Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Mathias Taylor, Oliver Ames
Hockomock League All Stars
Cashel Stuger, Attleboro
Alex Vecchioli, Attleboro
Esvin Morales, Attleboro
Jake McCabe, Canton
Dylan Baird, Canton
Erik Valdovinos, Canton
Sean McCarthy, King Philip
Terry O’Neill, Franklin
Aidan Griffith, Franklin
Rex Cinelli, Franklin
Matthew Angelini, Foxboro
Derek Axon, Foxboro
Matthew Hyland, Mansfield
Dylan Buchanan, Mansfield
Jack Lasbury-Casey, Mansfield
Chris Tocci, Milford
Nick Ribeiro, Milford
Eduardo Santana, Milford
Brody Rosenberg, North Attleboro
Connor Ward, North Attleboro
Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames
Clide Neau, Oliver Ames
Michael Haikal, Oliver Ames
Rhys Davis, Sharon
Riley Rebello, Taunton
Honorable Mentions
Chris Russo, Attleboro
Zach Dowling, Canton
Jorge Sanchez, Foxboro
Jack Moran, Franklin
John Pfeiffer, King Philip
Michael Caridi, Mansfield
Kevin Gomes, Milford
Carson Dameron, North Attleboro
Hector Bucio, Oliver Ames
Brady Daylor, Sharon
Wenderson Silva de Souza, Stoughton
Conal Scully, Taunton
Below are the official 2021 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Attleboro found the back of the net early and that was enough to pick up two points on the road at Franklin. Senior Connor Adema tracked down a long punt from sophomore keeper Tyler Rocchio and buried it in the fourth minute to put the visitors ahead. Rocchio recorded his first shutout of the season in the win.
Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Stoughton scored less than a minute into the game but Foxboro responded with three first half goals and never looked back. Freshman Alex Kozak gave the visitors a 1-0 lead on an assist from senior Val Pierre but Foxboro’s Matt Angelini leveled the score before the 10-minute mark and Jorge Sanchez scored twice before the break for a 3-1 advantage. Sophomore John Hollis extended the lead to 4-1 before Angelini scored twice in three minutes to complete his hat trick. Stoughton junior Miguel Millis tacked on a late goal on an assist from Joao Marotti. Hollis also had three assists in the win and Jacob Tessier had two helpers.
King Philip, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton scored once in each half to pick up its second win of the season. Sete Deletoile gave the Tigers the lead in the 28th minute, a lead that the hosts took into the halftime break. Early in the second half, Deletoile sent a corner kick in that was headed home by Quincy Jones-Sylvia. Riley Rebello and Delano Costa-Hanlon both played well in the win for Taunton. KP cut the deficit in half with a goal in the 70th minute.
Mansfield, 2 @ Milford, 0 – Final – After a scoreless half, Mansfield found the back of the net twice inside a 10-minute span to knock off Milford. Senior Matt Hyland blasted a shot from just under 40 yards out to put the Hornets ahead in the 48th minute. Grady Sullivan doubled the lead in the 57th minute, converted a feed from Liam Anastasia. Jack Lasbury-Casey made seven saves in net to earn his second straight shutout to start the season.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 3 – Final
Girls Soccer
Franklin, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – The Panthers scored twice in the first half and it was enough to make it two straight wins to start the season. Freshman Kelly O’Connor added her first career goal to put the Panthers in front, assisted by Riley Fitzpatrick. Anya Zub then scored for the third time in two games, finishing a feed from Chloe Barca. Rachel Welch made eight saves for her second clean sheet of the season. Franklin’s midfield of Selene Hammad, Bridget Leo, Chloe Stavely, and Barca did well to control the game, and Norah Anderson, Katie Ewald, and Izzy Arnold had strong performances in the back line. Attleboro coach Steve Santos praised his team for battling through the second half and the Franklin defense for keeping the Bombardiers at bay. Emily Dunlea, Bethany Alves, and Kahlan Gray all played well for Attleboro.
Canton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Camryn O’Connor and Alexa Lane each scored twice to lead the Tigers to a big win against a Davenport title rival. Lauren Sellmayer opened the scoring with a long free kick and Lucinda Li Cotter had a pair of assists. Emily McCabe got Canton’s only goal with 10 minutes remaining.
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – For the second straight game, Kailee McCabe scored three times and assisted on another to lead the Warriors to a win. Jordan Carman and Neve Taylor each had braces for Foxboro and Lauren Miley and Sophia Auclair (first varsity goal) both added one score as well. The Warriors have now scored 14 goals in the last two games since being shut out in the season opener. Makenzie O’Connor scored her second goal of the season, finishing off an Isabella Rodrigues corner. Olivia Tran got on the end of another Rodrigues cross for Stoughton’s second. Lauren Mitchell played well for the Black Knights in both defense and the center of the pitch.
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – KP scored four times in a 12-minute span in the first half to put away the Tigers and make it back-to-back wins to start the season. Ella Pisani scored the first two goals, both of them assisted by Morgan Norrman. Pisani played provider for the third, setting up Paulina Baczkowski to make it 3-0. Rachel DeFlaminis added a fourth, assisted by Kylie Anderson, to put the Warriors in control heading to halftime. In the second half, Kylie Menendez made it 5-0, assisted by DeFlaminis.
Milford, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored twice in two minutes to turn around a one-goal deficit and pull out a second straight win. Dani Atherton had given the Hawks the lead in the opening minute of the game. It took the Hornets 18 minutes to tie the game on an Avery Hawthorne goal. Lyla Nappa scored what turned out to be the game-winner two minutes later. Both Mansfield goals were assisted by Katie Miller. Nine minutes into the second half, Gabby Smith teed up Tarynn Smith for an important insurance goal. Bridget Hanley helped Mansfield control the game in the center of the pitch.
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North scored twice in the second half to seal its first win of the season. Steph McKenna and Emma Pratt each scored once and assisted on another for the Rocketeers. Pratt opened the scoring midway through the first half, running onto a ball over the top from McKenna and then finding the corner. Haley Sinacola doubled the lead 14 minutes into the second half with a 35-yard free kick. It was her first varsity goal. McKenna capped the scoring when she got on the end of a Pratt cross with nine minutes to play. Maddie Ferrin earned the clean sheet for North with Summer Doherty and Meaghan Dowd playing well defensively. North coach Bill Wallace also praised midfielders Sophia Bostock, Autumn Hewitt, and Brooke Sullivan.
Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin scored with no time left in the first half to level the scoring and pumped in three second half goals to run away with a win on the road at Attleboro. After a scoreless opening quarter, the Bombardiers took the lead in the 27th minute on a goal from Madison Ellis. Since Franklin earned a penalty corner, play continued after time expired in the second quarter. Kendall Jones converted a pass from Kiera Kotwicki to bring the Panthers even. Shaw Downing put the Panthers ahead on a pass from Kaitlyn Carney in the 43rd minute, and Kaeley Dubriske made it a 3-1 advantage after another assist from Carney. Sydney Rogan put the game away (assisted by Downing) in the 58th minute. Ava Haggerty was strong in net for Attleboro with 19 saves.
Canton @ Oliver Ames, 6:30
Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Sophomore Mara Boldy continued her strong start to the season, scoring a hat trick to pace the Warriors to a win over visiting Taunton. After scoring the first goal and assisting on the second in KP’s win over Foxboro last week, Boldy scored three times on Monday. Freshman Makenzie McDevitt scored for the second straight game for KP’s other tally. Haley Bright made four saves in the win while seniors Sydney O’Shea, Lily Brown, Haley Izydorczak, and Molly Piller.
Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro put the ball into the back of the cage in each quarter, taking advantage of 17 penalty corners against visiting Sharon. Julia Puccio opened the scoring in the 10th minute on a feed from Ava Spencer, and then made it 2-0 in the 19th minute off a pass from Caroline Folan. Folan scored two goals of her own in the second half, first in the 33rd minute (assisted by Caitlin Vacher) and then again in the 48th minute (from Spencer). Gracie Leary posted the shutout in net for North. Sharon coach Paulina Kosmadakis said Kayleigh Connolly had incredible game defensively for the Eagles while Tanya Wadekar and Samantha Newbold both played well.
Volleyball
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Franklin fended off a good push from Attleboro in the second set and went on to complete the sweep (25-9, 25-20, 25-14). Cailyn Mackintosh dished out 19 assists and had a huge day at the service line with 10 aces. Cate Roberge and Taylor Lacerda both notched three aces to go along with six kills apiece. For Attleboro, Lilly Boedeker recorded 17 digs while freshman Julia Leonardo had 15 digs and nine kills.
Foxboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Foxboro battled to win a close third set to avoid the sweep and keep the match going, but Stoughton but the game to rest with a win in the fourth set for a 3-1 decision (25-23, 25-11, 22-25, 25-12). For Foxboro, Mallorie Meyer had 17 digs, Sami Sloan added 12 digs, and Juliana Pettigrew finished with seven kills and eight digs.
Canton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – All three sets were tight but Oliver Ames came out victorious in all three, taking each one by five or fewer points. The Tigers battled to a 25-20 win in the first set, edged out the Bulldogs 25-22 in the second, and completed the sweep with a 25-21 decision in the third. For OA, Maddie Homer was everywhere defensively with 17 serve receptions and 25 digs. Hadley Rhodes added 18 assists and five kills while Sarah Hilliard added nine kills to go along with 15 serve receptions. Canton Talya DeGraw played well in the loss with five digs, four kills, and three aces while sophomore Fatima Sidibay was a spark off the bench, playing well at the net for the Bulldogs.
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip took care of business at home, recording a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-12, 25-9) to improve to 2-0 on the young season. Junior Sami Shore put down nine kills to pace the Warriors’ offense while Emily Sawyer added six kills. KP had a strong game at the service line with Stella Bailey picking up four aces and 11 service points while Ahunna James added 15 service points.
Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro went the distance to secure a win in the second set and went on to complete the sweep (25-19, 26-24, 25-14) in the third against visiting Sharon. Madelyn Corsetti paced the offense for the Rocketeers with 13 kills while Katherine McHoul dished out 15 assists. Ava Dunlevy and Julianne Chen anchored the defense with six digs apiece.
Golf
Milford, 169 @ Attleboro, 156 – Final – Attleboro’s Brendan Raymond and Leo Lombardo shared match medalist honors to help the Bombardiers sink Milford at Stone-E-Lea. Raymond and Lombardo each shot 38 on the day while Evan Houle chipped in with a 39 and Dane Holske recorded a 41. Nate Lawrence led the Hawks with a team-low round of 40, Jacob Hipolito added a 41, and Anthony LaPierre shot a 42.
Taunton, 101 @ New Bedford, 105 – Final (Stableford) – Taunton’s Jack Gobin shot a team-low round of 40 to score 23 points but the Tigers fell to New Bedford in a match determined by Stableford scoring. Logan Letourneau added a round of 41.
Franklin, 161 @ King Philip, 145 – Final – King Philip had all four of its scorers come in with a round under 40 to help the Warriors sweep the season series with rival Franklin. Mike Matheson was the match medalist, shooting a round of 35 that included a birdie. Gavin Croke, who had an eagle on the fifth hole, and Jared Curran each shot 37 while Pat Reardon finished at 38. Franklin’s CJ Steele had a team-low round of 38.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to TBD.
King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro scored three goals in the opening 20 minutes but had to hold off a furious second half rally from the visitors to get the two points. Junior Alex Penders opened the scoring in the first minute off a cross from Matt Angelini, and Foxboro newcomer Jorge Sanchez made it 2-0 in the third minute. Angelini scored on his own in the 20th minute before sophomore John Hollis pushed the lead to 4-0 less than five minutes into the second half. KP scored back-to-back goals but Cam Barreira scored what turned out to be the game-winner int he 65th minute. KP scored twice in the final 10 minutes to make it a one-goal game.
Mansfield, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Junior Connor Palinski’s looping shot from just over 30 yards out was the difference as Mansfield secured a win on the road in the season opener. Palinski took a pass from Ian Leeds and launched one from distance that found the back post. Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan praised his defensive unit of Leeds, Dylan Buchanan, Michael Caridi and Kevin McCarthy for their stellar play in front of Jack Lasbury-Casey (seven saves).
Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Itching to get on the field for the first time in nearly a year, Taunton exploded for five goals in a win on the road at Stoughton. The Tigers struck for a pair of first half goals before pumping in three more after the break, Devin Poe opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Conal Scully doubled the lead in the 31st minute. Riley Rebello made it 3-0 with a 49th minute strike, Scully bagged his second just two minutes later, and Quincy Jones-Sylvia capped the scoring in the 71st minute.
Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames @ Attleboro – Postponed to Friday, September 10 at 3:45.
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Anya Zub scored a pair of goals to lift Franklin to a win in a battle of last year’s league champs and give interim coach Jodi Klein a debut win. Riley Fitzpatrick opened the scoring for the Panthers, finishing off a pass from freshman Kelly O’Connor. Zub then doubled the lead after combining with Fitzpatrick and sealed the two points with her second goal with just five minutes to play. Izzy Arnold had the assist on Franklin’s third. Rachel Welch made nine saves to preserve the clean sheet. Klein praised the effort of defender Norah Anderson and midfielders Stella Regan, Bridget Leo, and Selene Hammad.
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – KP scored once in each half to pick up two points in the season opener. Sophomore Heidi Lawrence notched her first career goal when she took a nice pass from classmate Alyssa Legere and managed to squeeze a shot through a scrum in the box. Ella Pisani sealed the victory by firing a second-half free kick into the top corner for her first of the season. Lauren Casper stopped eight Foxboro shots to earn the clean sheet. KP coach Gary Pichel also praised freshman Dani Lomuscio, who made her varsity debut by marking reigning MVP Kailee McCabe. He also credited Legere for a great game in the midfield and the back line for doing its best to frustrate the Warriors attack.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Carly Devine was first to a rebound three minutes before halftime and scored the only goal of the game to lift the Hornets to a season-opening win. Olivia Homsi had the first shot and Devine reacted first to knock in the loose ball. Mansfield coach Kevin Smith praised the play of his back line, Gabby Smith, Kara Santos, Anna Darlington, and Kayla Doherty, for limiting North’s chances. Olivia Salisbury made four saves to record the clean sheet. North nearly had the equalizer on a shot from Steph McKenna but a Hornet defender made the goal line clearance. Haley Sinacola, Lily Adams and Charlotte Moynihan all played well defensively for North.
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to Friday, September 10 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Stoughton coach Hermes Lima picked up his first win with the Black Knights thanks to goals from freshmen Makenzie O’Connor and Lauren Mitchell. Lima praised O’Connor and Shayla Ford for their aggressive play up top that made it difficult for Taunton to get out of the defensive third easily. Mitchell and classmate Morgan Cook both played well in the midfield, while freshman Emma Tran had a great varsity debut in central defense. Abigail Durand earned the shutout in goal.
Field Hockey
Sharon vs. Norwell – Postponed to TBD.
Cross-Country
Canton @ Nauset – Postponed to Friday, September 10 at 4:30.
Golf
Foxboro @ Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday, September 16 at 2:30.
King Philip @ Taunton, 3:00
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD.
2020 Record: 2-5-6 Coach: Peter Pereira
The Bombardiers seemed to get things in gear just as last season was coming to an end, finishing the season unbeaten in its final five games. But there won’t be much carryover to this year as Attleboro only has three starters back from a team that lost 14 seniors to graduation.
It will be a lot of new faces for longtime head coach Peter Pereira, who is still trying to fit the puzzle pieces together to figure out the best combination for his Bombardiers. Senior Cashel Stuger joined the lineup last season and will be a main part of the Attleboro defense this year with Lucas Marques, Ian Miller, and John Blouin all in the mix to see minutes. Junior Esvin Morales begins his third year on the varsity level and has the most experience at this level on the team. Morales is a crafty midfielder that is very dangerous in the attack and on set pieces. Seniors Liam Bischoff and Thomas Russo have good varsity experience and should see expanded roles this year.
Sophomore Alex Vecchioli exploded onto the scene last year, scoring a team-high four goals. He’ll join Morales to solidify the Attleboro midfield but he’s no stranger to getting forward and making some noise in the attack. Sophomores Tyler Rocchio and Brady Whitmarsh are battling for the starting position in goal while Pereira is looking for the likes of Connor Adema, Yannie Skortas, and Emilio Ticas to step up in the attack.
2020 Record: 6-3-3 Coach: Danny Erickson
Canton was the main challenger to OA’s division title win last season, playing tough against the Tigers in both matches. In fact, the Bulldogs’ lone losses were to both division champs in OA and Milford, the latter coming in the semifinal of the Hock Cup.
Canton has a large chunk of those players returning to the pitch for this season and a lot of them have multiple years of experience playing at the varsity level, which means expectations are high for Canton. OA has been the team to beat in the Davenport for the majority of the past decade but it looks like that could be different this year with how much skill the Bulldogs have.
There are veteran players all over the field, starting in the back with the anchor of the defense in senior All-Hockomock selection Giovanni Ruggeri, who returns as the starting goalie. Establishing a strong defensive group in front of Ruggeri will be key but the Bulldogs have a track record of getting better defensively as the season goes on. There is a lot of firepower going forward with senior Dylan Baird being the link in the midfield, helping the Dogs transition from defense to offense. There will be a lot of options in the attacking third with both Erik Valdovinos (three goals, two assists) and Jacob Crugnale up front (goal, seven assists). Junior Jake McCabe is also back after scoring three goals and notching two helpers.
“We are so excited to head into the season,” said head coach Danny Erickson. “Our team has a very high ceiling for success and we are working hard to reach that ceiling. Couldn’t have much more difficult of an early-season schedule playing Franklin, OA, and Milford to open up the Hock so we will certainly be presented some very tall tasks right out of the gates.”
2020 Record: 4-6-2 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro is leaning on a strong senior class, a group of talented returners, and a mix of new faces to try and make a run at the Davenport division title. The heart of the team will be with the senior class, including four-year player Derek Axon and midfielder Alex McGarry.
Axon has been on the roster since his freshman year and will start in net for the Warriors, leading the way for what head coach Dan Ambrosio hopes is a strong defensive unit. Foxboro has been on the lower half of the Davenport table in terms of goals against in each of the past two seasons but Ambrosio believes he has a strong defensive unit that will play well in front of Axon. McGarry, a three-year member of the varsity squad, will be a key piece in the middle of the pitch.
It’s not often a team gets a transfer with not only varsity experience, but experience playing in the Hockomock League. But the Warriors added Jorge Sanchez, who has two years of playing at Canton under his belt and could be a big boost for Foxboro. Senior forward Matt Angelini has improved each year with the program and will be one of the top strikers in the league while junior Alex Penders has impressed so far in the preseason. Sophomore John Hollis made a splash during the COVID-shortened 2020 season and could be poised for a breakout year for the Warriors.
“The group has done an outstanding job of coming together as a team,” Ambrosio said. “We look forward to playing the Foxboro way and competing to win the Hockomock regular season.”
2020 Record: 3-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis is back on the sidelines for his 51st season in charge and he and his Panthers are anxious to get back to normal soccer after last year’s abbreviated season that featured rule changes that altered the game.
Bositis has liked what he’s seen so far in the preseason with the team improving after each training session and after each scrimmage. Having a trio of four-year players is an advantage that many teams won’t have so the Panthers will lean heavily on seniors Terry O’Neill, Tyler Powderly, and Aidan Griffith for their veteran leadership. There are a lot of upperclassman on the roster with seniors Jack Moran, Nelson Martinez, and Kevin Proenca all back in the mix after playing last season.
O’Neill, the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, is the spine of the team, patrolling the middle of the pitch. We saw early on in his career his ability to get forward and become a scoring threat but he also showed he can sit back and solidify the defensive unit. Both Powderly and Griffith provide a lot of speed on the outside. Junior Trey Lovell and sophomore Rex Cinelli earned some minutes a season ago while Bositis expects junior Will Krysak and sophomore Sean O’Leary to be steady contributors this season.
“I feel the outlook is bright as long as we continue to work hard and look to make small improvements every day,” Bositis said. “I also feel that we have very good senior leadership and that this will be important in helping our younger players develop.”
2020 Record: 5-4-4 Coach: Mike O’Neill
The Warriors graduated nearly its entire starting lineup, losing a total of eight players from the starting 11, along with five more seniors from last year’s squad, but somehow KP boasts a strong returning group of players.
That’s a credit to head coach Mike O’Neill, who has shown since he took over the varsity team that he will take full advantage of the depth of his roster, getting a lot of player’s minutes each season. Last year’s abbreviated season was no different; KP has half a dozen players back with varsity experience ready to make a run at the division title.
There are four captains: Caleb Cassetta, John Pfeiffer, Sean McCarthy, and Stephen Griffin, and all four bring something a little different to the table. Cassetta can do a bit of everything, from being the maestro of the midfield, to shoring up the defense, to sliding up front to score goals. Pfeiffer plays both defensively and in the midfield and provides key leadership, McCarthy is an aggressive outside back, and Griffin is a four-year member of varsity that can play in a variety of roles going forward.
Junior Matt Cargo could be poised for a breakout year in the midfield while senior Dan Fifolt is back in the mix to give KP at outside back. Junior Andrew Seropian has had a good preseason so far while sophomores Tommy Lomusico, Will Bowen, and Dermott Amorim are all competing to try and give the Warriors a boost on the offensive end.
“I think there is going to be a lot of parity in the Hock this year,” O’Neill said. “It will be difficult (as always) to win games. We graduated 13 seniors and 8 starters last year. That is a significant loss of experience on the field, but it also provides opportunities for younger players. I am excited to see which players will step into the available roles and have a breakout year.”
2020 Record: 6-4-2 Coach: Steve Sheridan
For years, Mansfield has been known as a defensive team that sets the tone with its physicality, taking advantage of set pieces on the offensive end to win games. Things might be a little different in 2021.
While Mansfield still boasts a strong defensive group, the heart and soul of the team is in the midfield. There is a lot of creativity in the group that features senior captains Matty Hyland and Danny Rowe along with juniors Grady Sullivan and Connor Palinski. The unit has impressed in the preseason, moving the ball around, combining to get up field and attack opposing defenses. Mansfield has traditionally used a lot of subs for its forwards under Sheridan and that looks like it will be the case again this year with senior Liam Anastasia and junior Dan Checkoway both in the mix.
Four-year varsity player Dylan Buchanan will take on a new role this year, making the switch to defense. His speed will make it tough for opponents to get in behind the Hornet back line. Senior Michael Caridi is another returner and he will join Buchanan in the back in front of senior goalie Jack Lasbury-Casey.
“This is the first time in a very long time that I can honestly say that the defense is not the strength of our team, the midfield is!!”
2020 Record: 10-0-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The target on Milford’s back this season will be bigger than ever as the Scarlet Hawks enter the season with three straight division titles; last year’s Kelley-Rex crown and two from the Davenport prior to that. While the Hawks are certainly in the hunt to make it four straight, they’ll do so without their best player from the past two seasons.
Last year’s Hockomock League MVP and lone Massachusetts All-American selection Leo Coelho graduated alongside nine other players that helped Milford won the Hockomock Cup last season. That class also included star midfielder Lucas Da Silva and 2019 playoff hero and goalie Leo Oliveira. While it might seem like the cupboard is a bit thin, the Hawks have reloaded with some new talent eager to win a title of their own.
Kevin Gomes has been on varsity since he was a sophomore and has plenty of varsity starts in net under his belt. He came off the bench in the Hockomock Cup and came up huge to help the Hawks take the win. Milford also has veteran centerback Chris Tocci back in the fold; Tocci is not only one of the most experienced backs in the league but he’s one of the most skilled and his prowess in the air is key for the Hawks.
Senior Avi Seri and juniors Arthur Tome and Hulanger Pires all took advantage of their expanded roles last season and will be key in the offense this season.
“We have a good direct style of play,” said head coach Antonio Pinto.
2020 Record: 3-6-3 Coach: Geoff Burgess
It was a good offseason for the Rocketeers, who used their time between seasons to improve their craft. North has developed a reputation for a defense-first-minded program over the past couple of seasons and the Big Red is sticking true to its colors in 2021.
The strength of the team lies in the defense with a lot of experience in the defensive third. Senior captain Brody Rosenberg will slide into a center back role and anchor the defense from there while sophomore Kaden Burns returns to his outside back position after picking up vital experience during last year’s abbreviated season. Senior David Floyd returns in goal this year after posting a 1.50 goals against average last season.
Connor Ward has been making plays in this league for a long time and look for that to continue during his senior season Ward uses his versatility and creativeness to orchestrate the Rocketeer push forward. Sophomore Carson Dameron is another returner in the midfield unit for North Attleboro; look for senior Jaad Ismail and juniors Griffin Rodden and Givany Carney to give North’s offense a boost.
“We have a great mix of experience and talent that will hopefully lead to a successful year,” said North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess. “The team really came together this summer at Camp Manitou and they really believe in each other. They really want to work hard to improve each day and are one of the most coachable groups we have ever had. We are all really excited to get back to normal soccer and see what this season holds for us.”
2020 Record: 12-1-0 Coach: John Barata
Oliver Ames spent the majority of the last decade at the top of the mountain in the Hockomock League, winning five Davenport division titles and two Kelley-Rex crowns since the league split. The Tigers are the defending champs in the Davenport and lost just one game (Hock Cup) last year, but this will be the biggest turnover that OA has seen in a long time.
Oliver Ames graduated over a dozen players, including nearly its entire starting lineup of a team that scored a league-best 59 goals and had a league-low five goals against. Not only did the Tigers lose a talented senior class, but a majority of the players were also either two or three-year starters, so there will be a lot of new faces getting playing time at the varsity level for the first time. Senior captain Mathias Taylor is the most experienced player back for the Tigers after getting a lot of time as a sophomore and starting last fall. His versatility will be key as the Tigers carve out roles for the new players; Taylor can control the play from the middle of the pitch, move up front as a dangerous attacking option, or sit back some to help solidify the defense.
Hector Bucio is the other returner starter for the Tigers after earning some minutes after a sophomore, picking up some starts in the process, and will be a big part of the offense for OA. Michael Haikal also saw time on the field during the COVID-shortened season and will see an expanded role this year as one of the team’s captains. With new faces in the mix, OA is focusing on attacking with pace while stressing getting numbers behind the ball to defend against the tough competition in the Hockomock League.
“We are excited to be back playing regular soccer and looking forward to seeing how this very young and inexperienced team gels during the season,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We hope to win a couple games and get these underclassmen a lot of experience.”
2020 Record: 0-10-2 Coach: Jon Grant
It starts with the fundamentals for head coach Jon Grant and his Black Knights: an improved defensive effort to stay in games and better technical play to increase scoring games.
And so far, so good as Grant has seen improvement on both ends of the pitch throughout the preseason. Throughout each of the last two seasons, the Knights have shown glimpses and the goal this season is to string together consistent performances and limit the mistakes to keep Stoughton in the game. Captains Rhuan Carvalho and Joao Marotti, both seniors, give the Knights some experience up top as they battle against a tough Hockomock League schedule. Although Evan Khang and Kyle Grant as just sophomores, they saw a lot of time last season and will bring that experience and talent to Stoughton’s midfield.
Defensively, the Knights will turn to senior captain Owen Roddy to anchor the defense. He will be joined by classmate Val Pierre to try and solidify the Stoughton back line.
“Everyone is excited to be back out on the field and it will make it even sweeter as we add the competition of the season,” said Jon Grant. “This season we are looking to not beat ourselves by limiting our mistakes. This mentality will put us in a good position each game to compete. Combine that with great effort and a positive attitude and we have a pretty good recipe for success.”
2020 Record: 0-3-7 Coach: Taylor Whitters
The Tigers only played four games last fall due to COVID so there wasn’t much of an opportunity to pick up varsity experience for the younger players, which make up most of the roster for the 2021 season. The lineup will feature mostly juniors along with a group of sophomores so Taunton will lean heavily on the few players that have played at this level before.
That starts with juniors Riley Rebello and Joseph Renquinha, who both enter their third season apart of the varsity team. Rebello has seen time just about everywhere for the Tigers, including at center back, attacking mid, and up front at striker. The experience that both he and Renquinha possess will be key as the young Taunton team tackles a difficult schedule. Taunton is also looking for juniors Aidden Fitting, Quincy-Jones Sylvia, Conal Scully, and Jonathan Trinh to step into big roles right away.
Taunton will rely on a strong work ethic to try and put pressure on teams, using team speed to attack opposing defenses. The Tigers have been in a lot of close games — three of the for from last season, and 11 of their games in 2019 were decided by a goal or less. Taunton will be hoping to end up on the other end of those one-goal results this season to try and make a push for the postseason. Sophomores Javonte Fernandes, Delano Costa-Hanlon, and Joshua Letourneau, alongside junior Sete Deletoile, will be in the mix on their first year with the team.
“I am hoping for us to continue to mature this season and raise the bar a little higher each game,” said head coach Taylor Whitters.
Below are the official 20020 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Kelley-Rex Division MVP
Leo Coelho, Milford
Kelley-Rex Division All Stars
Joey Soucy, Attleboro
Jackson Singer, Attleboro
Ethan Cain, Franklin
Terry O’Neill, Franklin
Evan McEvoy, King Philip
Aidan Lindmark, King Philip
Ajae Olsen, King Philip
Evan Eames, Mansfield
Tommy Lanzillo, Mansfield
Michael Jeans, Mansfield
Leo Coelho, Milford
Lucas Da Silva, Milford
Chris Tocci, Milford
Davenport Division MVP
Colin Milliken, Oliver Ames
Davenport Division All Stars
Giovanni Ruggeri, Canton
Jacob Crugnale, Canton
Abdul Barrie, Canton
Erik Valdovinos, Canton
Max Beigel, Foxboro
Justin Silva, North Attleboro
Kevin Louhis, Oliver Ames
Colin Milliken, Oliver Ames
Brady deVos, Oliver Ames
Mathias Taylor, Oliver Ame
Matt Nikiciuk, Oliver Ames
Anthony DaCosta, Oliver Ames
Bryce Nathan, Sharon
Honorable Mentions:
Alex Vecchioli, Attleboro
Jorge Sanchez, Canton
Matthew Angelini, Foxboro
Ben Moccia, Franklin
Cole Breen, King Philip
Eric Sullivan, Mansfield
Leo Oliveira, Milford
Matthew Conley, North Attleboro
Drew Nickla, Oliver Ames
Matthew Baur, Sharon
Nolan Gerome, Stoughton
Riley Rebello, Taunton
Oliver Ames’ Brady deVos (right) celebrates with Matthew Nikiciuk after deVos’ first half goal. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – There might not be a state tournament this season, but Monday night’s game between Oliver Ames and Canton certainly felt like a playoff game.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
Both teams entered the Davenport heavyweight clash undefeated but only one, the Tigers, walked out still without a loss. Oliver Ames built a two-goal lead and added a key insurance strike in the fourth quarter to earn a 3-1 decision over the Bulldogs.
The battle between the top two teams in the Davenport division delivered with high intensity throughout, stout defensive efforts, a pair of class goals, and some fourth quarter drama.
“It was like a playoff game, a great game,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “They were well prepared, they came out with a very playoff tactic to get the win. We came in with our tactic to win, we were both playing this game to win no doubt about that. They don’t let you play your game, and we didn’t let them play their game so maybe it wasn’t the best either team has played…it was very intense, but that’s what Canton OA is right? We haven’t had this energy or feel in other games. And we expect the same type of vibe there.”
Oliver Ames scored early in the second quarter and doubled its lead with a goal just minutes into the second half but the Bulldogs took advantage of an opportunity in the 55th minute to get back into the game, halving the deficit.
That goal seemed to give the visitors some life and resulted in Canton’s best passing sequence of the game. Senior Abdul Barrie combined with sophomore Jorge Sanchez, the former getting some space in the corner and whipped a service in. Junior Jacob Crugnale got a touch to the cross but his bid was inches off, hitting off the far post and staying out, keeping the hosts ahead 2-1.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
A minute later, the Tigers built quickly out of the back with senior Colin Milliken carrying possession into the middle third, springing classmate Dillon Cupples out wide on the left. Cupples connected with senior Kevin Louhis, who worked around a defender to get to the corner of the area and Louhis blasted a curling shot inside the far post to make it 3-1 just seconds after the Bulldogs nearly tied it.
“Oliver Ames is a great team, they are strong everywhere on the field, really well organized,” said Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “We knew we’d have to play a rather mistake-free game to beat them and we didn’t. We played great moments, I was really proud of our work ethic but we kind of drifted in moments and let them take the game.
“The game really came down to moments, some bounces and some weird mistakes cost us the game. We had a brilliant opportunity with probably our best build up of the game, three of four great passes in a row that led to a great opportunity that hit the far post, and then as soccer goes, a good team will make you pay for missing opportunities and they went down and Kevin scored a banger.”
The game started as expected with two of the best defenses in the Hockomock League this year. OA entered the contest having surrendered just one goal while the Bulldogs had just two goals against. Both defenses shined in the opening 20 minutes, taking away chances and denying passing lanes.
Canton boys soccer
Canton looked to get in behind the defense on a great ball from Colton Mirlianiy but OA senior Ben Cohen, who had a very strong game at outside right back, did very well to recover and thwart the chance.
Canton boys soccer
Meanwhile, Canton keeper Giovanni Ruggeri was up to the task on a low shot from distance from Cupples in the 12th minute, and Barrie intercepted a pass in the area, taking away a combination between Milliken and Cupples.
OA opened the lead in the 23rd minute on a free kick from Matthew Nikiciuk after he drew the foul. On a direct kick from just over 30 yards out, Nikiciuk blasted a low shot that skipped into the area and senior Brady deVos made a run right to the penalty spot and got a touch to it, changing the direction just enough to catch the keeper going the wrong way.
The Tigers went on to double their lead just minutes into the second half. Anthony DaCosta touched the corner into play and Milliken drove a cross into the area that hit off a Bulldog defender and into the net for an own goal.
Canton got on the board late in the third quarter after high pressure resulted in a turnover. Crugnale applied a lot of pressure, getting a piece of a pass out of the back to knock it free. Mirliani latched onto it, taking a touch with his left to set up a blast from 30 yards out that caught the keeper off the line and snuck under the bar to make it 2-1.
The Dogs nearly had the equalizer just before the third quarter came to a close. On a free kick from straight away from just over 25 yards out, Mirlinani touched to Barrie, who skipped on shot on goal that was spilled on frame but junior Dylan Baird’s bid on the rebound was just over the bar.
Canton boys soccer
Canton continued to press in the fourth but Louhis was able to put the game away with his strike in the 67th minute.
“The maturity factor of the seniors is finally paying off for us,” Barata said. “We allowed them to get in and Abdul whipped a wonderful ball in and it ricocheted off the post and suddenly it’s 2-2 and the momentum has shifted. Sometimes with younger kids, you might panic but our senior experience showed today.
“Danny has them well prepared, they know how to play tactically and they are well prepared and ready to go. We didn’t put them away early when we had the chance and it became a much tougher game in the second half. But it was great to have Kevin put in that third goal because then it was done.”
The two teams will clash again on Wednesday as Oliver Ames (7-0) travels to Canton (4-1-2) on Wednesday for a 6:15 PM kickoff. The Tigers can clinch at least a share of the Davenport title with a draw, and can clinch it outright with a win.
“We hadn’t talked about [the division title] until today, we talked about today being a championship game for us, Canton coming in undefeated,” Barata said. “But whenever you play Danny and Canton, you know they will be prepared so it’s a good game to get ready for the tournament, but this is like a tournament game for us this year.”
Oliver Ames junior Colin Milliken tries to bend a shot around a Canton defender in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – The Oliver Ames boys soccer team enters each season with the same list of goals.
The first is to qualify for the state tournament, which the Tigers accomplished for the 11th straight season earlier this season with a win on the road at Franklin.
Now the Tigers can check the next box off on that list as they clinched the Kelley-Rex division title for the second time in three years with a 3-0 decision over Canton on Sunday afternoon.
“I think the season has gone really well, the boys have worked hard,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata, who has taken the team to the playoffs every year since he took over in 2009. “We’ve overcome some adversity and some challenges. Look at today, if you work hard luck can go your way. I think we learned you have to keep going. The first goal was a bit of a gift, to be honest, after [Canton] had done well defending and playing. The season has gone very well, we’re working hard and getting better.”
The first 50 minutes of the game was loaded with chances with each team coming inches from the opener. The Tigers hit the post and had a couple of point-blank chances turned away by Canton keeper Gio Ruggeri. The Bulldogs saw a good chance hit off the crossbar and stay out, and another bid cleared off the line by an OA defender.
The first goal finally came in the 51st minute on an unlucky play by the Bulldogs. After Ruggeri made the initial stop on a shot from OA junior Jimmy Keane, a Canton defender went to clear the loose ball but the kick ricocheted off of a teammate and into the open net for an own goal and a 1-0 lead for the hosts.
As it often can, the goal changed the game. From there on out, it was almost all Tigers. Oliver Ames scored a pair of goals inside a five-minute span later in the second half to secure the two points and the division title.
“We played a really good first half, I thought we both had the same amount of chances by halftime,” said Canton head coach Danny Erickson, now in his 27th year at the helm of the Bulldogs. “We decided to give them most of the possession and the field because I think that was the way the game was going to go anyway. We didn’t completely hunker down, we just gave them their half and wanted to counter a little bit. I thought it worked out pretty good in the first half and maybe 10 minutes into the second half.
“When you give them a lot of the field, you take chances that fluke things can happen. We gave up a fluke own goal and I think that kind of took the wind out of our sails. I thought we were good up to that moment and then we struggled against a very good team, hats off to [Oliver Ames].”
Oliver Ames kept applying pressure following the first goal of the game and found a second 11 minutes later. Junior Kevin Louhis was able to find space between two defenders and laid off a perfectly weighted through ball into the area. Junior Colin Milliken made a diagonal run onto the ball and used a simple touch to beat the keeper and find the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.
Five minutes later, Milliken had his second and the Tigers had a 3-0 lead. Senior Jonathan Freeman blasted a clearance up field. Louhis was able to keep possession over two defenders, playing Milliken in again. Ruggeri was first to the ball at the top of the area but Milliken tracked down the loose ball in the area and tucked it away for a 3-0 lead.
“We had a lot of chances, we had balls go through the six, had some shots blocked [in the first half],” Barata said. “Once that went in, it felt like there was a relief of the pressure. The guys were just playing, not every shot was to win the World Cup Final. Canton is a great team, Danny has done a great job with a young team. They are going to be very good in the future.”
Both sides had good chances in the first half, starting with Milliken’s blast from 20 yards out that was smothered by Ruggeri. Three minutes later, Canton freshman Jorge Sanchez put a free kick into the mixer and the rebound fell to sophomore Jacob Crunagle, but he couldn’t get over the ball and a shot on target.
OA responded when junior Anthony DaCosta won a battle on the sidelines, connected with Louhis who fired a left footed shot just wide at the far post. Two minutes later, the Tigers had a great combination play with Harry Ahearn linking up with Mathias Taylor. Taylor found Keane, who in turn played DaCosta in behind the defense but the final shot skipped wide.
Canton nearly took the lead in the 32nd minute. Senior Colby Ciffolillo rose up above the defense and got his head to it, lofting it over the keeper, but the ball smacked off the crossbar and stayed out.
A minute later, Ruggeri came up with a huge stop to keep the game scoreless. DaCosta connected with Milliken and he blasted a shot on target but Ruggeri pushed it away. Ruggeri made a point black stop a minute later when Milliken set up Keane inside the area.
Oliver Ames junior Brady deVos used the outside of his foot to near give the Tigers the lead in the 35th minute but his shot clanked off the post and went out. On the other end, deVos robbed Canton of a goal with a goal line clearance, heading away another bid from Ciffolillo in the 36th minute.
Oliver Ames boys soccer (12-1-0 Hockomock, 12-1-0 overall) returns to action on Tuesday with a night game at Mansfield. Canton (3-9-1, 3-9-2) will take on Sharon at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday night in the second half of a double header with the girls teams playing first.
KP defender Matthew Clarke (15) and the rest of the Warriors back line kept Canton off the board to secure a 1-0 road win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – The field seemed to be tilted towards the far end zone all night. In the first half of Thursday night’s game at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, King Philip threatened with every attack, creating a number of chances, and putting Canton on the back foot. After the break, the hosts turned the game around and suddenly had the Warriors on their heels.
When you’re on top in the game, you have to find the back of the net. KP managed it once, junior Tadhg Keller tapping in a rebound in the 14th minute, and that turned out to be just about enough, as the back line held up against the Canton pressure and held on for a 1-0 win.
“They had a lot of momentum,” said KP coach Mike O’Neill about the pressure his team faced to preserve the lead in the second half. “I’m really happy. It’s a character win, these guys really grinded it out. It was close, it was touch-and-go for a while, but I’m proud of how my boys stuck to it.”
Canton had the game’s first shot on target, but it would end up being the only save that KP starting keeper Aidan Lindmark had to make in the first half, as the Bulldogs struggled to manufacture consistent offense in the opening 40 minutes.
KP grabbed control by exploiting the edges of the Canton defense. Junior Alex Leon had a bright start down the left and he slipped a pass into the channel for Andrew Robinson to have a shot just six minutes into the game. Five minutes later, Leon quickly turned on his defender and had a go from inside the box but hit the side netting.
In the 14th minute, KP got a free kick opportunity from about 25 yards out. Sophomore Caleb Casseta-Waxman curled a shot that seemed destined for the back of the net only for Canton keeper Alejandro Correal to fly across and get a fingertip to it and put it off the bar. The rebound fell to Keller, who took a touch to settle it before slamming the ball into the goal.
“I thought we played a relatively complete game today,” said Canton coach Danny Erickson, “but soccer comes down to moments and we fell asleep admiring our goalkeeper’s save. They didn’t fall asleep and they buried a rebound and that’s what happens.”
Just a minute later, the lead was very nearly doubled. This time KP attacked down the right. Wesley Orzell and Owen Teixeira played a one-two to get Orzell into space and he burst past the defender on the end line. The senior looked up and slid a pass to Casseta-Waxman, who was unmarked in the six-yard-box. Only a heroic intervention by freshman Carson Eagles kept the goalbound shot from hitting the back of the net.
The chances kept coming for the visitors. Evan McEvoy teed up Teixeira in the right channel and his shot flashed into the side netting, confusing some in the crowd, on the KP bench, and the scorekeeper who all thought it had gone into the top corner.
Stephen Griffin managed to hold possession against several Canton defenders and he set up McEvoy for a 20-yard strike that Correal held for one of his five first-half saves. A long cross from right back Matthew Clarke picked out Keller for a free header with just minutes to go before halftime, but the shot was easily grabbed by Correal.
Whatever was said at halftime seemed to work for the Bulldogs. Canton came out of the break inspired and instantly started to put pressure on the KP defense.
“I’d love to take massive credit for an inspirational halftime speech,” Erickson joked, “but I thought we were showing signs of really good stuff in the first half and we focused on those things. Honestly, they started winning some battles and feeling good about themselves and that results in good things.”
Just three minutes into the second half, Dylan Baird had a shot from a long way out that new KP keeper Grant Orzell had to collect at the second attempt, just in front of Jacob Crugnale. Five minutes later, Crugnale had a go from distance that took a touch off a KP boot before going over the bar. From the resulting corner, Colby Cifolillo rose highest but his goal-bound header was deflected wide of the post.
“We’re still a team that’s struggling to create chances and finish and that’s something that we’re going back to the drawing board to keep working on,” Erickson said.
Midway through the second half, freshman Jorge Sanchez set up Crugnale for a one-time hit but Orzell was able to get behind it. TJ McCabe had several shots from the edge of the box that the defense had to charge down. Despite the chances they were able to create, the Bulldogs just couldn’t find a way through and the KP back three of Clarke, Jordan Hoyle, and Jeremy White held firm.
“They are the core of this team and they are the rock, the wall we build, and we really rely on them,” said O’Neil of his defense. “In addition to be excellent defenders, they’re really skilled, composed, and they know what they’re doing.”
KP had a couple of chances on the break to try and put the game away. The best chance came for Anthony Zappala, but his curling effort from distance was collected by Canton back-up goalie Giovanni Ruggeri.
King Philip (3-1-2, 2-1-2) will get nearly a week off before traveling to division rival Attleboro on Wednesday. Canton (1-3-2, 1-3-1) will try to end its three-game losing streak when it hosts Sharon on Monday.
