, but the one that really fits best is field general. Cusack has been a crucial player for the Warriors in the center midfield and is usually the catalyst for when they get forward. His ability to read the play and set teammates up has helped Foxboro be one of the most dangerous offensive teams the past two seasons (57 goals last season). On top of his offensive abilities, Cusack is terrific defensively. He has no problem matching up with players bigger than he is, and more often than not, comes away with the ball. He’s very calm on the ball and doesn’t force a lot of passes, helping Foxboro keep possession. The Davenport division is very talented this year and if the Warriors are in the mix at the end, Cusack will likely be a big reason for that.




Colin Milliken, Senior – Oliver Ames

Oliver Ames graduated a lot of talent following the 2017 season so head coach John Barata was in need of new players to step up last year. Colin Milliken became one of the most reliable options for the Tigers, patrolling the center midfield. His strong sophomore season earned him HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year last year. He’s a very confident player and very strong with the ball at his feet. Not only can he find teammates with nice through passes or balls over the top, but he can also go at defenders one-on-one and beat them. He showed off a strong shot last year and will be a dangerous option on set pieces for the Tigers again this season. He scored a team-high eight goals last year and finished the regular season with seven assists and will be on of OA’s top threats again this year.

Alec Nunes, Senior – Taunton

Taunton is looking to take the next step this season and make a push for the state tournament, and one reason the Tigers could make it is senior Alec Nunes. Nunes is a creative player that is very confident with the ball at his feet. Whether it’s taking a defender one-on-one or looking to spring a teammate free with a pass, Nunes is one of the top players in the league. Last season, Nunes showed flashes of his finishing ability inside the area, scoring three goals. He was also very strong in setting teammates up, recording six assists. If a teammate is making a run in behind the defense, Nunes has the vision to either put a ball over the top or find a gap to play a through ball.

Anthony Salisbury, Senior – Mansfield

Mansfield has had one of the toughest defenses to score against over the past couple of seasons, and that was true again last year. One big reason for that was the stellar play of goalie Anthony Salisbury. With help from the defenders in front of him, Salisbury tied the program record for individual shutouts and combined with teammate Cam Bovey to tie the program for shutouts in a season with 11. Salisbury came up with some highlight-reel saves throughout the year and dominated the area. His ability to come off the line and take away corners, free kicks, and services in the run of play made it very difficult to create any real chances in the area. Bovey is also a strong keeper and the competition between the two helps bring out the best on the pitch for the Hornets’ goalies.

Isaiah Stessman, Senior – Sharon

When it comes to versatility, Sharon senior Isaiah Stessman is right at the top of the list for players in the Hockomock League. We saw last year that he can play basically anywhere on the pitch and make a big impact. He spent time at sweeper last season and anchored the Eagles’ back line. With him as the last line of defense, teams were unable to get in behind because of his speed. When he’s on the wing, he can get up and down the sidelines and cause problems for opponents. And when he’s up top, he can really cause havoc against defenses. He has a good touch and can go at defenders one-on-one. When he’s around the area, he can finish with the best of them and that makes him an incredible weapon for the Eagles. Depending on what they need, Stessman can provide Sharon with skill at any spot.

Sam Stowell, Senior – Franklin

Franklin was one of the best teams down the stretch last season, making a late push in the league title picture and securing a spot in the state tournament. The Panthers were 7-1-1 in their final nine regular season games and allowed just five goals in that span. One big reason for their success was the strong defense and Sam Stowell was the leader of that defensive unit. One of the most experienced players in the league (2019 HockomockSports Best XI selection), Stowell will once again be the anchor of the Panthers’ back line. Stowell has a terrific soccer IQ and that’s obvious with his play on the pitch. He reads the play very well and keeps the back group organized, making it difficult to break Franklin down, especially in the run of play. Set pieces and restarts are a big part of the high school game and Stowell is an option offensively and does a nice job defending them as well.

Boys Soccer: 2019 Davenport Division Preview

2019 Davenport Boys Soccer Preview
Milford’s Jordan Borges plays a ball forward against Canton in 2018. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Davenport Boys Soccer Preview

Canton

2018 Record: 10-5-4
2018 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Danny Erickson

There will be a lot of new faces on the pitch this season for the Canton Bulldogs. And because of that, the Bulldogs are going to rely heavily on the few returners they do have.

Longtime head coach Danny Erickson will lean on his three senior captains this year: Alejandro Correal, Cooper Ashcroft, and Colby Ciffolillo. Correal took over as the starting goalie last season and had a strong year for the Bulldogs, who came in second in the Davenport division. Beyond a strong season in net, Erickson also deployed Correal as a midfielder for portions of the game. Ashcroft and Ciffolillo provide a good amount of varsity experience and will be relied upon to be leaders both on and off the field.

“We will be a brand new looking team this fall after graduating so many impactful players,” Erickson said. “We are looking to be anchored by a veteran group of backs who will be tough to break down.”

Foxboro

2018 Record: 9-7-5
2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Franchino

Foxboro has been one of the most lethal offenses over the past couple of seasons, and while the offense looks to be an early strength for the Warriors, head coach Joe Franchino is hoping a well-balanced squad will be able to compete for a league title.

The Warriors have one of the most talented strikers in the league back in senior Dylan Barreira, who tied for the league lead in goals scored a year ago. He can score in a plethora of ways and will be a handful for opponents to deal with. Sophomore Matt Angelini, who picked up some valuable minutes a year ago, and junior Max Beigel will both see a lot of time alongside of Barreira in the attack. Senior Joe Cusack will pull the strings from the center of the pitch, Ronnie MacClellan returns to the six role, and PJ Frost is likely to factor into the midfield this season. Will Morrison and Tim Behn will be key pieces of the Warriors’ defense this season while there is a healthy competition for minutes in goal that involves senior Dylan Tierney, junior Nick Penders, and sophomore Derek Axon.

“The ultimate goal is to win a league title and compete for a state title, that’s how it is every year,” Franchino said. “We have a pretty solid team so it’s just a matter of who shows up on game day.”

Milford

2018 Record: 13-2-5 (Davenport Division Champions)
2018 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Brian Edwards

Milford lost a good amount of talent from the squad that won the Davenport division crown a year ago, but the Scarlet Hawks still have plenty of skilled players ready to defend their title.

While replacing league MVP and HockomockSports Player of the Year Walisson de Oliveira will be a tall task, the Hawks have a lot of options to replicate that production. Senior Jordan Borges is one of the more experienced players in the league and will do a lot of the dirty work in the center of the pitch. Leo Coelho, a junior, gives head coach Brian Edwards a lot of flexibility and can impact the game in a variety of ways. Joao Vitor Neiva is a strong target forward that is looking to build on a successful junior campaign. Senior captains Dan Santos and Nuno Mestre are tasked with anchoring the Milford defense. Mestre is a four-year varsity player and will likely join in on the attack while Santos’ distribution out of the back will be an important part of Milford’s possession game.

“As always the goal is to improve every day and be competitive within a very challenging league,” Edwards said.




North Attleboro

2018 Record: 7-4-8
2018 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Geoff Burgess

North Attleboro found a lot of success with a defense-first mentality in 2018. The Rocketeers are looking to replicate that same stingy defense while also improving their build-up play.

It didn’t take long for North Attleboro to establish its identity a year ago, defending first and then hitting on the counter-attack. Head coach Geoff Burgess will rely on some newcomers to fill holes on the defense and on experienced players when attacking. Senior goalie Kyle Briere had a breakout junior campaign and will be tasked with organizing the new faces on the defense. Senior captain James Sales controls the midfield for the Rocketeers and will look to distribute to the likes of Joey Coscarella, who will move up the field to a forward position, and senior Matt Mordini. Alex Pfeffer provides a lot of versatility and can be a dangerous weapon on the wings. Senior James Bush, one the most experienced players on defense for North Attleboro, will match up with some of the top strikers in the Hockomock League.

“Our hope is to continue to be dangerous on the counter-attack and improve our build-up play from the back to bolster our offense,” Burgess said. “This team has an opportunity to contend for a league title and possibly make a run in the tournament. We have a large senior class that has experience and great team morale. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch them play.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 2-9-7
2018 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Bryan Kelly

Expectations are high at Sharon High this fall, and for good reason. The Eagles have talent returning all over the pitch and will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division crown.

Sharon is looking to its offense to lead the way this season. After a season filled with bad breaks and unlucky bounces, the Eagles are ready to not only make a push for the state tournament but challenge for a league title. Head coach Bryan Kelly has a lot of choices when it comes to his attacking group including senior Brian Higgins, senior Ben Nathan, junior Mason Benton, senior Bohazo Li, and Victor Schneider. Opponents are most familiar with Higgins and his ability to score but Nathan, Benton, Li, and Schneider have all impressed this preseason and give the Eagles a plethora of options. Michael Baur returns as one of the top center midfielders in the league and can take on defenders himself, but is also an excellent distributor. Bryce Nathan will also be a key piece in the Eagles’ midfield alongside tennis sensation Alberto Olivei, who is joining the program for the first time. Defensively, Isaiah Stessman is one of the most dynamic players in the Hock and will be supported by Brendan Arnold, Daniel Zagoran, Brandon Mauricio, and Reese Davis. Freshman Matt Baur takes over in net for the Eagles.

“We’re going to be a different team this year, a lot more offensive-minded,” Kelly said. “We are going to look to attack a lot this season and we have some good pieces to do so.”

Stoughton

2018 Record: 0-16-2
2018 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Jon Grant

Stoughton is looking to have a bounce-back year and new head coach Jon Grant is bringing a defense-first mentality to the Black Knights.

The Black Knights had the most goals allowed last season so the emphasize early on will be improving the defense. Senior captain Ted Lucas is a returning player and will be tasked with anchoring the back line for Stoughton. Lucas will get a lot of help from junior goalie Nolan Gerome. Gerome picked up some valuable minutes in net throughout the season. Grant will also rely on senior captains Jon Santos and Mason Eschleman to be important pieces on the defense. While both Santos and Eschleman will play in the midfield, the Black Knights are dedicated to getting numbers behind the ball to improve the defense. Santos and Eschleman will also help Stoughton transition into offense and start the attack.

“This team’s positive attitude and willingness to learn will be the keys to their success,” Grant said. “We have been focusing on the defensive side of the game for much of the preseason so far. Our goal is obvious…if we keep the ball out of the back of our net then we give ourselves a chance to win. Our ultimate goal is to get back to the tournament.”