Tag: Josh Rodriguez

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/11/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis)
Attleboro, 12 vs. Mansfield, 82 – Final – Mansfield swept first, second, and third in six of the 10 individual events and took first on both relay races to earn a big win. The Hornets swept in the 55M dash (Greg Waters first, 6.86), the 300M (Anthony Comer, 39.04), the 600M (Mike Shannon 1:27.06), the 1000M (Patrick Heavey, 2:52.92), the shot put (Kevin McCree, 48-10.00 PR) and the 55M hurdles (Jareme DiLorenzo, 8.23). Attleboro’s Alex Boedeker won the 2 Mile in 10:11.39. Mansfield’s Andrew Williams earned a PR in the high jump with a 5-08.00.

Canton, 41 vs. Stoughton, 59 – Final – Stoughton swept the 2 Mile race with freshman John Greene clocking in at 11:26.54 to earn the win while Nicholas Comeau took second and Will Eckhart was third. Other winners for Stoughton included Ritchy Laguerre (300M, 37.52), Terry Lapomarede (600M, 1:37.78), Tommy Bui (55M hurdles. 8.51), Jason Joseph (shot put, 42-10.00), and Jeff Grier (long jump, 19-07.50). For Canton, Jack Healey was a double winner, taking first in both the 1000M (2:52.77) and 1 Mile race (5:03.83). Marquise Montes took first in the 55M dash (6.89) and second in the long jump (18-11.00) and Cordel Smith won the high jump (5-10.00). The team of Montes, Smith, Cam Sanchez, and Riley McDonnell won the 4×200 (1:37.95).

Foxboro, 23 vs. Milford, 76 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks took first place in 11 of the 12 events to pick up the win. Paul Speliakos won the 300M (39.26) and the long jump (19-00.75) to lead Milford. Other Scarlet Hawk winners included Sean Lehane (55M, 7.05), Kenny Duong (600M, 1:38.52), Joseph Madden (1000M, 2:44.84), Chris Berthrong (1 Mile, 4:57.73), Jack Kalil (2 Mile, 10:17.77), Zachary Browne (55M hurdles, 8.31) and Patrick Brogioli (shot put, 48-10.00). Foxboro’s Sean Milhollen won the high jump for the Warriors (5-06.00).

Franklin, 46 vs. Oliver Ames, 54 – Final – Oliver Ames took all of the points in the long jump, and took first and second in the 55M hurdles and the high jump to edge the Panthers. Kalil Matier, who also won the 55M dash, took first in the long jump with John MacAdam (55M hurdles and high jump winner) second and Aaron MacDonald (300M winner) third. Jack Dore took second in the 55M hurdles and Cole Richardson was second in the high jump. For Franklin, sophomore Tyler Brogan won both the 1000M (league-best 2:44.36) and the 2 Mile (league-best 9:57.15). Junior Michael Hagen (4:36.67), freshman Nicholas Calitri and senior Paul Linehan swept the 1 Mile race of the Panthers.

King Philip, 61 vs. Taunton, 35 – Final – King Philip senior Aeden Angelone won three events and the Warriors swept the 600M race and took first and second in the 1000M, 1 Mile and shot put to earn a victory over Taunton. Angelone won the 55M hurdles (8.85), the high jump (5-06.00) and the long jump (19-02.00). The Warriors’ Josh Smith won the 600M in 1:31.82 with classmates Ryan Connor and Dylan Powers taking second and third to earn a big nine points. KP added eight more points in the 1000M with Nathan Farkash (2:55.20) and Alex Hagen taking first and second. Sophomores Michael Norberg (4:54.93) and Eric DeLorenzo crossed first and second in the 1 Mile and Terrell Jacobs-Baston (44-06.50) and Lazar Rogosic earned first and second in the shot put. For Taunton, senior Jacob DeAndrade (6.79), senior Jadin Bruneau and junior Dylan Kullas swept the 55M dash. Bruneau also won 300M race for the Tigers, clocking in at 38.25.

North Attleboro, 64 vs. Sharon, 36 – Final – In a pivotal Davenport clash, North Attleboro finished first-second in four events, and had two placements in three more events. Senior Josh Rodriguez (1:31.01) and Griffin Wachowski were first and second in the 600M, junior Skyler Poirier (2:45.37) and senior John Bradley took first and second in the 1000M, seniors Jonathan Shultz (league-best 7.90) and Matt Tarantino crossed first and second in the 55M hurdles and Tarantino (league-best 21-00.25) and junior Omar Jasseh combined for eight points in the long jump. Shultz also had a first-place finish in the 300M (league-best 36.98), senior Liam Monahan took first in the 1 Mile (league-best 4:37.60) and 2 Mile (10:19.87) races and Mario Bresko won the high jump (league-best 6-02.00). Sharon’s Chris Gong won the 55M dash (league-best 6.68) and senior Matt McManus took first in the shot put (46-10.25).

Girls Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis)
Attleboro, 28 vs. Mansfield, 72 – Final – The Hornets took all the points in three races, junior Amanda Mangano continued her strong season with a pair of wins, and junior Maggie Riley shaved three seconds off to run a PR in the mile to help earn the Hornets five points. Mansfield swept the 300M (Alexis Kyanda, Mikaela Maughn, Elizabeth Rowe), the 600M (Emily Penta, Charlotte Breef-Pilz, Erin Dooling), and the 1000M (Bryn Anderson, Valeree Buonora, Julia Miller). Mangano took first in the 55M dash (7.55) and the high jump (4-10.00). Riley’s PR was good enough for a first-place finish in the 1 Mile (5:43.36) with freshman Grace Fernandez taking third for the Hornets. Senior Julia Harrison competed in the long jump for the first time all season and took first for the Hornets (16-04.00). Attleboro freshman Kelly Neuendorf won the 2 Mile race (12:36.05) while junior Tianna Ridge (26-04.75) and senior Mackenzie Mammoli took first and second in the shot put for Big Blue.

Canton, 33 vs. Stoughton, 67 – Final – Stoughton swept both the high jump and the 55M hurdles on its way to a big win over Canton. Junior Cintia Khouzami (9.63), sophomore Rebecca Lally and freshman Katrina Billo took first, second and third, respectively, in the 55M hurdles while senior Rianna Rodrigues (4-08.00), junior Molly Turner and junior Divine Siam swept the high jump. Other first-place finishes for the Black Knights included senior Sarina Hutchinson (300M, 46.56 and 600M, 1:50.73), senior Katherine Howe (1000M, 3:31.11), and Khouzami (long jump, 14-09.75). Canton’s Chloe Pennacchio took first in the 1 Mile (6:01.71) and second in the 1000M, Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (29-05.00) and Jimisha Williams was first in the 55M dash (7.97). Maggie Dunn took second in the 600M (1:58.42) and Leah Murphy placed third in the 300M (48.77) for the Dogs.

Foxboro, 51 vs. Milford, 49 – Final – Foxboro took first in second in three events and swept the 600M to edge out Milford. Senior Christina Rogers (1:53.73) took first in the 600M while sophomores Caroline Cass and Olivia Simoneau took second and third, respectively. In the 1000M, Foxboro junior Lexi Quinn (who also won the 2 Mile race), took first (3:19.10) and sophomore Emily Steele took second. Senior Nicole Yeomans was first in the 1 Mile (6:00.87) with freshman Emma Dahl taking second. And in the shot put, sophomore Grace Groves took first (28-09.00) while classmate Ashelyn Moniz was second. Kelli McCarthy earned five points with a win in the high jump. For Milford, senior Aaidaliz Perez was first in the 55M dash (7.61), freshman Kerry O’Connor won the 300M (44.49), senior Christina Speliakos won the 55M hurdles (8.94), and Leanne Kibbe won the long jump (16-11.50).

Franklin, 66 vs. Oliver Ames, 34 – Final – The Panthers placed first in eight of the 12 events, sweeping both the shot put and the long jump. Seniors Sarah Goodermuth, Miranda Smith, and Allison Rizoli took first, second and third in the shot put while junior Lauren McGrath, senior Jess Kroushl, and senior Brianna Cummings swept the long jump. Kroushl also won both the 55M dash (7.43) and 300M (42.32) for the Panthers. Katherine Hartnett won the 600M, senior Nicole Clermont took first in the 1 Mile, junior Katrina Walbert won the 2 Mile, and junior Daniella Pierre won the 55M hurdles. Oliver Ames picked up wins from sophomore Abby Hodges (1000M) and junior Gabrielle McLaughlin (high jump).

King Philip, 45 vs. Taunton, 55 – Final – Taunton picked up a key nine points with a sweep of the shot put, and eight points from the long jump to edge out King Philip. Junior Annabella Chavez won the shot put (30-00.00) while seniors Ekua Boake-Mensah and Charlene McKinnon took second and third. Sophomore Victoria Gravel, who also won the 55M hurdles, took first in the long jump while senior Samantha Tichelaar, who also took first in the 300M, was second in the long jump. Other winners for Taunton included freshman Olivia Dias (600M), junior Maggie Sullivan (1 Mile), and eighth-grader Nia Mainer-Smith (2 Mile). King Philip picked up wins from senior Hannah Balunos (55M dash), sophomore Ally Stanton (1000M) and senior Abigail McKeown (high jump).

North Attleboro, 54 vs. Sharon, 46 – Final – North Attleboro won both relays to pick up a key win over division foe Sharon. Big Red received first-place finishes from senior Rachel LaBonte (600M), sophomore Catherine Hanewich (1000M), senior Angela Kaiser (2 Mile), junior Julia Mechlinski and (shot put). The Rocketeers also got key points from Celine Ibrahim (second, 300M), junior Stephanie Hawkins (second, 1 Mile and 2 Mile), junior Sabrina Hauer (second, 55M hurdles), senior Samantha Gaskin (second, high jump) and sophomore Lily Wetherbee (second, long jump). Sharon picked up first-place finishes from junior Veronica Wallace (55M dash), junior Avonia Herbert (300M), senior Maria Gieg (1 Mile), sophomore Jada Johnson (55M hurdles, high jump, and long jump).

Boys Swimming
King Philip, 104 @ Attleboro, 64 – Final
Canton, 66 @ Milford, 102 – Final
Taunton, 46 vs. Norton, 23 – Final

Girls Swimming
King Philip, 97 @ Attleboro, 73 – Final
Canton, 78 @ Milford, 92 – Final
Taunton, 45 vs. Norton, 49 – Final

Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro, 154.7 @ Burlington, 149.8 – Final

Rocketeers, Warriors Finish Level In Playoff Preview

North Attleboro boys soccer
North Attleboro’s Jeff Gale (left) and Foxboro’s Will Regan track down a loose ball in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
FOXBORO, Mass. – With the division title picture already wrapped up, Thursday night’s showdown between Foxboro and North Attleboro wasn’t about league standings, but instead a preview of what’s to come in the postseason.

The two teams traded a pair of second half goals, finishing level, 1-1, at Sam Berns Community Field.

In years past, North and Foxboro wouldn’t cross paths once the regular season ended. But the new alignments implemented this season have both Big Red and the Warriors in the Division 2 South tournament.

“Under the lights, on the turf, on a cold Fall night…that’s pretty much what we’re going to be seeing as we go forward in the tournament,” said North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess. “We’ll probably be on the road a good portion of us. So this was great mentally for us, especially to score first. If we can just find a little composure to close games out…the same thing happened on Tuesday [against Milford].”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro was fresh off a 1-1 draw on Tuesday against Canton. The Warriors had nearly a dozen scoring chances go begging in the second half against the Bulldogs.

The Warriors picked up right where they left off on Tuesday, even attacking the same goal. But unfortunately, it was more of the same. Foxboro continued to build offense and register chances, but failed to find the back of the net in the opening 40 minutes.

Just over five minutes in, sophomore Dylan Barreira’s flick put senior Matt Rongione in behind on the right flank, but his low service towards the back post went without a recipient and rolled just wide.

In the 15th minute, Ryan Kelley got in behind the defense and went alone at the keeper, but North’s Brendan Matracia came charging out of his net to make the sliding stop.

North’s first chance came just before the half hour mark. Senior Ryan Pasquel’s free kick just over half was batted around at the edge of the area before Zach Matracia got a shot off, but it went well over the bar.

Foxboro had back-to-back chances in the 31st and 32nd minutes. First, Barreira’s corner kick was met by Mike Moses’ header near the penalty spot and then left back Will Regan launched a shot from distance, but Matracia made comfortable saves on both bids.

“They dominated us in the first half, we had really nothing going on,” Burgess said. “I thought we had a better run in the second half, we decided to kind of sit and counter, which is our play usually. We noticed they were only defending with really four guys and I thought if we could get on the counter a few times we could create some opportunities, and we did.

“I thought we had some really good chances, I thought we should have had a PK – it was close. I give them credit, Barreira and [Shane] VandenBoom, those kids are great with those flicks and the through balls. And No. 15 [Nic Beigel] played an outstanding game, the defensive midfielder.“

North’s first chance on the counter came in the 55th minute when outside midfielder Josh Rodriguez sprinted onto possession near the top of the box. Rodriguez cut back to create some space but his shot was partially blocked and Foxboro keeper Bobby Harrison came up with the stop on the bounce.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Just a minute later, the Rocketeers had a shout for a penalty when sophomore James Sales played Jeff Gale into the the area, but Ryan Kelley’s tackle got just enough of the ball to allow for an easy stop by Harrison.

Big Red finally broke through in the 67th minute after earning a free kick close to the corner on the left flank. Noah Barney dished a low service into the area that was touched by Zach Matracia back to Sales right in front for the easy tap in and a 1-0 lead.

Foxboro nearly responded immediately in the 68th minute when Beigel and Kelly combined atop the area, the former ripping a low shot that clanked off the left post and right back into the grasp of Matracia.

But Foxboro continued to apply the pressure and broke through in the 71st minute. Once again, Beigel and Kelley combined, sending Beigel into the area. But before the junior could unleash a shot, North’s Andrew Fontaine came through with a great tackle.

The ball rolled right to junior Hussein Kafel and he tucked his shot in at the back post to bring the Warriors level.

“We just really didn’t get a lot of our offense going,” Burgess said. “We tried to possess but they are very physical and that kind of takes you out of your game and I they got into our heads a little bit. Every time we went into a challenge, we started looking for them and instead of watching for the ball, we’re looking for the Foxboro kid.

“That back line is all seniors,” Burgess added. “And then sitting in front of them, Sales and Pasquel, are the keys. Sales is only a sophomore and he doesn’t get a lot of credit. He’s really solid back there. If I can get him to sit a bit deeper and play a little wiser, no one is going to get behind us. That 4-3-2-1 counter-attacking style, and those two guys really protect Kevin [Aguilar] and Andrew [Fontaine] in the center. We don’t make a lot of mistakes, we just had one really bad games where we laid an egg. Brendan Matracia had about six or seven great saves, stopped a couple breakaways.”

Foxboro finishes the season at 10-4-4 overall, and 8-4-4 in league play. Seeds for the tournament will be released on Wednesday.

North Attleboro boys soccer finishes its league record at 9-1-6 and its first-ever Davenport division title, which it clinched with a win on the road at Milford on Tuesday. The Rocketeers (10-1-6 overall) will wrap up its season at home in a non-league clash with Attleboro in the annual Leach and Garner Cup.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/13/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

King Philip, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton junior Griffin Roach scored a pair of goals to lead the Bulldogs to a big win over visiting King Philip. Roach scored the opening goal in the 17th minute after a shot from Avery Minkin was deflected. In the second half, Roach doubled the lead when his shot from just inside the area was deflected into the top corner. KP scored in the 73rd minute when sophomore Brian McCarthy’s cross was headed home at the far post by senior Jack Bush.

Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s Ryan Kelley had a hand in both of the Warriors goals, recording a goal and an assist in the win. Kelley scored the opener inside the first five minutes, smashing home a rebound on a shot from Cam Cass. Early in the second half, Kelley played Nic Beigel in, who finished his chance to make it 2-0. Franklin responded within five minutes to cut the deficit in half but Foxboro held on for two points.

Mansfield, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield netted a pair of second half goals and senior Nick Ferraz made six saves to record his second shutout of the season. Cullin Anastasia put the visitors on the board midway through the second half by converting a penalty kick. Sam Hyland doubled the Hornets’ lead five minutes later when he finished off a corner kick from Luke Savoie.

Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 1 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks netted the only goal of the game midway through the first half to earn their first win of the season. Junior Tiago Filadelfo nodded home a free kick service from sophomore Jordan Borges for his first career goal. Like Capobianco recorded the clean sheet in net for the Hawks. Milford head coach Brian Edwards said Leo Coelho had a strong game for the Hawks in midfield.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro got off to a great start, opening the scoring inside the first two minutes but Oliver Ames battled back to level the match before halftime, and that’s how it would finish. North Attleboro sophomore Dylan Corrigan scored his first career goal, finishing a pass from senior Josh Rodriguez. Head coach Geoff Burgess credited Joe Hilf with starting the counter attack that led to the goal. OA scored in the 33rd minute when senior Mason Galbato opened his 2017 account, finishing off a long throw with Nathaniel Cardoza assisting. OAHS head coach John Barata noted both Cam Vella and Chris Lawrence played great in the back for the Tigers.

Girls Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – The Bombardiers made it two wins in a row with what head coach Steve Santos called, “a great team win.” Freshmen Briley Harnois and Isabella Salviati scored for Attleboro to open a 2-0 lead at halftime. Sharon got one back from Ally Filipkowski before Hannah Meier sealed the points with Attleboro’s third. Santos said that Kara Thornton did a great job marking Filipkowski and praised the defensive effort of his captains Jordyn Forte, Morgan Laplume, and Julia Hayes.

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Chloe Layne had a goal and an assist for the Warriors, who continue the unbeaten start to the season. Ally Stanton opened the scoring in the ninth minute and the score stayed 1-0 until eight minutes after the break when Avery Snead finished a Layne pass to double the lead. Ten minutes later, Layne got her goal from a Jenna Hitchen cross to wrap up the scoring. Emma Durant made two saves for KP and Warriors coach Gary Pichel said that the back line of Emma Corcoran, Olivia Berry, Lauren Anderson, and Kyliegh Remmis “were unbeatable today.”

Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – In an even game, in which both teams had good scoring opportunities, the Panthers earned all two points thanks to a goal in the final minute by Calen Frongillo, assisted by Anna Balkus. A minute before the Franklin goal, the Warriors had a scoring chance of their own but were denied by a diving Cat Robbins save.

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Cassidy McMahon continued her strong start to the season with two goals and two assists to lead the Hornets to their third win of the season. Stephanie Kemp added a brace for Mansfield, which also got goals from Allison and Melissa Reef.

Milford, 2 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Milford picked up its first win of the season behind goals from Juliana France (assisted by Maddy Boyle) and Hannah Martin (assisted by Kristina Chiarelli). Samantha Tichelaar scored the lone goal for the Tigers and Grace Pimenta made 10 saves.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Field Hockey
Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames took a 2-1 lead before the halftime break and that was enough, with goalie Tigers’ Caitlin Grant recording eight saves in the win. Meaghan Rockey and Sarah Stevens each found the back of the net, both on assists from Cristina Boudreau. Franklin junior Ashley Reutlinger’s first goal of the season, on an assist from Cassi Ronan, tied the game in the first half before OA retook the lead. OA head coach Abby Tepper said Grant “played amazing in net” and also praised the defensive play of Sarah Tetrault.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final

King Philip, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – King Philip earned a sweep on the road, beating Canton 25-18, 25-13, 25-13. Reigning Hockomock League MVP Sydney Phillips led the Warriors’ charge with 18 kills while Michaela Palumbo added nine kills and Grace Ely chipped in with seven kills. Elise Pereira (seven digs) and Julianne Rando (six digs) paced KP’s defense. For Canton, Sophia Connor had a strong all-around game, hitting .429 with 10 digs and 2 aces. Taylor Harris added four aces, two kills and two blocks for the Bulldogs.

Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Franklin picked up its second straight sweep, this time on the road at Foxboro. Riley Marino had 11 serve receptions, seven digs and three aces for the Panthers while FHS head coach Kate Horsmann said Lauren Lockhart had another smart hitting match, finishing with eight kills. Maggie Doyle added four kills, two blocks and an ace in the win.

Mansfield, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton defended its home court with a big win over Mansfield, recording a 25-3, 25-9, 28-26 sweep of the Hornets. Junior Molly Turner had a great all around game for the Knights with 13 assists, four blocks and 25 service points. Senior Val Whalen led the Stoughton offense with 15 kills. “We started strong and kept up a great defensive game to hold off the Hornets in the third set,” said SHS head coach Erica Batchelder.

Taunton, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton notched its first win of the season, holding off the Hawks in the third set to earn a 25-18, 25-19, 28-26 sweep. Sam Reaume led Taunton with 10 digs, seven kills, two blocks and an ace while Kayli Fagan finished with 20 assists, three kills, two assists and a block. THS head coach Toby Chaperon said Rawan Hamie and Sam Martin provided a spark up front and at the service line, and praised the defensive play of McKenzie Lucie, Jaime Brown and Elaine Bodemer.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro earned its third win of the season, and first sweep, fending off Oliver Ames with a 25-15, 25-22, 26-24 win. Amelia Murphy had a strong game for the Rocketeers with nine kills and four aces while Kezie De La Cru added eight kills and two aces. OA sophomore Jordyn Vella had four kills, two blocks and three aces for the Tigers.

Golf
Taunton, 191 @ Franklin, 164 – Final

Foxboro, 225 @ Sharon, 227 – Final

Canton, 152 @ Stoughton, 185 – Final – Canton’s Joey Vaughan and Danny Powers shared match medalist honors, each carding a low-round of 37 to lead the Bulldogs to their second win in as many days. Jack Goyetch and Chris Lavoie each chipped in with rounds of 39. Stoughton’s Brendan Campbell had a team-low round of 42.

King Philip, 161 @ North Attleboro, 156 – Final – Dylan Kane and Marcus Costa each carded rounds under 40 to lad the Rocketeers to a close win over KP. Kane shot a 36 while Costa carded a round of 38 in the win.

Cross Country
Canton @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Boys Soccer: 2017 Davenport Division Preview

2017 Davenport Division Preview
Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017 Davenport Boys Soccer Preview

Canton

2016 Record: 8-7-5
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Danny Erickson

After playing a good handful of juniors and sophomores during the 2016 season, the Bulldogs look to be an experienced group heading into this year. Leading the way will be senior and two-time captain Jake Verille, who leads the Bulldogs from the middle of the pitch. Fellow captain Abe Garber is back for another year in net and senior captain John Agnitti with anchor the defensive line.

Verille, a HockomockSports.com Best XI selection last season, has been one of the top playmakers the past two years. On top of Verille’s offensive ability, Canton also returns junior Paul Corcoran – the team’s leading scorer (nine goals) and the HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year. Alongside Corcoran, the Bulldogs have a slew of juniors with varsity experience including Griffin Roach, Simon Cruz, Paulo Ruggeri and Avery Minkin that will all factor into the attack.

“We are confident that we will be able to keep the ball and attack this year,” said Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “The chances should be created, but we will need to finish. We will also need to defend as a group of 11 MUCH better than we did last season.”

Foxboro

2016 Record: 6-9-4
2016 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Joe Franchino

After graduating just five seniors last season, head coach Joe Franchino brings back the majority of squad that had just one loss in its last eight regular season games in 2016. However, two of those five players – Anthony Barreira (two-time Best XI selection) & AJ Bubencik (now playing at Mass. Maritime) – were four year players and will be tough to replace.

The good news is that while the Warriors were young a year ago, a good portion of the team has at least a season of varsity experience under its belt. Senior captain Shawn McNamara, now in his fourth year starting for the Warriors, will lead the way along with fellow captains Matt Rongione and Ryan Kelley. Senior Cam Cass also has plenty of experience and will be relied upon as a playmaker. Junior Shane Vandenboom had a strong sophomore season and will be an important piece in the midfield along classmate Nic Beigel and senior Hussiein Kafel.

Seniors Bobby Harrison will be the starting goalie for the Warriors.

“Coming into my third year, I am confident the team has bought into the system and I’m really looking forward to see how they compete,” Franchino said. “We have experienced senior and junior classes with a couple of sophomores to watch out for. We may not have a target on our back but when it’s all said and done, I believe we have the team to win! I believe in this group and really excited to see what they accomplish.”

Milford

2016 Record: 4-10-4
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Brian Edwards

The Scarlet Hawks are looking to take the next step in year two with Brian Edwards at the helm. After just four wins a season ago, Edwards is hoping that the experience gained by his younger players will translate into more success this time around.

Midfielder Andre Oliveira will be a key piece for Edwards and the Scarlet Hawks, helping both the offense and defense. Oliveira’s ability to transition from defense to offense will be key for the Scarlet Hawks this season. On the defensive side of the ball, senior Jacob Balzarini is back in the center of the defense. After getting plenty of time in that spot last season, Balzarini will be the anchor of the backline this year. On top of Oliveira and Balzaini, Edwards is looking for new players to step up and make an impact.

“I’m looking for us to be a team that stresses balance,” Edwards said. “I am hopeful that the experience many of these guys gained last year translates into more success in the standings. I am also excited to see what the new guys bring to the squad. There are a bunch of hungry young players that want to make their mark on this team and in this league.”

North Attleboro

2016 Record: 2-10-6
2016 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Geoff Burgess

North Attleboro boasts over a dozen seniors on the 2017 version of the Red Rocketeers and head coach Geoff Burgess is hoping that experience will translate into success on the field.

Leading the way will be senior and 2016 HockomockSports.com Second XI selection Gabe Pinhancos, who has been Big Red’s field general for the past couple of seasons. Josh Rodriguez and Ryan Pasquel are also back this season to help bolster the midfield. Junior Joe Hilf and senior Jeff Gale will be relied upon to pace North Attleboro’s offense.

Big Red’s biggest strength could be in the back, having a defensive unit with plenty of experience. Noah Barney and Zach Matracia both saw significant time and will be joined by classmates Andrew Fontaine and Kevin Aguilar. That defensive unit will be in front of senior goalie Brendan Matracia.

“I am hoping that we are going to be a team on the rise this year,” said Burgess. “I have a strong senior class and we’ve had a good summer and an even better preseason.”

Sharon

2016 Record: 11-4-4 (Davenport Division Champions)
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round
Coach: Bryan Kelly

The defending Davenport division champs will boast a large senior class (14) but will also rely on some younger players as they look to win back-to-back Hock titles.

The Eagles’ tri-captains will provide leadership in each part of the pitch, with senior center back Shubo Roy-Chowdury on the back line, senior Tyler Hippler leading the midfield and senior Spencer Hall up front. Sharon’s attack will bolstered by seniors Marques Benton and Andy Reyes-Jones, who both saw plenty of time up top a year ago. Meanwhile, sophomore Michael Baur is back after a standout freshman season and classmates Isaiah Stessman, Brian Higgins and freshman Brice Nathan will all play a role in helping the Eagles go forward.

Maybe the biggest advantage the Eagles have is returning keeper Ethan Kantor. The junior had a terrific season in net a year ago and will be the backbone of the team’s defense.

“With a solid defense that is smart and has speed, we should be able to keep up with fast offenses while not losing the capability to support a potent offense,” said SHS head coach Bryan Kelly. “Overall, we are solid from goal to forwards, it just depends on if we can put the ball in the back of the net.”

Stoughton

2016 Record: 8-9-2
2016 Finish: Reached D2 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Chris Suchorski

Stoughton will be looking to make it back again to the postseason, this time under first-year head coach Chris Suchorski. The Black Knights just made it in a season ago but it marked the third straight year for the program.

Suchorski is tasked with replacing 12 seniors that graduated from last year’s team. However, all of the players he is returning all saw varsity time last season and that should soften the blow dealt by graduation. Senior Tyler Melo (six points) is back and will likely be a vital part of the Black Knights’ midfield and attack. Junior Fabio Ponce de Leon (six points) begins his third season on varsity and will once again be one the Black Knights’ top offensive options. Brian Peoples also returns as one of the team’s top playmakers.

The biggest question could come with the back four, as the Black Knights must find a replacement for 2016 Best XI selection Goddy Fombe, who anchored the back line the past two season the sweeper position.

Corcoran’s Brace Lifts Bulldogs To First Win

Canton boys soccer
Canton’s Jake Verille (11), Pat McLaughlin (4) and Paolo Ruggeri (right) celebrate with Paul Corcoran (second from right) after his opening goal. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
CANTON, Mass – After two straight away games to open the 2016 season, the Canton Bulldogs were ripe for some home cooking.

Canton was on the front foot from the opening whistle in its home opener at World War II Veterans Memorial Field on Tuesday night and walked away with its first win of the season, a 2-0 decision over North Attleboro.

“This team is filled with a lot of veterans from last year’s team and I think we played pretty well on our first two games on the road and didn’t get any results,” Canton head coach Danny Erickson said. “I think our guys were just very excited to get out on our home field today and get into the Davenport and see what we could do.”

The Bulldogs were in control for the first 10 minutes of the match, putting constant pressure on North’s midfield and backline but couldn’t test North goalie Shawn Watters. North had the first shot on goal in the 12th minute off a shot from Leo Charlebois but Canton goalie Abe Garber made a comfortable save.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

In the 16th minute, Canton kept its pressure up and it paid off. John Agnitti launched a service into the area after a short throw and his cross was met by a charging header from Griffin Roach but Watters was up to the task, pushing it down. North’s defense was unable to get a clean clearance and the loose ball fell to the center of the area where junior Jake Verille uncorked a shot but once again Watters made a terrific save.

The loose ball fell to the feet of an open Paul Corcoran and the sophomore was able to tuck his shot inside the near post for opening goal of the season and the Bulldogs’ first of the season.

“It was 15 minutes into the game but I thought we could have scored five before that,” Erickson said. “I thought we were really on the front foot. The thing about soccer, if we don’t score there, you really don’t know what’s going to happen in that game. It really sets the rest of the game up for us. North Attleboro played very steady so kudos to them but I thought we had the better of the play tonight.”

North’s best chance of the half came in the 28th minute after a deflected throw in fell to the center of the area but Gabe Pinhancos’ strike fired right over the bar.

Canton took a 1-0 lead into halftime but it didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to double to advantage when the second half started.

Inside the first minute, Garber’s punt was flicked on at midfield by Simon Cruz but Watters came off his line and covered before Canton could pounce. But a minute later, Verille took possession at midfield and sent a through ball that found Corcoran in behind the defense. The sophomore calmly slid his shot into the net for his second goal and to make it 2-0.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“That’s part of our motto here, part of our key moments. We preach the first and last five minutes of each half. If you can’t play well in the first five minutes of each half or the last five, you’re not going to win your games,” Erickson said. “We went to KP last week, played a great first half 0-0 and then came out gave them a goal two minutes into the second half and that was it. We came out tonight, up 1-0, and we want that goal badly and we got it and I thought that put us in control of the game.”

North Attleboro got its offense in gear over the final 20 minutes of the game. Josh Rodriguez beat a pair of defenders but his cross went unanswered as it skipped through the area. In the 72nd minute, Pinhancos played Rodriguez along the wing and his cross was met by a touch from Charlebois, but Garber dove to his right and palmed the shot out.

“It’s the Canton formula, they win every ball in the air and then boom it over the top of the defense and wait until the backline falls asleep and it kills us every time,” North Attleboro head coach Geoff Burgess said. “Once they got the second goal and sat back a little bit, we actually found ourselves on the ball and we looked fantastic. The last 20 minutes , that’s the time I was hoping would have showed up in the first half but at that point, the game was already over. We’ll figure them out though and we will get a chance to see them again.”

Canton boys soccer improves to 1-2 on the season, both overall and in league play. The Bulldogs are back in action on Saturday as they host Milford in the opener of a doubleheader with the girls to follow. North Attleboro (1-2-1, 1-2-1) will try to bounce back on Thursday in a non-league affair with KP before hosting Sharon on Friday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Boys Soccer: 2016 Davenport Division Preview

2016 Davenport Boys Soccer Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2016 Davenport Boys Soccer Preview

Canton

2015 Record: 3-10-4
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Danny Erickson

For the first time in a decade, the Bulldogs missed out on the postseason last year but with a large group of experienced players returning, the 2016 team is looking to start a new playoff streak. Canton graduated just two starters from last year’s team and looks to be in the mix for the Davenport division title this season.

Canton will look to its four captains for guidance with the quartet spread out nicely on the field. Junior Jake Verille and senior Ben Waterhouse will bring skills and versatility to the midfield. Senior Danny Hartnett is experienced and will anchor the back line while classmate Sammy Papakonstantino will be relied upon to be a catalyst up top for the Bulldogs.

“We think we have the technical ability this fall to play some good soccer,” head coach Danny Erickson said. “We were competitive last Fall but couldn’t figure out how to get the ball in the back of the net and get a result. I’m confident that we are ready to take the next step and see the positive results come this Fall.”

Erickson added there is a battle for the starting goalie spot right now between senior Sean Mitchell and junior Abe Garber.

Foxboro

2015 Record: 15-2-3
2015 Finish: Reached D3 South Semifinal
Coach: Joe Franchino

It will be far from easy for Foxboro to replace the 2015 HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Devante Teixeira (20 goals, 16 assists), who graduated, and two-time league all star Joe Morrison (eight goals, 15 assists), now playing full-time with his academy team. But senior Anthony Barreira (18 goals, 12 assists) is back for his fourth year on varsity and the Warriors get former league all star Jeff Melo back to bolster the back line, which will make the transition easier.

Barreira is set to be a top striker in the league and Melo showed during his sophomore year that he can be one of the best defenders in the area. AJ Bubencik’s conversion from a defender to a midfielder will be key for the Warriors this season as well. Sophomore Nic Beigel had a great rookie campaign and will be a key piece for Foxboro this season along with juniors Shawn McNamara and Ryan Kelley. Aaron Wentling and Bobby Harrison will fight for the starting spot in net this season.

“We are not the same team as last year but the quality is still here and my expectations are to win games,” head coach Joe Franchino said.

Milford

2015 Record: 4-13-1
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Brian Edwards

Milford had a strong debut when it joined the Hockomock League in 2013 but were able to capture just seven league wins over the past two years. Brian Edwards has taken over at the helm of the Scarlet Hawks and is looking for a bounce back season in his first year.

The Scarlet Hawks will be relying upon its three captains to make the turnaround. Senior Marcello Panno is one of the most versatile players in the league with Edwards referring to him as a ‘swiss army knife.’ Edwards expects Panno to play roles both offensively and defensively. Defensively, senior Danny Mendoza is going to be tasked with handling top strikers from around the league. Edwards credited Mendoza’s work rate and his ability to make those around him better. Junior Andre Oliveira will be a major part of Milford’s attack this season. Oliveira will be one to watch, especially on the counter attack.

“We expect to see a focus on technical skill and ball movement as opposed to direct play,” Edwards said. “This is an attack which will be geared towards moving the ball in tight spaces against high pressure.”

Edwards also noted the team will focus on a team defensive effort, with an effort to deny opponents space in the final third.

North Attleboro

2015 Record: 1-14-3
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Geoff Burgess

After a rough couple of years, the North Attleboro Rocketeers are hoping a switch to the Davenport Division could be the perfect platform to launch a turnaround. With a good amount of players that saw either starting minutes or valuable time off of the bench back, the Rocketeers will look to ramp up their play, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Juniors Noah Barney and Zach Matracia saw a lot of minutes as outside backs last year and will look to bring that experience back this year. Senior John Brennan will try to anchor the back line from the center of the pitch while the Rocketeers look to find the right fit in the middle to complete the defense. Junior Brendan Matracia will occupy the goalkeeper spot with a good amount of minutes played from his sophomore year under his belt.

“We have gone from being young and green to being a group of seasoned varsity players,” head coach Geoff Burgess said. “It should be a resurgence for the program.”

Offensively, senior captains Leo Charlebois and Conor Danahey will be two of the main options up top. Burgess noted that junior Josh Rodriguez had a strong summer and will be a playmaker this year. In the middle of the pitch, junior Gabe Pinhancos will be complemented by classmate Ryan Pasquel and sophomore Marcus Costa.

Sharon

2015 Record: 10-7-1
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Second Round
Coach: Bryan Kelly

Even though Sharon lost a strong group to graduation, the Eagles are relying on a new crop of seniors to lead them in 2016. The Eagles also expect to get contributions from juniors, sophomores and freshmen in different areas of the field.

Senior captains Ian Camilli and Shali Patel will lead from the heart of the field at center midfield while fellow captain Benjamin Stamm will be a viable attacking option. Sophomore Ethan Kantor will take over the starting job for Andrew Filipkowski, a 2015 HockomockSports.com Best XI selection that graduated. Shubojit Roy-Chowdhury will be the anchor of the back line as a center defender. Head coach Bryan Kelly is looking for breakout seasons from Oliver Hu, Jacob Tevin, Jeremy Cabral, Marques Benton Jr., Spencer Hall, Andrew Reyes-Jones and Michael Baur.

“[On top of our seniors and juniors] there will be several sophomores and freshman called up throughout the season who will only add to the strength of the team,” Kelly said.

Stoughton

2015 Record: 9-8-3
2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Second Round
Coach: Aaron Salter

After another successful campaign, the Black Knights are hoping to push their postseason streak to three straight years. Stoughton will face the challenge of graduating seven seniors, including some key pieces from each part of the field, but there the group of returning players should give the Black Knights plenty of optimism.

Stoughton has scored over 30 goals in back to back seasons (38 in 2014, 31 in 2015) and will look to make their offense a strong suit again this year. The Black Knights are returning three of their top four scorers, including sophomore Fabio Ponce De Leon (eight goals, two assists), Jordan Asnes (five goals, five assists) and Loubensky Lucas (five goals, one assist). Lucas has been finding the back of the net for three years and head coach Aaron Salter notes he’s had a strong preseason thus far.

“I felt last year we didn’t kill off enough games and left teams with life still in them,” Salter said. “This year we will be hoping to close out games much easier.”

Defensively, the Black Knights are hoping experience will help anchor the back line. Tyler Melo will be a factor in the midfield while Goddy Fombe and Noah Schulze both emerged as strong options on defense last season. Salter admitted there were players in new spots last year but now with a year under their belts, they have developed the awareness and look strong in the preseason.