Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/05/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 14 – FinalStoughton’s offense exploded for 20 hits with seven players registering at least two hits for the Black Knights. Ruben Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with a triple, three runs and two RBI, Pat Hagerty was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, three runs and two RBI and Jack Connelly was 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Luke Johnson (double, triple, 3 RBI), Ryan Sullivan and Nick Hardy each had two hits. Justin Hutchinson (3-for-3, 2 RBI) earned the win on the mound, tossing 4.1 innings with four earned runs. The senior struck out 10, including six straight, and scattered three hits.

Mansfield, 15 @ Canton, 0 – FinalMansfield scored in each of the first five innings, including six in the third inning to break the game open. The Hornets connected for 15 hits and reached base on 11 walks. Senior Matt Farragher led the way from the nine hole, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored, Anthony DeGirolamo went 2-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored, Max Boen was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored and Zach Peterson had a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored. Nolan Dousa tossed a complete game shutout to earn the win, striking out six while allowing just three hits and one walk.

Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalSenior Kyle Guenthner initiated a game-ending 4-3 double play as the Warriors hung on for a 2-1 win over Foxboro. Foxboro loaded the bases in the seventh but Guenthner’s double play helped KP survive. Will Weir wen 2-3 with three stolen bases, scoring both of King Philip’s runs. First, Weir had a two-out single in the first inning, stole both second and third and then scored on an error. Weir scored again in the sixth, connecting on another two-out second, stealing second and then scoring on a single from Ben Furfari. Foxboro had tied the game in the fourth when AJ Bubencik singled, stole second and scored on two passed balls. Sophomore Jack Webster got his first career win, tossing two scoreless innings in relief with just two hits allowed. Junior Jackson Sheibler went 4.1 innings, allowing just one hit and one run and junior Jeremy Rhines got the save with a scoreless seventh inning.

Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to Thursday, 4/13 at 3:45.

Taunton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 2 – FinalNorth Attleboro seized the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth but Taunton responded, grabbing two runs in the top of the sixth to edge the Rocketeers. The Tigers cashed in on three walks and two hit batters to pushed across the tying and winning run. Taunton’s David Schofield earned the walk to draw in the game-winning run in the top of the sixth. Joe Manchester (1-for-3, run) and Jack Moynihan also had an RBI for Taunton, while Matt Machado had two hits. Moynihan tossed four scoreless innings while striking out five. Danny Keogh earned the win, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with one strikeout. North Attleboro’s Nate Pearce (3-for-4, double, triple, RBI) allowed just one run in five innings of work. Zach DeMattio added two hits, an RBI and a run and Nick Crawley added a pair of hits for the Rocketeers.

Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalOliver Ames got its offense going early, scoring in the first inning for the second straight game and then adding four more runs in the third inning. Junior Mitch Goulet had a pair of hits in the win for the Tigers.

Softball
Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalMcKenzie Bergdoll made an impact both in the circle and at the plate, leading the Bombardiers to a walk-off win over Stoughton. Bergdoll tossed a complete game, scattering six hits while striking out nine. Attleboro was the home team despite the change of venue, giving them the opportunity to bat last. In the bottom of the seventh, Bergdoll connected for a double, driving in MacKenzie Killough (2-for-4) for the winning run. AHS head coach Mark Homer said Jordyn Lako and Ashley Macia had strong games defensively for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 7 @ Mansfield, 14 – Final Megan Letendre pitched a complete game for the Hornets allowing six hits and striking out six batters. She also went 1-for-3 with an RBI at the plate. Kara Bendanillo went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI and Kerran Holmes went 2-for-3 and drove in four runs for Mansfield. Caty DeMassi had three hits and Hayley McGowan had two for the Hornets. Lillian Carrington and Samantha Keefe each hit a home run for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro @ King Philip, 3:45

Milford @ Franklin – Postponed to Thursday, 4/13 at 3:45.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 8 – FinalCourtney Fisher picked up the win with a complete game, allowing only one run on six hits, while striking out four. MacKenzie Handrahan powered the offense, going 3-for-3 with three RBI, and Kya Enos chipped in with two hits and two RBI and Katie Van Zandt hit a homer for Taunton. North Attleboro junior Amelia Murphy was 2-for-3 with a double.

Sharon @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Boys Lacrosse
Mansfield, 12 @ Attleboro, 5 – FinalMansfield raced out to a 6-2 lead and kept that pace up in the second half to earn the win over Attleboro. Mansfield junior Hunter Ferreira had his way, scoring eight goals while notching an assist as well. Midfield Joe Cox was a top distributor, recording five assists while finding the back of the net once. Cullen Murphy and Danny DeGirolamo each scored once and had two assists and Sam O’Connell scored once. Sean Powers made nine saves in net for the Hornets.

Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Foxboro, 6 – FinalFoxboro goalie Jake Addeche turned away 11 shuts and Pat Stapleton had a strong game on defense with five groundballs as the Warriors blanked Oliver Ames. Foxboro scored three goals in each half, led by Trey Guerini’s two goals and one assist. Sophomore Pete Conley scored once and had two assists while Brendan Tully, Mike Collins and Sam Blake each scored once in the win.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Franklin, 7 – Final Franklin held a 3-2 lead at half, extended it to 7-3 early in the fourth quarter and then held off North Attleboro’s late charge of three straight goals. Franklin goalie Connor O’Rourke had 10 saves and came up big in the final minute as the Panthers held on to their one goal lead. Chase Tanner scored twice and had one assist to lead the Panthers, Kyle McEinry and Packie Watson each scored once and had an assist, Sam Arsenault had a pair of assists and Nitin Chaudhury and Jake Davis each scored once. North Attleboro’s Dan MacDonald made 15 saves to keep the Rocketeers in the contest while both Jack Dakin and Zach McGowan scored twice and had one assist. Tommy Lindstrom added a goal and an assist and Nick Moore also found the back of the net for Big Red.

Sharon, 6 @ King Philip, 14 – FinalThe Warriors opened the season with a win as senior Tim Watson accounted for eight points and classmate Paul Macrina made 13 saves in goal. Watson scored five goals and had three assists while sophomore Colin DeVellis scored twice and had three assists. John DeLuca scored twice and had one assist and Zach D’Amico had one goal, one assist and 11 groundballs for the Warriors.

Milford, 9 @ Taunton, 3 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 19 – Final

Canton, 1 @ Braintree, 14 – Final

Foxboro, 16 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – FinalOliver Ames goalie Ari Waldorf made 19 saves for the Tigers while head coach Abby Tepper said Sydney Hedrick had a strong game on defense.

North Attleboro, 7 @ Franklin, 13 – FinalNorth Attleboro took a 4-3 lead into the halftime break but Franklin’s offense came to life with 10 second half goals. Seven different Panthers found the back of the net, led by senior Kendall Reardon’s four goals. Annie Walsh, Erin Walsh and Kelsey MacCallum each scored two goals for Franklin. Freshman Gianna Cameron made nine saves in net while head coach Kristin Igoe Guarino said freshman Alex Field played well defensively and on the draw.

King Philip, 13 @ Sharon, 7 – FinalKing Philip raced out to a 8-2 lead at halftime and never looked back to open the season with a win over Sharon. Katie Crowther, Meg Wagner and Caroline Klim each scored a pair of goals in the for the Warriors while Alli Meehan, Angela Vellante, Dana Truini, Victoria Tormey and MacKenzie Mazur each scored once. Caroline Watson made 13 saves in net for KP.

Taunton, 12 @ Milford, 11 – Final (OT)Taunton won its second game in a row to start the season thanks to a game-winning overtime goal by eighth grader Alana Tavares, her sixth of the game and 11th in the first two games of her varsity career. Delaney Powell chipped in with three goals for the Tigers and Lorna Li made 12 saves. Emily Hayley had three goals for the Hawks, while Jordyn Lombardo, Taylor Dube, and Jill Burley each had two.

Boys Tennis
Stoughton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – FinalAttleboro’s Shawn Gordon and Abdul Khatib each won three set thrillers to help the Bombardiers edge Stoughton and pick up their first win of the season. Shawn Gordon won 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 at first singles and Khatib won 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 at third singles. The team of Eli Araujo and Ryan Gordon picked up a 6-0, 6-4 win at second doubles. Stoughton’s Tony Jordan won 6-1, 6-3 at second singles and the team of Jon Podesta and Erik Anderson won 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 at first doubles.

Canton, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final

Foxboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalFoxboro’s Andre Jabari won the deciding match, winning in a three-set thriller at second singles to help the Warriors edge King Philip. Jabari dropped the first set 6-7 (7-9) but battled back to win the next two 6-3, 6-3 to earn Foxboro the win. Foxboro swept doubles play for its other two points. The team Shawn McNamara and Matt Tierney won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 at first doubles and Brandon Wasserman and Ben Dorman won 6-4, 6-2 at second doubles. King Philip’s Cole Ginter won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles and Blake Ginter won 6-3, 6-3 at third singles.

Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalFranklin picked up a sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets to beat Milford. Rahul Herur won 6-3, 6-4 at first singles, Eli Brooks won 6-3, 6-0 at second singles and Rohan Herur won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles. The team of James Johnston and Derek Wu won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and Tyler DiPalma and Rahul Hosdurg paired together for a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro etched its first tally into the win column for 2017 with a sweep on the road at Taunton. Senior Zac Pfeffer won 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 at first singles, senior Dan Zhang won 6-4, 6-2 at second singles and junior Alex Rinaldi won at third singles without dropping game, 6-0, 6-0. Junior Ben Pfeffer and senior Andrew Harris won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and senior Mayank Wadekar and sophomore Vikram Senthilakumaran won 6-3, 6-1 at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final

Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Mansfield, 4 @ Canton, 1 – FinalThe Hornets of Mansfield took care of singles play, winning all three in straight sets and also grabbed a win in doubles to beat Canton. Paulina Martin won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Sarah Doyle took second singles 6-1, 6-0 and Elizabeth Elsner won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles. Mansfield’s fourth win came from the team of Chloe Peters and Tessa Garufi, notching a 6-0, 6-1 victory at first doubles. Canton’s Jenna Paynter and Stelina Michaelidis won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.

King Philip, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – FinalFoxboro swept singles play to edge King Philip on Wednesday afternoon. Sophia Prinos won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Lexi Nelson didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at second singles and Julia Muise won 7-5, 6-1 at third singles to clinch the win for the Warriors. King Philip’s Corrine Palumbo and Carly Adams won 6-4, 6-1 at first doubles and the team of Lucy Barnard and Caitlin Gonser won 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.

Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 2 – FinalFranklin won in straight sets at first and second singles and then used three-set win at second doubles to edge the Scarlet Hawks. Senior Hannah Sweeney didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles and classmate Anja Deric won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles. The team of senior Julia Hogan and junior Jillian McLaughlin won the deciding point with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 decision at second doubles. Milford’s Caitlin Cafarella won 6-2, 7-6 (7-1) at third singles and the team of seniors Victoria Beyer and Daniella Arojo won 6-2, 6-4 at first doubles.

Taunton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – FinalNorth Attleboro had to claw back at both first singles and first doubles to claim a win over North Attleboro in a rematch of last season’s epic playoff showdown. North’s Emily Chiasson dropped the first set 0-6 but rallied back to win the next two, 6-4, 6-1. The team of Gabby Duva and Azka Siddiq fell behind after losing the first set 2-6, but won a huge tiebreaker 10-8 to win the second set 7-6 and then took the third 6-3. Jordan Willis won 6-1, 6-0 at second singles and the team of Katie Demontigny and Hana Hershey won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles for Big Red. Taunton’s Jillian Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-2 at third singles for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – FinalSophomore Nupur Shukla and freshman Emily Zhang won in straight sets, at first and second singles respectively, without dropping a game as the Eagles picked up the win. The team of juniors Katie Merport and Emily Wen won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and sophomore Sachi Bhasin and Sydney Gordon won 6-0, 6-3 at second doubles. Oliver Ames freshman Maura Kiernan made her varsity debut with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 win at third singles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 0 vs. St. John’s Prep, 3 – Final

Taunton, 3 @ North Quincy, 0 – FinalTaunton picked up its third straight sweep and second in a row on the road with a 25-14, 25-21, 25-21 win over North Quincy. The Tigers used a balanced attack with Lens Esquil leading the way with 12 kills and three blocks. Malik Charles added six kills and one block, David Fusiecki had six kills and four aces and Collin Hunter had five kills and two blocks.

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview
Sophomore attacker Sophia DiCenso (1) and Foxboro will be favorites for a sixth straight Davenport division crown this season but will face tough challenges from North Attleboro, Sharon, and Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2016 Record: 6-12
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton

Attleboro is still a relatively young program but has taken strides to be competitive with the rest of the teams in the Hockomock and first-year head coach Kevin Patton is hopeful that the large number of players at tryouts is a sign that the Bombardiers are heading in the right direction.

One of the reasons for Attleboro’s confidence coming into the spring is the experienced players that will take the field, including senior Mish Logie, who is a four-year varsity midfielder. Joining Logie as a captain for this year’s team is goalie Hadley Porreca, who is in her second year in net.

In addition. juniors Emily Patton and Ali Wall return in attack, while classmates Kim White and Graycen Cassidy will keep things tight on the defensive side of the ball. Midfield depth will be provided by sophomores Kyra Lyons and Alex Compton, who are both coming off strong rookie seasons on varsity. Freshman Sydney DiLiddo will also have the chance to step in and contribute in midfield this season and junior Ashlyn Salisbury and sophomore Shea Harrison will see time on defense.

“We had our largest player turnout in the program’s history,” said Patton, “and we have girls that want to work hard and succeed. With only two seniors on this year’s team, I will be looking to certain underclassmen to take on added leadership roles. This will help us not only this year but going forward.”

Canton

2016 Record: 8-9
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Christine O’Connor

Canton won five of its final seven games last season to get back to .500 and qualify for the state tournament and the Bulldogs will be hoping to carry that momentum over to this spring with a roster that features nine seniors and eight juniors.

Some of the key returning players for Canton this season include senior attacker Mary Kent, senior defender Tessa Cudmore, and senior goalie Kathryn Doody, who form a solid spine for the Bulldogs to build on. Caroline Hagan, Rebecca Eckler, and Maria Mackie are among the other seniors that will be contributing for Canton.

One of the younger players to watch is sophomore attacker Leah McClellan, who is one of several players that helped the girls’ hockey team reach the state title game at the TD Garden. Another sophomore, Maggie Malloy, has already had strong seasons for the field hockey and ice hockey teams and will provide depth this spring.

“We look to gain strength as the season progresses,” said O’Connor. “We will look to the seniors for leadership and intensity in order to be competitive.”

Foxboro

2016 Record: 16-5
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East Semifinal
Coach: Brittany Sherry

Foxboro won its fifth straight Davenport division title last spring and returned to the Div. 2 South semifinal for the second straight season and expectations will be even higher this season for head coach Brittany Sherry, as the Warriors return 15 players to try and make it six league titles in a row.

Among the many experienced players coming back is an exciting core of sophomores that have made instant impacts, including the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Sophia DiCenso, who scored 65 goals and had 31 assists last year. Joining DiCenso up front will be classmates Caroline McGeary and Meghan Curran and juniors Jackie Brion and Catherine Luciano.

Defensively, senior Hallie Canfield will be back to anchor things and provide leadership. Junior Christina Rogers and sophomores Jenna Stamatov and Molly Murphy will also be back to limit opposing offenses. Freshman Sara Addeche will take over in goal and is another in a line of talented underclassmen that Sherry is excited to see develop over the course of the season.

“Our goals stay about the same every year, most importantly getting another round further!” Sherry said. “The last two years our season has ended in the semi finals but I’m hoping with the scheduling and tourney experience last year we will have the edge we need to get to the finals.”

Franklin

2016 Record: 19-5
2016 Finish: Reached the Div. 1 State Semifinal
Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino

Another spring and another league title for Franklin, which completed another perfect season in the Hockomock and then carried that success into the playoffs to win a second Div. 1 East title with a dramatic, one-goal victory over Acton-Boxboro. Even though they only return five players, the Panthers enter the season as the favorite in the Kelley-Rex division and with sights set on challenging for a state title.

There is experience coming back for the Panthers with seniors Grace McDermott and Dana Lewandowski coming back to control things on the defensive end, while former Underclassman of the Year Kendall Reardon and fellow senior Caroline Lounsbury will provide leadership in the attack.

Franklin always seems to have players ready to step in and, despite there being a youth movement on the varsity team, the Panthers have already started 2-0 with wins against Needham and Lincoln-Sudbury. Sophomore midfielder Annie Walsh and her freshman sister Erin have both gotten off to strong starts with sophomore Halle Atkinson helping out with a hat trick in the win over L-S as well.

“I am very excited for the 2017 season!” said Igoe Guarino. “Our freshmen and sophomores bring a lot of energy and competitiveness to practice and games, while our juniors and seniors bring the discipline and experience. The two combined could bring us very far again this year!”

King Philip

2016 Record: 12-10
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Julie Boudreau

King Philip surprised some last spring when the Warriors went on the road to beat Westford Academy in the first round of the Div. 1 East tournament and that experience could pay dividends as KP returns a number of key players with the intent making a run at earning a first league title since 2012.

Senior Angela Vellante is back and head coach Julie Boudreau called her the “quarterback” for the attacking unit. Vellante will be looking to feed junior Katie Crowther, who was the team’s and the league’s leading scorer as a sophomore with 111 points. Senior Meghan Wagner was a starter as a freshman and scored in every game but missed the last two years with an injury and is now back to make an impact on offense.

KP can also count on a strong sophomore class led by a core of midfielders: Caroline Klim, Alli Meehan, Victoria and Olivia Tormey, and Dana Truini. Also back is sophomore goalie Caroline Watson behind a defense of juniors Molly Mullins, Christina Hathaway and Izzy Agricola. Also making a return is assistant coach Mary Pasquantonio, Boudreau’s sister, who brings experience as a former KP player and will help the current crop of Warriors on draw controls.

“We have a deep bench with many sophomores and will be looking to run lines and sub regularly to keep everyone fresh,” said Boudreau. “Our theme for the season is ‘grit=hard work + passion’.”

Mansfield

2016 Record: 5-11
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alexis Kobey

Mansfield won its opening two games of the 2016 season, but the Hornets struggled during a difficult middle part of the spring and missed out on the state tournament. The Hornets showed flashes of potential during the year, including a close loss to perennial tournament team Hingham, and hopes are high that they can get back into the postseason this year.

Expectations are boosted by the return of a strong core of experience players. Senior Maire Foley will be a focal point of the Hornets attack this year, while classmate Maggie Dunn and junior Ann Maher will return in the midfield. Senior Jen McCabe will provide leadership in defense and sophomore Kaity Garvin will build off her rookie season in attack.

Among the new faces this spring are sophomore midfielders Maggie Danehy, who had a solid winter with the girls’ basketball team, and Lauren Whitman

“Our team really has been working together as a unit day one,” said head coach Alexis Kobey. “They came into the season ready to go and work on what they needed to work on to get better, from draw controls, ball movement, attack/defense they have been showing up everyday. They also really love playing with each other, working with each other, making each other better.”

Milford

2016 Record: 3-15
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Tim Dowd

It has been a tough run for Milford since moving to the Hockomock League, but the Hawks bring back an experienced roster for first-year head coach Tim Dowd and he is hopeful that the program will continue to improve over the course of the season.

Dowd’s excitement for the new season is in part built on the leadership of his senior class, including captains Taylor Dube, Jill Burley, and Jordyn Lombardo, who Dowd said would all have “incredible seasons.” He praised all three for their competitive spirits and for pushing their teammates to improve.

Another senior, Brainna Croteau, will be in charge of the defensive unit and Dowd is counting on the development of a talented group of sophomores and juniors. Milford also has two freshmen, Hannah Bangert and Anne Flanagan, who will be on the varsity roster this season and who Dowd thinks will make an impact.

“I think one of our strengths is going to be teamwork and work ethic,” said Dowd. “We want to be a team that goes the extra mile for each other and constantly works to win battles on the field. We’re going to try to outwork other teams. We’re going to try to focus on the little things to hopefully make big improvements.”

North Attleboro

2016 Record: 13-7
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Mike Vitelli

Under first-year head coach Mike Vitelli (who had previously led King Philip to a Hockomock League title and a South final), North Attleboro made a jump into second place in the Kelley-Rex division and won 13 games, while reaching the playoffs for the first time. After a loss to eventual state champ Walpole, Vitelli has built up North’s schedule with perennial powers Notre Dame Academy, Natick, and Walpole to get the Rocketeers prepared for a tournament run.

North will clearly miss last year’s Player of the Year Hana Caster (who is now at UMass Lowell), the Rocketeers return a number of important players, including six of the team’s seven defenders. Seniors Samantha Taggart, Emily Schromm, Emma Cromidas, and Alaina Mello will provide an experienced defensive unit in front of junior goalie Kayla Moulin, who Vitelli believes will have a great season.

Up front, North will turn to junior Kenzie Rosenberg and senior Erin Holley, who had breakout seasons for the Rocketeers in 2016. Chloe Olsen, Julia Dakin, and Julia Tolfa will also be counted on to provide offense for North Attleboro, while Camille Pizzaro and freshman Katie Lindstrom will be newcomers to watch this spring.

“I really like the depth of our bench as well,” said Vitelli. “Lots of hybrid players who can play in many roles…Biggest question I’ve gotten this offseason has been ‘how can you replace Hana Caster?’ My response is we can’t. But that being said, I don’t think any player is replaceable…It just becomes an opportunity for other players to step in and make their mark.”

Oliver Ames

2016 Record: 8-11
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round
Coach: Abby Tepper

Oliver Ames reached the postseason last year by finishing second in the Davenport division and will look to build on that in 2017 in the Tigers first season in the Kelley-Rex and first season under new head coach Abby Tepper, who is only one year removed from the end of a very successful college playing career at Salve Regina and a solid first season as coach of the OA field hockey program this fall.

Tepper inherits a roster with several key returning players that provide a foundation for the Tigers, who won the opening two games of the spring. Junior captain Sofia Masciarelli will be the main attacking cog for OA this season with senior Katie Davenport back in the heart of the defense and junior goalie Ari Waldorf will be back between the pipes.

Also back for OA and expected to make a step up into the starting lineup are senior captain Kendall Clifford in the midfield, junior Chloe Kilkelly in the attack, and sophomore midfielder Olivia Piazza.

“The girls have been working hard each day at practice to prepare for the tough schedule they will face,” said Tepper. They continually improve their skills and lacrosse IQ each day. I have been impressed with how the girls have pushed one another to get better and have committed themselves to the program.”

Sharon

2016 Record: 10-9
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round
Coach: Colleen Carchedi

In her second season in charge, Sharon head coach Colleen Carchedi (née Manning) led the Eagles to their first ever playoff appearance. On their home grass, the Eagles put in a great performance to battle perennial playoff competitor Bishop Feehan and the experience has generated a lot of excitement in the program as the new season begins.

Sharon has five key players returning from last season, including leading scorer Alex Rabb and twin sister Sam, who is one of the team’s top defensive players. Senior Anna Crosby will be the motor in the midfield and junior midfielder Sabrina Robbins has verbally committed to the University of Colorado. Carchedi said of Robbins, “She is someone who always gets the job done and deserves more credit than she gets. She is reliable and hard working, never afraid to take a risk.”

Sophomore Emma Eberhardt is another player coming back that Carchedi believes will be able to take on a much larger role this spring. Eberhardt will add size in the midfield and, particularly, on draw controls. Carchedi said, “She is an all around stud athlete and is for sure a player to watch.” Sophomore Rose Wald is a newcomer that takes over in goal.

“I know we are going to be a really well balanced team,” Carchedi added, noting that the Eagles had six different goal scorers in the season opener against Milford. “I am so excited for the season and ready to hit the ground running after a big game against my old high school, KP.”

Taunton

2016 Record: 2-16
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kerry Northup

With a win against Norton on Monday, Taunton avenged a pair of losses to the Lancers from 2016 and is halfway to last year’s win total. The Tigers are still a young program at the varsity level and, as such, head coach Kerry Northup knows there will be a learning curve against Hockomock opponents, but she is also excited about the team’s potential.

The Tigers will turn to seniors Delaney Powell, Annie Tate, and Abbey Kingman to provide consistent offense this spring and all three had big games in the opener against Norton, combining for 12 of the team’s 17 goals. Powell led the way with six goals in the win and junior Lorna Li had 12 saves in another strong performance for the Tigers’ “confident” goalie.

Taunton also has plenty of youth that will be gaining valuable experience this spring, including three sophomores, a pair of freshmen, and three eighth graders. One of the eighth graders, Alana Tavares, made the most of her varsity debut on Monday, potting five goals against Norton and will be one of the newcomers to watch in the Hock this season.

“We have a solid group of girls this season,” said Northup. “Our strength players have a nice balance throughout the field from offense, mid, to defense. We are not a powerhouse team, but a team with passion, drive, and grit. These girls play to the end and don’t give up until that last whistle sounds.”

Girls Lacrosse: Davenport Division Preview 2016

Davenport girls lacrosse
Canton and Foxboro have been the top two teams in the Davenport the past few seasons, but other programs are developing and could challenge them this season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

CANTON
2015 Record: 7-12
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round
Coach: Chrissy O’Connor

There is a new coaching staff for the Canton girls’ lacrosse this season and first-year head coach Chrissy O’Connor is looking forward to surprising a few people with a strong spring.

Seniors Casey Bradley (attack) and Olivia Devoe (midfield) will be the team leaders and the keys to the Bulldogs making a charge at Foxboro for the league title. Sophomore midfielder Molly Colburn and freshman Leah McClellan will be newcomers to watch this year as well.

O’Connor said, “I think the league will be surprised with Canton’s tenacity this season.  They are a confident and smart group of athletes who have handled having a new coaching staff extremely well.  This should be an exciting season for Canton lacrosse.”

FOXBORO
2015 Record: 14-7-1
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East semifinal
Coach: Brittany Sherry

At the end of last year’s Div. 2 East semifinal, Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry was emotional about losing the crop of seniors that had joined the program the same year she began. That group had won four straight league titles and gone further than any other team in program history. But when Sherry was asked about the future, she was confident in the talent coming back and believed that her fifth season could be another title-winning spring.

Senior Melissa Lynch was a standout in goal last year and will be back between the pipes and will have a strong defensive core in front of her including junior Hallie Canfield and senior Annie McGeary. Offensively, Foxboro will be looking for continued development from junior Lauren Flahive and sophomore Catherine Luciano, who will both be asked to fill in for senior Chloe Hurley, who begins the season with an injury.

Young players helped Foxboro on its run to the semifinal and freshman Sophia Dicenso is the next in line to try and make an instant impact for the Warriors. Juniors Ally Curran and Molly Farrell could also be poised for breakout seasons.

All eyes are on the matchup with Franklin in May, as the two teams have won their respective divisions each of the past four years, but Foxboro also has Hingham, Medfield, and Walpole on its schedule as it sets its sights on another tournament run.

MILFORD
2015 Record: 2-16
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Jason Gelmini

Milford comes into the new season with a young roster after losing eight seniors from last year’s squad and head coach Jason Gelmini is hoping that the many underclassmen who saw playing time in 2015 will be ready to step into bigger roles in 2016.

The Hawks will be led by senior midfielders Morgan Smith and Julie Dam and senior defender Erin Fleming and Gelmini is counting on his captains to provide leadership. In addition, the Hawks will lean on junior defender Brainna Croteau, junior goalie Hannah Cairney, junior middie Jillian Burley, and junior attackers Taylor Dube and Jordyn Lombardo.

Gelmini said, “We definitely have a young team this year, so our goals are to get better each game and compete each time we step on the field.”

OLIVER AMES
2015 Record: 10-9
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East preliminary round
Coach: Craig Gardner

Oliver Ames is coming off a strong season in which the Tigers reached the Div. 1 East sectional before falling to Bishop Feehan in the opening round. This year, OA has a lot of returning players who experienced what a playoff run was like and head coach Craig Gardner is counting on that experience to pay dividends this spring.

The Tiger will be led by a strong senior class, including midfielder Erin Fitzgerald and defenders Cassie Gavin and Sarah Lewis. Senior attackers Abby Duvall and Sam Lang will help Fitzgerald provide attacking power while senior midfielder Carly Cidado and junior defender Katie Davenport will help lock things down at the back.

Gardner also noted a few young players that could be impact players this season, including sophomores Sofia Masciarelli, Chloe Kilkelly, and Ariana Waldorf and junior Kendall Clifford. Freshman defender Olivia Piazza will also be a newcomer to watch this season.

“We have a very strong and focused group of experienced upperclassmen athletes, coupled with some strong developing underclassmen athletes,” said Gardner. “The team has great chemistry, which I hope translates into a competitive season for us.”

SHARON
2015 Record: 7-10
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Colleen Manning

Sharon had a program best record of 7-10 last season under first-year coach Colleen Manning, who is expecting the Eagles to take an even bigger leap this year by making the postseason for the first time.

Sharon only has three seniors (Alex Miller, Alexa Levitt, and Heather Seggelin), but plenty of young talent including “top shooter” Alex Rabb, attacker Anna Crosby, and defender Samantha Rabb (all juniors).

Sophomore Sabrina Robbins is drawing attention from colleges and will be a force for the Eagles on draw controls, while freshman Lydia Chase will add a new face to the Sharon defense.