North sophomore catcher Aidan Conrad puts the tag on Justin Brown to get an out in the second inning of North’s 11-1 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – With North Attleboro ace Dennis Colleran toeing the rubber, the Rocketeers know that they typically won’t need a lot of offense to pick up a victory. On Tuesday night under the lights at Community Field, North left no doubt as it racked up double-digit runs for the third straight game.
The Rocketeers scored four times in the first and nine runs through the opening three innings, while Colleran continued his dominant senior season on the mound, to beat Sharon 11-1 in six innings and move back into a first place tie with Oliver Ames atop the Davenport division.
“We’ve been swinging the bats well lately,” said North Attleboro coach Mike Hart. “I think we, like a lot of teams, are finally getting our timing down and getting better at the plate. It was good to be aggressive out there and get some hits early.”
Colleran tossed a perfect top of the first, helped in large part by a diving catch in left by Christian Bates on a sinking liner, robbing Nate Yaffe of a leadoff hit.
North broke the game open in the bottom half. Jared Penta got things started off Sharon starter Dylan Labbe, drilling a double into the stands in left center. Danny Curran and Derek Maceda drew back-to-back walks to load the bases. A wild pitch scored Penta and then Gavin Wells belted a three-run homer into the stands, the first of his career, for a quick 4-0 lead.
Despite facing arguably the league’s best pitcher, Sharon wasn’t giving away at bats and nearly got a run back in the second. Justin Brown reached on an error to start the inning. He stole second and went to third on a passed ball. Wells came up with a big defensive play, grabbing Elliott Pototsky’s grounder and cutting down the runner at home. Pototsky made it to third but third baseman Aidan Weir laid out to grab a soft liner in foul territory to end the threat.
“We really didn’t give him any easy innings,” said first-year Sharon coach Andrew Poliferno. “We made hime work and obviously we knew who we were up against and we knew it was an uphill battle, he’s an excellent pitcher, and we just wanted to battle every inning and make it hard for him and for North. That was our goal and I think we accomplished that.”
After getting out a jam, North went back to work at the plate against Sharon reliever Daniel Fishman. Aidan Conrad singled and stole second, Justin Vecchiarelli walked, and Penta brought in one with a single to center. Curran followed with an RBI single of his own and then Maceda brought in one with a sac fly to left.
Colleran, a Northeastern-commit, seemed to be getting stronger as the game went along. He struck out the side in the third, narrowly missing out on an immaculate inning. The Rocketeers added two more in the bottom of the third, Conrad bringing in Tyler Bannon with a single and then came around to score on a groundout by Vecchiarelli.
JD Rittenberg got Sharon’s first hit of the game, as he dropped a single into right with one out. It ended Colleran’s no-hit streak at 10-1/3 innings over three starts.
North put itself in position to win the game with a run in the bottom of the inning. Bannon brought in Weir with a two-out single to right and it was 10-0. The Eagles could’ve closed up shop for the night, but instead took advantage of some North miscues to get on the board in the fifth. Ben Bouchard reached on an error and was replaced by a courtesy runner. Colby Lentell made it count with an RBI-groundout to extend the game.
“Our positive energy stayed with us,” Poliferno noted, “and I said to the guys that we didn’t dip as the game started to slip away early on. We stayed positive and we kept the energy up and we just kept battling every inning and I think that speaks volumes about the team.”
Rittenberg would get his second hit of the day, this time an infield single to deep short, but Colleran closed out the sixth with his second strikeout of the inning and 10th of the night.
“Dennis has really worked hard,” said Hart. “He’s put in a lot of work to get his velocity up there. It’s not every year that you have someone that’s throwing in the low- to mid-90s consistently. I thought they did a decent job, some of their guys were on the fastball too and ready to hit, but he does have a couple of pitches to complement the fastball and that can get some guys out.”
Joe Hartnett reached on an error to start the bottom of the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a Bannon grounder. With two down, Nik Kojoian crushed a line drive into the gap in right center for a walk-off win.
North Attleboro (8-5, 7-2) and Sharon (3-10, 2-7) will face off again on Wednesday afternoon at Community Field. North knows that a win will clinch at least a share of the league title and then the Rocketeers will wait for the result of OA’s game with Stoughton on Friday to determine if they it is a shared title or they win it outright.
“Any time you get the chance to play for the league title it’s great, regardless of what this season has been and what it is,” Hart explained. “We’re here to compete and we’ve got the opportunity, so we’re going to do that and take what comes with it.”
Baseball
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – King Philip took a lead on three different occasions, the final time coming in the sixth inning and that one held as the Warriors scored a win on the road. KP took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Eli Reed walked, stole second and scored on a single by Shawn Lagere but Attleboro answered with a run in the bottom half, Owen Taber coming around to score after a leadoff walk. In the top of the fourth, Lagere singles again and scored on a triple from Grayden Lawrence for a 2-1 lead, but the Bombardiers once again answered. This time in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run from Jake Gorman to make it 2-2. KP pushed across the winning run in the sixth as Conor Cooke drew a walk and eventually scored on a sac fly from Mikey Malatesta.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Christian Papasodero came in to strike out the final batter of the game, earning the save, and a big win for OA. The victory keeps the Tigers just one back of North Attleboro in the win column heading into the final three games of the season. Nick Clark picked up the win for OA, going 6-2/3 innings and giving up four hits and three runs and striking out six. Jadon Ricci and Patrick Finnerty each went 2-for-4 with two runs scored to spark the OA offense. Jake Waxman, Nate Carpentier, and Nate Fulford each drove in a run.
North Attleboro, 12 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – North Attleboro jumped out to a 10-1 lead through five innings and then held off a late Foxboro rally to secure the win, moving half a game ahead of Oliver Ames in the Davenport title race. Danny Curran went 5-1/3 innings with eight strikeouts, allowing three runs, to pick up the win. Joe Hartnett went 1-2/3 innings of relief, allowing only three unearned runs. Curran also helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-4. Gavin Wells also went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while the bottom third of the order came up big for the Rocketeers. The 7-8-9 hitters accounted for six hits, five runs scored, and seven RBI. Tyler Bannon and Aidan Conrad each went 2-for-4, with two RBI and two runs and Justin Vecchiarelli went 2-for-2 with three RBI. Ryan LeClair, Jack Watts, and Sean O’Leary each had two hits for the Warriors and accounted for four of Foxboro’s six runs.
Sharon, 1 @ Stoughton, 16 – Final (5 Inn.) – Stoughton had its best offensive day of the season, exploding for 16 runs on 15 hits in a win over visiting Sharon. The Black Knights scored in each of the five innings with Ben Zola (two hits, two runs) setting the pace from the leadoff spot. Kyle Doolin had a pair of walks, two runs, and an RBI, Jake Queeney added two runs, one walk, and one RBI, and Jonah Ly chipped in with two runs and three RBI in the win. A day after coming up with a clutch two-out hit to force extras, Brandon Mantilla-Mercado had two hits and drove in four runs. Freshman Hunter Malkin earned his first career win on the mound, allowing one run on four hits and three walks, striking out five in five innings.
Foxboro, 4 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – For the first time in program history, North Attleboro has repeated as league champion. The Rocketeers clinched the outright Davenport crown after sweeping the home-and-home with the Warriors. Foxboro made it tough, leading 2-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth, but the North offense exploded for five runs to grab the lead for good. Emily Nardelli’s two-run homer tied the game and Kelly Colleran put North in front with a solo shot. Colleran added her fourth homer in two days when she knocked one out in the sixth and also picked up the win in the circle, striking out eight. Colleran and Zoey McDonough each finished with three hits and Belle Clarkin had two hits for North. Morgan Sylvestre had a homer for the Warriors.
Franklin, 4 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield won for the third straight time and moved within a game of .500 on the season. The Hornets scored the winner in the bottom of the sixth, after Franklin had rallied from three runs down to tie it. Ashlyn Conley (3-for-3) doubled and then came around to score on a Nicole Kobasa (2-for-3) single. In addition to driving in the winning run, Kobasa also came up big in right field, throwing out a pair of runners at first. Franklin jumped in front in the second, but Mansfield scored three in the fourth inning to lead 3-1. Casey Moussette (2-for-3) started it with a single, Molly Kucharski reached on a fielder’s choice, Conley singled, and another fielder’s choice from Kobasa scored the first run. Abby DeCoste (2-for-3) tripled to score one and then came around when the throw got away. The Hornets tacked on a run in the fifth on a walk by Jill Koppy, a stolen base, and then an RBI-single from Moussette. Live Madeira also had a hit for Mansfield.
Canton, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Canton grabbed the lead, scoring four of its five runs in the top of the third, but the Tigers rallied, answering back with two in the bottom half, three in the fourth, and then a big insurance run in the sixth. Katie Melendy went the distance in the circle to pick up the win. Offensively, Maddie Homer (2-for-3, three runs, and three steals), Emma Varella (2-for-3, three runs scored), and Taylor Lake (2-for-3, two runs, and two RBI) each had a pair of hits. Grace Simone drove in a pair and Caitlin Miller added one RBI. Amanda Vrabel went 3-for-3 for the Bulldogs and drove in a pair of runs. Ellie Bohane added three hits and scored twice, while Taylor Reynolds went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Liz Bickett and Steph Trendell made two great plays in the field for Canton.
Stoughton, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Nicole Baker allowed eight hits and struck out 11 in a complete game win that moves the Black Knights into a tie with Foxboro for second in the Davenport division. Stoughton had 18 hits as a team, including a 4-for-4 game from Julia Driscoll. Sydney Menz went 3-for-5 with two triples and Melody Casna went 3-for-5 with a two-run homer. Alyssa Edwards and Baker also had multiple hits in the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:45
Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final – Jake Manthous and Ross Carroll had the goals for OA.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro, 6:00
Stoughton, 1 @ Sharon, 10 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 14 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – KP won its fifth straight and got to 10 wins on the season. The Warriors used a balanced attack with two players accounting for five points, Julia Marsden and Morgan Cunningham, and two accounting for four points, Lily Brown and Haley Izydorczak.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 19 – Final – Paige Curran (two assists) and Lilly Vey each scored four goals, as Foxboro swept a two-day series with North Attleboro and, in the process, clinched the outright Davenport division title for the ninth straight season. The Warriors continue to fire on all cylinders offensively, with eight different players finding the back of the net. Mya and Ella Waryas each scored three times and assisted on another. Kate Collins scored twice, while Mary Collins had a goal and two assists and Dylan Rappoli had a goal and an assist. Val Beigel added a goal. Maddie Maher had another strong game in goal for the Warriors, making seven saves.
Franklin, 23 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Franklin secured at least a share of its eighth straight league title, beating Mansfield for the second time in as many days, and extending its lengthy league win streak by another game. Katie Jones powered the Panthers with six goals and an assist, but Franklin showed off its balance on offense. Jackie O’Neil scored four times and assisted on another and Stella Regan scored twice and had five assists. Jamie Tanner had a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Lindsay Atkinson had a strong game in the Franklin midfield, winning 10 draws.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets and that was enough for a 3-2 win over visiting Attleboro. Nick Putney (first singles) and Jon Cohen (third singles) both won without dropping a game while Brady Jannell scored a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles. The Bombardiers won both doubles matches with Alejandro Jimenez and Kevin Rebelo taking a 6-4, 6-3 win at first doubles and freshmen Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio secured a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 win at second doubles.
Canton, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Canton kept alive its hopes of sharing the league title with a win at OA. Minh Duong battled cramps in a marathon match against Kylash Ganesh at first singles, but managed to pull out a win. He took the first set 6-4, lost 7-5 in the second, and won a third set tiebreaker 10-4 to grab the point for his team. Ethan Nguyen won 6-1, 7-5 at second singles and Elias Jabbour and Huy Hung won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles. In second doubles, Shawn Welch and Jackson Santos fell behind 5-2 in the first set but rallied to win 7-5 and then closed out the match with a 6-2 second set. Freshman Nick Westerbeke won OA’s lone point at third singles with a 6-2, 6-2 win.
Stoughton, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept doubles and won a pair of singles matches to stay unbeaten in the league and clinch at least a share of its second straight Davenport title. Ridhuik Neti and Deyan Kassev (first doubles) and Alex Budovaloev and Ben Levinson (second doubles) both won their matches 6-0, 6-1. Max Chen took his match at second singles by a score of 6-3, 6-4 and Matthew Lally won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles. Waseem Sabion grabbed Stoughton’s lone point, winning the first set 6-0 and then bouncing back from an 0-6 loss in the second to close out the match with 6-3 third set.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro kept up its pursuit of first-place Sharon with a sweep of Foxboro. The Rocketeers are two games back of the Eagles and will face them twice next week. Sam Gallagher (second singles), Will Folan (third singles), and the team of Brody Carter and David Marroquin each won their matches 6-0, 6-0. Jonah Manso won his match at first singles 6-3, 6-0 and the second doubles team of Niteesh Saravanan and Visruth Chavalam won 6-1, 7-5.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it a sweep of Attleboro to remain unbeaten and sealed at least a share of its fourth straight Kelley-Rex division title. Ahunna James and Shea Mellman (6-3, 6-0) and Resha Ajoy and Amanda Van Roon (6-1, 6-0) won their doubles matches in straight sets, as did Katarina Schneider (6-0, 6-2) at first singles. Sammie Taylor also won in straight sets at third singles, but had to battle in a second set tiebreaker before pulling out a 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) win. Mia Valencia lost her opening set to Lauren Anthony in a tiebreak but then won the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 to seal the fifth point for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – The first doubles team of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper won 6-3, 6-1 to earn OA its third point and to seal the first league win of the season for the Tigers. OA also got points from Mia Corradini at third singles and from Celine Souaidan and Courtney Lake at second doubles, both matches finishing 6-1, 6-0. Canton won the top two singles matches, as Rachel Kupferman didn’t lose a game in a straight sets win and Laura Correal won 6-2, 6-4 at second singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – The Warriors beat North Attleboro for the second time in as many days to remain unbeaten and clinch at least a share of the Davenport title for the first time since 2015. Athena Li continued her dominant rookie season, remaining unbeaten with a 6-0, 6-0 victory at first singles. Pam Nelson also won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Sarah Prag won 6-1, 6-1 to make it a clean sweep of singles. At first doubles, Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa battled with North’s Anoushka Banerjee and Julia Curran and pulled out a hard-fought, straight-sets win, 6-4, 7-6 (2). North’s point came at second doubles, as the team of Lauren Consentino and Kyna Shah won 6-0, 6-4.
Wrestling
Mansfield @ Canton, 4:00
Oliver Ames, 31 @ North Attleboro, 40 – Final – The dual meet came down to the final match, as Keysun Wise was able to hold off Jaden Hinton 6-4 at 285 to seal a win for the Rocketeers. North now moves one game up in the win column on Foxboro and sets up a final match with the Warriors to decide the Davenport title. Tanner Ferguson (113), Kyle Dumke (132), Ethan Smith (145), and Griffin Gouck (160) each had pins for North. Kyle Hardie remained unbeaten for the Tigers with a pin at 120, while Giovany Juste (170), Anthony Hoffman (182), and Onye Nwadiugwu (195) also had pins for OA.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Quincy, 0 – Final – Taunton swept Quincy in three sets (25-18, 25-20, 25-23). Tyler Stewart had another big match for the Tigers, leading the team with 17 kills but also adding three aces and seven digs. Faisal Mass chipped in with six kills and three blocks and Jakob Thorpe had eight kills and two blocks. Mattia Casagrande (six kills) and Colin McDougal (three kills) added to the Taunton offense, which was spearheaded by setter Daniel Medina, who finished with 36 assists. Travis Nunes had 12 digs and was a key in Taunton serve-receive game.
Baseball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 10 – Final – King Philip sophomore Rudy Gately dazzled on the mound, tossing a five-inning complete game shutout as the Warriors rolled to a big win at home. Gately allowed just two hits — a single followed by a double in the top of the third that put runners on second and third for the Bombardiers. But Gately responded by getting three straight strikeouts to end the threat; he finished the game with seven strikeouts and no walks. Shawn Lagere had a pair of walks and runs scored and drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth with a triple that ended the game. KP scored twice in the first (both reached on walks), once in the third (reached via walk), and then exploded for five in the fourth inning. Nick Viscusi had a pair of of base hits, a walk, and three runs, Conor Cooke added two singles and two runs, and Gately helped his cause with two hits, a walk, and a run.
Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – North Attleboro’s offense erupted for eight runs in the fourth inning and senior Dennis Colleran threw a five-inning no-hitter to help the Rocketeers secure an important division win. Jared Penta (3-for-3) singled, stole second and scored on a wild pitch in the first while Aidan Conrad launched a solo home run in the second for the Big Red. Justin Vecchiarelli had two hits in the fourth, including a two-run single while Aidan Weir played a stellar defensive game at third. Colleran had a walk and hit a batter in the first but finished by retiring 13 straight, striking out the side in the fifth (nine total strikeouts) to end the game.
Sharon, 3 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final (9 Inn.) – Stoughton forced extra innings with a two-out run in the bottom of the seventh and earned a walk off win with a bases-loaded walk in the ninth to earn a win over Sharon. Stoughton took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second on a base hit from Brady Conlin but Sharon responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 3-2, which held until the bottom of the seventh. Sharon nearly tacked on a run in the top of the seventh with a runner on third and one out but Jonah Ly made a spectacular diving grab in left field and doubled the runner at third to keep the deficit at one. Brandon Mantilla-Mercado came through with a two-out RBI single to right field to knot the game 3-3. In the bottom of the ninth, Ben Zola (two hits) had a one-out single, Brad Franey was hit by a pitch, and Mantilla-Mercado drew a walk to load the bases. Anthony Tilton (two hits) worked a walk on a full count for the walk off win. Conlin allowed three runs (one earned) in 6.1 innings of work, allowing seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Anthony Tilton got the win in relief with 2.2 shutout innings with one hit allowed and three strikeouts. For Sharon, Dylan Labbe allowed one earned run on six hits, striking out three in five innings. Justin Brown (triple) and Elliot Pototsky each had two hits and Nate Yaffe had a hit and two stolen bases.
Taunton, 7 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton senior Danny MacDougall had a strong outing on the mound and classmate Alyjah Marshall made a splash in his return from injury to help the Tigers get a win on the road. Marshall, who was a member of the Tigers’ 2019 D1 State Championship squad as a sophomore, had a big two-out two-run single in the fifth inning in his first game back from sustaining an injury during football. Taunton was leading just 1-0 through four innings before Marshall’s big hit gave the visitors some breathing room. Taunton went on to add a run in the sixth and three more in the seventh to pull away. MacDougall allowed just three hits and two walks in six scoreless innings of work, striking out six in the win.
Softball
King Philip, 2 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip junior Emma Sheehan had a solid showing on the mound and the Warriors had a strong day defensively to edge Attleboro on the road. Both coaches called it a great game from both sides, praising all three aspects of the game in a battle between two top teams in the area. The Warriors took the lead in the top of the third on a solo home run from Paige Berdos but Attleboro answered in the bottom half on an RBI single from sophomore Lauren Eby but the go-ahead run was gunned down at the plate on a throw from KP left fielder Meg Sherwood and tag from sophomore catcher Sarah Cullen. The Warriors regained the lead in the top of the fourth when Sherwood doubled and came in to score on a one-out triple from freshman Maddie Paschke. Sheehan allowed just one unearned run on six hits and three walks, striking out five in a complete game win. Sheehan stranded runners in scoring positions in four innings, escaping a bases loaded jam in the first. KP also got a huge outfield assist from Charlotte Raymond in the first inning, a throw home to Cullen for an out to prevent a run. Lindsey Perry also had a strong showing in the circle allowing just two runs on eight hits and one walk, striking out three.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – North beat second-place Foxboro and moved within a win of its second straight league title. It would be the first time in program history that the Rocketeers won the league in consecutive seasons. Zoey McDonough allowed only two hits and struck out 13 to pick up the victory. Kelly Colleran continued her strong season at the plate, driving in four runs on a pair of homers and a sac fly. Mandi Hanewich had three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three, while Emma Bailey also chipped in with three hits. Chloe Mearn added a pair of hits and Shaelyn Burns scored twice for North.
Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 12 – Final – Stoughton had one of its best offensive showings of the season, exploding for 15 hits in a win at home over visiting Sharon. Sydney Menz led off the bottom of the first with a home run and the Black Knights never looked back. Menz finished 3-for-4, adding a double, while freshmen Alyssa Edwards (triple, three RBI) and Julie Powers both added three hits in the win. Nicole Baker smacked a two-run triple, Julia Driscoll and Melody Casna each had two hits, and Morgan Lessa added a single. Baker got the win in the circle, allowing just two hits while striking out seven in a five-inning complete game.
Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 18 – Final (5 Inn.) – Kelsey White was perfect over five innings, striking out 11 without allowing a base runner, and also had three hits, two home runs, and drove in five runs at the plate, as Taunton continued its undefeated season. Tayah DaCosta added three hits and Kylie Thorpe had two hits and two RBI. Sam Lincoln added four RBI for the Tigers.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
North Attleboro, 8 @ Foxboro, 13 – Final
Franklin, 15 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Franklin raced out to a six-goal lead at halftime and allowed just one goal against in the second half to pick up a win on the road over Mansfield. Matt Lazzaro paced the Franklin offense with three goals and three assists while Jayden Consigli added three goals and an assist. Luke Davis and Joe Consigli each had a pair of goals and an assist in the win while Justin Abely netted a pair of goals for the Panthers, who led 8-2 at half.
Sharon, 16 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – King Philip had nine different players find the back of the net in a big win at home over visiting Attleboro. Sarah Brown, Margo Riley, and Colleen Crowther each scored their first career goals in the win.
Foxboro, 18 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Lilly Vey scored seven times and assisted on another goal to power Foxboro to a big road win that clinched at least a share of a ninth straight league title. Paige Curran had a hand in half of Foxboro’s goals, scoring five times and adding four assists, and Mya Waryas chipped in with a hat trick. Mary Collins, Dylan Rappoli, and Val Beigel each scored once, with Collins and Rappoli adding assists as well. Ella Waryas had a pair of helpers in the win.
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 20 – Final
Taunton, 11 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Milford erased a five-goal deficit and scored the game-winning goal with two minutes to play to break into the win column with a victory on senior night. Trailing 8-3, the Hawks stormed back to get back in it, tying the game at 10 and then scored again to take their first lead at 11-10. Taunton was able to respond with a goal to tie it again but Aislinn Bennett scored her seventh goal of the game with 2:09 to play for the game-winning tally. Emily Crouteau and Olyvia White each scored twice in the win while Stephanie Goulet scored once.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip swept all three singles matches in straight sets and added one more point with a victory at first doubles to beat Attleboro. Nick Putney earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at first singles, Brady Jannell won by the same score at second singles, and Jon Cohen picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Diego Nieto and Jackson Hom emerged with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 win at first doubles for KP. Attleboro freshmen Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Roccio paired up for a 6-4, 6-0 win at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro took wins in both doubles matches and added two more wins in singles play to get a win on the road over Foxboro. Senior Sayf Saddiq and sophomore Brody Carter scored a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles while senior Niteesh Saravanan and freshman Arnav Raghuvanshi rallied to win 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 at second doubles. Senior Jonah Manso was up 6-2 in the first set before winning by default (injury) and senior Sam Gallagher added a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles. Foxboro junior Bo Canfield grabbed a 6-4, 6-3 win at third singles.
Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin stayed undefeated on the season with a 5-0 sweep against Mansfield. Anish Gundimeda teamed up with Sameen Shaik to pick up a 6-4, 6-2 win at first doubles while junior Thomas Broyles and freshman Jay Gorgas continued their strong season at second doubles with a 6-0, 6-3 win. Liam Marr (first singles, 6-1, 6-0) and Vayshnav Malhotra (second singles, 6-0, 6-1) each dropped just one game while junior Drew Mahoney secured a 6-3, 6-1 win at third singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Sharon earned two points from singles matches and two points from doubles play to get a 4-1 win on the road over Stoughton. Junior Ruemon Bhattacharya came away with a tiebreaker win, taking the second singles match 6-4, 6-7 (6), 10-3 and classmate Max Chen added a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles. Freshman Matthew Lally and sophomore Rithvik Neti won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles while the team of juniors Mitch Weiss and Seyon Wijendran didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles. Stoughton senior Waseem Sablon won at first singles, 7-5, default (injury).
Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final
Foxboro, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro inched closer to clinching the Davenport division title with a 4-1 win on the road over North Attleboro. It was another clean sweep in singles action for the Warriors as Athena Li and Pam Nelson each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while Sarah Prag dropped just one game total in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa added the fourth point for Foxboro, taking a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles. North Attleboro’s Lauren Consentino and Kyna Shah had a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles for North.
Franklin, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
Taunton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Taunton went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets over Milford. Jocelyn Pagliuca (first singles) and Kayla Parrett (second) each picked up a 6-0, 6-0 wins while Cayeesha Charles-Marc added a 6-3, 6-2 win at third singles. The team of Brooke Bell and Sam Parrett didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Morgan Smith teamed up with Courtney Martin for a 6-0, 6-3 second doubles win.
Boys Outdoor Track
Mansfield, 85 @ Taunton, 49 – Final – Mansfield completed undefeated in dual meets, knocking off Taunton to go 5-0 to claim the Kelley-Rex division title. Senior DaSean Peters-Wolfe had a huge meet for the Hornets, setting a new PR while winning both the 100M (11.2) and the 200M (22.6) while Trevor Flint was also a double-winner, taking first in both the 1 Mile (4:59.5) and the 2 Mile (10:53.7). Mansfield got key points from sweeping the shot put (Charles Newcomb, 38’7; Dan Scriven, 32’10; Billy Gardner, 32’3) and the discus (Newcomb, 101’0; Aengus McGill 98’0; Scriven 94’0).
Girls Outdoor Track
Mansfield, 99 @ Taunton, 37 – Final – Mansfield swept six events on the road to pick up a convincing win over Taunton. The Hornets took the top three spots in the 400M hurdles, the 100M, the 1 Mile, the 100M hurdles, the long jump, and the triple jump. Anna Buckley took first in three of those events, winning the 100M hurdles (16.6), the long jump (16’4), and the triple jump (35’5). Alissa Cooke was also a double winner for the Hornets, taking first in both the discus and the shot put.
Wrestling
Sharon, 40 @ Oliver Ames, 25 – Final
Milford, 50 @ King Philip, 23 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this match – Milford won the final five matches to break things open and turn a five-point lead into a convincing win. It was the sixth consecutive dual meet victory for Milford, which is now one win away from clinching at least a share of its first Kelley-Rex division title and third league title overall (the Hawks won back-to-back Davenport crowns in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The meet started at 195 and Josh Kravetz won 8-0 to put the Hawks up 4-0. Hunter Hastings answered back with a first-period pin at 220 and Yusef Lofti added a third-period pin at 285 to put KP in front 12-4. Milford scored the next 24 points with Mike Boulanger earning a first-round pin at 106 and Robert Lyons scoring a second-period pin at 120. In between were a pair of forfeits. Sam Debaggis ended the Milford run with a pin one minute into the second period at 132 and Michael Gorman dominated his match at 138, earning a 16-1 victory and five points for the Warriors, closing the gap to 28-23. Paul Hough trailed 4-0 after the first period, but turned his match around to win 15-6 at 145 and Danny Alves pinned his opponent at 152 inside the first minute to extend the lead to 38-23. The match at 160 was one of the closest of the day. All the points were scored in the third round, as Ryan Donovan was able to beat Noah Reidel 3-1. At 182, Devin Duest fell behind to Cole Ricci in the third period, but a late reversal was enough to snag a 2-1 victory and cap the Milford win.
Stoughton, 22 @ North Attleboro, 39 – North Attleboro picked up four wins via pinfall, one by decision, and two by forfeit in a win over visiting Stoughton. Tanner Ferguson (113, 0:23), Tyler Tobias (120, 1:48), Andrew Faris (138, 0:25), and Christopher Galligan (152, 1:20) each won by fall while Keysun Wise (285) earned a 3-2 decision. Stoughton picked up wins from Guerard Theodore (145, 5:14), Andrew Medina (160, 10-1), Davin Swierzewski (170, 4:46), and Reggie Ugwuakazi (220, 0:32).
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 2 @ Medfield, 3 – Final
Baseball
Milford, 2 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Milford senior Wes Solomon dazzled in a complete game effort to lead the Hawks to a win on the road, sweeping the season series with the Bombardiers. Solomon allowed two runs with just two walks issued, striking out nine for the win.
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon’s Dan Fishman and JD Rittenberg combined for a stellar pitching performance, allowing just one unearned run to help the Eagles split the season series with Canton. Fishman allowed just one hit in five innings of work with no earned runs allowed striking out two for the win. Rittenberg came in to close the door with two innings of work, striking out four. Offensively, Nate Yaffe had a pair of hits and scored a pair of runs, Dan Zagoren drove in a run, and Rittenberg drove in the other two for Sharon.
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 13 – Final – Oliver Ames had its best offensive outing of the season, pushing across 13 runs to earn a win over Foxboro to split the season series. The Tigers scored two runs in each of the first three innings and then broke it open with a seven-run fourth inning. Jake Waxman was 2-for-3 including a home run, finishing with three RBI and two runs scored. Will Whiteside added a triple two RBI, and two runs, and Jack Morley found success from the nine-hole in his varsity debut with a hit, two walks, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Matt Nigro earned the win on the mound, allowing just four hits and two walks in a five-inning complete game effort. He finished with just two runs allowed and six strikeouts. Tom Marcucella had two hits for Foxboro while Ryan LeClair and Sean Yoest each had an RBI.
Franklin, 13 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – Franklin’s offense stayed scorching hot to start the season, pushing across double-digit runs for the third straight game and fourth in the last five contests. Ryan Gerety (triple, three runs, RBI) and Nate Goode (double, triple, two RBI, three runs) spearheaded the attack with three hits apiece while Chris Goode (triple, two RBI, run), Jake Fitzgibbons (three RBI, double), and Jack Marino (two runs, two RBI) each had two hits. Jacob Jette got the win on the mound, allowing four runs while striking out seven.
Taunton, 5 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Taunton went on the road and grabbed their second straight win over the Hornets, clinching the series against their division rival. Senior Danny MacDougall earned the win on the mound, allowing three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out six. Shawn Cali came in for a scoreless inning of relief for the save. Offensively, Taunton put up two runs in the top of the first inning only for Mansfield to respond with two runs of its own. The Tigers went back ahead for good with three in the top of the third inning. Ty Cali drove in a pair of runs and scored twice, MacDougall helped his own cause with an RBI and a run scored, and Evan Cali had an RBI and two walks. Mansfield senior Ben Mintz went 2-for-3 with two RBI while Anthony Sacchetti also had an RBI. Freshman Jake Maydak had a strong relief appearance for the hosts, allowing just one hit and five walks, striking out five in five innings of work.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – North Attleboro knocked off Stoughton at Community Field to split the season series. Dennis Colleran continued to impress, picking up his third win of the season after a complete game effort with just two hits allowed. Retiring the side in order in each the third and the seventh, Colleran finished with 11 strikeouts. Offensively, the Big Red got a big boost from sophomore Derek Maceda, who had two hits and two RBI. Danny Curran added two hits while Gavin Wells and Justin Vecchiarelli each drove in a run.
Softball
Attleboro, 12 @ Milford, 0 – Final – The Bombardiers collected 20 hits as a team and Lora Woyton had her second straight strong performance in the circle as Attleboro completed a sweep of Milford. Woyton allowed just three hits while striking out nine in the win. Hailey and Lindsey Perry each smacked a home run, combining for six hits and five runs. Gabby Bosh, Lauren Eby, and Woyton each added three hits while Kayla Goldrick had a pair of doubles.
Oliver Ames, 10 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames’ offense roared to life with a nine-run second inning to break into the win column with a victory over Foxboro. Taylor Lake (1-for-2, run) and Katherine Farley (1-for-3, double, run) each had two RBI on the day and Maddie Homer scored two runs for OA. Lexi Galsband (2-for-5) and Madison Monteiro each had an RBI and a run scored in the second as well. Emma Varella pitched a complete game with four strikeouts for OA and helped her cause offensively by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
King Philip, 8 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – King Philip got off to another strong start with a pair of runs in the first inning and went on to score in the third, fifth, and seventh to complete the sweep of Franklin. Charlotte Raymond had another stellar showing at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and a triple, knocking in one run and scoring three times. Sophomores Libby Walsh (home run, two RBI, two runs) and Sarah Cullen (two runs) each added two hits for the visitors while Meg Sherwood slapped a two-run triple and had a sacrifice fly to score a run. KP had a strong showing defensively behind pitcher Emma Sheehan.
Canton, 11 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon led 4-1 heading to the top of the sixth, but the Bulldogs rallied with 10 runs over the final two innings to secure the win and the sweep of the Eagles. Taylor Reynolds had another big game at the plate, going 2-for-4 and driving in four runs. Steph Trendell also went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and Abby Chin made a great catch at a crucial time in the game to help the Bulldogs grab the win. Freshman Jess Wright allowed one run over five innings, earning the win in her first career appearance. Trinity Payne went 2-for-2 at the plate and also struck out four as the Sharon starter. Savannah Gray was 2-for-4 and drove in two of Sharon’s four runs.
Mansfield, 0 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Kelsey White continued her dominant season and Taunton recorded a fifth shutout in six games, having allowed only two runs so far this season. White allowed only one hit over seven innings, struck out 16, and walked none to pick up her fifth win. Angie Lynch (RBI, run) and Hanna Aldrich (RBI, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Tigers and Callie Lake had the lone hit for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North trailed 1-0 in the top of the sixth inning but tied the game when Kelly Colleran scored on a passed ball. In the seventh, the Rocketeers rallied with four runs to secure the win. Emma Bailey, Chloe Mearn, and Mandi Hanewich all singled to load the bases. Emily Nardelli plated the game-winning run with a sac fly and then Colleran’s base hit scored a second run. The throw to the plate got away and Hanewich and Colleran were able to come around and score as well to add important insurance runs. Zoey McDonough tossed a complete game with 10 strikeouts to pick up the win. Nardelli also made a couple of big plays in the field, being part of two double plays.
Boys Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – For Oliver Ames, Ross Carroll scored a pair of goals, Remi Creighton scored once and had an assist, and Dillon Cupples picked up his first career goal and played “a fantastic overall game” according to head coach Ben Devlin.
Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames, 4 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Lily Brown scored four goals, two in each half, and the KP defense was on top of its game to pick up the home win and remain unbeaten this season. Peyton Mellman opened the scoring three minutes into the game and then Brown double KP’s advantage from a Morgan Cunningham assist. OA started to pile on the pressure in the second quarter but KP goalie Emily Campbell made a series of big saves to keep the Tigers off the board and preserve the 2-0 lead going into halftime. Emma Pereira took advantage of a quick self-start to get free and cut the lead to one in the third quarter. Brown and Cunningham scored back-to-back goals to push the KP lead out to three, but then Georgia Costello scored the first of her three goals on a free position in the final minute of the third. Emma O’Donnell had a strong quarter with a couple of big stops. Brown completed her hat trick with a bounced shot but then Costello matched it just 31 seconds later. Freshman Nicole McDonald went one on four on a transition and managed to pick the bottom corner and then Brown added another for a 7-3 lead. Costello scored on another free position with four minutes to go, but the Tigers got no closer.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45
Canton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon senior Max Chen filled in at second singles and emerged with a hard-fought win as the Eagles completed a sweep of visiting Canton. Chen fought back from a one-set deficit to earn a 5-7, 7-6, 10-8 win. Sophomore Mehul Bhattacharyya secured a win at first singles while Matthew Lally moved to third singles and notched a 3-6, 6-0, 6-2 win. Sharon won both doubles matches in straight sets.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro completed its season sweep of Oliver Ames, this time taking a 4-1 decision at home. The Warriors won all three singles matches in straight sets with junior Garrett Spillane picking up a 7-6 (7-0), 6-1 win at first singles, senior Justin Neale recording a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Bo Canfield picking up a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of seniors Jason Kandula and David Marroquin emerged with a 6-3, 6-1 win at first doubles for Foxboro while Oliver Ames freshmen duo Kahlil Bandran and Jiva Segaran won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.
Franklin, 5 @ King Philip 0 – Final
King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin picked up two wins on the day, finishing up its match with KP that was postponed from Monday. The Panthers prevailed 5-0 in both matches, winning in straight sets in each match. Liam Marr won both of his matches at first singles (6-3, 6-3 & 6-1, 6-0), Vayshnav Malhotra won twice at second singles (6-1, 4-1 (def) & 6-0, 6-0), and Drew Mahoney took care of business at third singles (6-0, 6-2 & 6-1, 6-3). Franklin’s first doubles team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik won both of their matches in straight sets (6-1, 6-2 & 6-4, 6-0) while the duo of Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas lost just one total game in its four sets played (6-0, 6-1 & 6-0, 6-0).
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro and Stoughton completed their weather-delayed match from Monday and then clashed again on the new courts at Stoughton, and the Rocketeers prevailed victorious in both. North had the same lineup in both matches and swept doubles in both matches. The team of Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq won their first match 6-0, 6-4 and took the second one 6-2, 6-1 while North’s second doubles team of Brody Carter and Niteesh Saravanan earned a 6-2, 6-1 win on Monday and a 6-0, 6-1 victory on Tuesday. Will Folan prevailed victorious in both of his matches at third singles (6-0, 6-0 & 6-2, 6-3) and, after not finishing a set on Monday, Sam Gallagher prevailed with a 1-6, 6-2, 10-7 win at second singles. Stoughton senior Waseem Sablon won both first singles matches, the first 6-0, 6-2 and the second 6-1, 6-0.
Girls Tennis
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Attleboro swept doubles play and didn’t drop a game at either first or second singles to defend home court against visiting Milford. Ella Lynch-Bartek and Lauren Anthony each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively. In doubles action, junior Saharla Yusuf and freshman Maddie Fulscado secured a 6-1, 6-3 win at first doubles while senior Lauren Alberto and junior Ally Rebelo prevailed with a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles. Milford’s Lavinia Mocenni rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 11-9 win at third singles.
Sharon, 4 @ Canton, 1 – Final – The Eagles earned a clean sweep in singles action and swept the season series against division rival Canton. Nayva Shukla (6-1, 6-1), Hannah Faberman (6-1, 6-1), and Allie Aguilar (6-0, 6-0) won at first, second, and third singles, respectively, while the team of Sree Dandu and Sasha Fein picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles. Canton’s Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham emerged with a 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 win at first doubles.
Foxboro, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Foxboro singles players continued their dominance over their opponents, this time sweeping all three matches against Oliver Ames to pick up a 3-2 win. Athena Li and Pam Nelson each won 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles, respectively, while Sarah Prag picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. OA’s first doubles team of Caroline Peper and Morgan Vasilou earned a 6-0, 6-3 win at first doubles while Lizzie MacAdam and Elizabeth O’Brien teamed up for a 6-3, 6-4 win at second doubles for the Tigers.
Franklin, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield won a pair of matches in three sets and that ended up the difference as the Hornets beat visiting Taunton. Aryanna Khosravini rallied for 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win at second singles while the team of Ally McDavitt and Caroline Guravage bounced back from a one-set deficit to earn a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles. Mansfield also got wins from Kate Martin (6-2, 6-0) at third singles and Sarah Harrington and Alexis O’Keefe (6-2, 6-3) at first singles. Taunton’s Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at first singles for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro bounced back from a loss on the road on Monday to pick up a 4-1 win over the visiting Black Knights on Tuesday. The Big Red won two matches in singles action and swept both doubles matches to get the win. Haley Strom secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Lauren Hunt didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of juniors Lauren Consentino and Kyna Sha rallied from a one-set deficit to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at first doubles while junior Julia Curren and freshman Aroushka Banerjee won 7-5, 6-3 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Allie Lada picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win at first singles.
Boys Outdoor Track
Sharon, 73 @ Canton, 62 – Final – For Canton, Kyle Downing had a trio top three finishes, including a win in the 1 Mile race, while Sam Vail finished first in the javelin (99’1″). Downing crossed the finish line at 4:56.8 to win the mile, took second overall in the 800M (2:14.8), and was third in the high jump (5’0).
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Taunton, 70 @ Franklin, 66 – Final
Girls Outdoor Track
Sharon, 62 @ Canton, 74 – Final – Canton moved to 3-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Maeve Morrissey was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the javelin and the discus. Kayla Camille added a first-place finish in the 400M, finishing in a winning time of 67.6.
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Taunton @ Franklin, 3:45
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. North Quincy, 2 – Final – Taunton completed a big come-from-behind win to knock off North Quincy in five sets and stay unbeaten on the year. Colin MacDougal and Faisal Mass stepped up to provide pivotal front row defense down the stretch to help secure the win. Tyler Stewart was hard to stop with 28 kills, 15 digs, four blocks, and four assists, Jakob Thorpe added eight kills, 11 digs, and four aces, and Mattia Casagrande chipped in with 11 kills. Travis Nunes played well defensively with 10 digs while Daniel Medina finished with 46 assists and seven digs.
Wrestling
Sharon, 40 @ Taunton, 27 – Final – Sharon won eight total matches, including five by pinfall, to earn a win on the road over Taunton. Cameron Birnbaum (126), Aaron Cashton (145), Philip Varvak (170), Alex Danilkovas (195) and Erik Rabin (285) all recorded pinfall victories for the Eagles while Connor Pfeifer (120, 12-4), Nasaiah Teixeira (152, 6-5), and Cormac Horlbogen (182, 3-2) each won by decision. Taunton picked up wins from Michael Leskoski (106, fall), Xavier Sandoval (132, 7-2)m Ben Mandeville (138, 4-0), Christian Balmain (160, 5-4), and Logan Frank (220, fall).
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – North Attleboro had a dominating performance at home against Canton, winning six matches by fall, two by major decision and one by decision to blank the Bulldogs. Braxton Ferro (132, 1:09), Andrew Faris (138, 1:56), Ethan Smith (145, 3:14), Jaad Ismail (160, 5:09), Alex Warsofsky (220, 0:59), and Keysun Wise (285, 1:04) each won by pinfall for the Rocketeers. Chris Galligan (152, 17-9), Greg Berthiaume (182, 19-5), and Austin Dean (195, 6-0) also won for North Attleboro.
Taunton senior Danny MacDougall, pictured here as a sophomore in 2019, is one of the few returners for the defending D1 State Champs. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2019 Record: 14-10 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Steve Dunlea
Two years ago, Attleboro made a run to the Div. 1 South final, only to run into league rival and eventual state champ Taunton. While the Bombardiers only return three players with varsity experience, Attleboro will be looking to replicate some of that momentum and challenge the top teams for the Kelley-Rex division title this spring.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Senior catcher Bailey Camacho caught half the innings during his sophomore season and will be the starter this spring, as well as an important presence in the lineup. Seniors Jake Gorman and Matt McMahon will both be part of the rotation and play corner infield spots when they’re not on the mound building off the experience they got two years ago. Senior Cam Foster adds speed at short and will be the closer, while juniors Billy Saltmarsh and Cian Kelleher, and sophomores Dillon James and Danny Johnson are part of what should be a deep staff for the Bombardiers. Speed should also be a strength for Attleboro, including outfielders Ben Hochwarter, Nate George, Hayden Hegarty, and Packer Sackett, and middle infielders Owen Taber and Evan Houle. Junior Christian Dame is a versatile player who can step in at multiple positions.
“We’re excited to get our players out there to see what we can accomplish,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Our guys have worked very hard during the off-season and have come a long way in the past few years. We are particularly proud of our senior leadership. It’s been a tough year and we are so grateful to the MIAA and ADs for making this season happen for our seniors.”
2019 Record: 6-14 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Ben Shuffain
Canton had a great start to the 2019 season under then first-year head coach Ben Shuffain, including an impressive win over Wellesley. But almost all of the Bulldogs’ wins came in the first half of the season. Now Canton will look to start strong and continue that throughout the year as they look to challenge for the Davenport division title.
The Bulldogs are one of the teams that have a good number of players that played back in 2019 so there is a lot of optimism surrounding the experience on the roster this season. Canton has four starters back for this year’s campaign: shortstop/right-handed pitcher Steve Burbank, outfielder Cam Sanchez, catcher/outfielder Sawyer Julier-Albert, and right-handed pitcher Nate Hewit. Both Burbank (0.328) and Julier-Albert (0.395) were among the league leaders in batting average as sophomores so they will be key pieces for the offense this year. Shuffain will also look for contributions from outfielders Andy Butler and Zach Peters, infielder Nico Bonanno, and utility option Matt Quan — all four could also see time pitching.
Burbank will also see time on the mound and Hewit will be an important piece of the pitching staff this year. Junior Andrew Middleton, who tossed a perfect game in the season-opener, will obviously be a major part of the rotation as well, giving the Bulldogs solid depth. Behind the pitching staff, there will be a lot of players who have experience at the varsity level so Shuffain hopes mistakes will be at a minimum.
“We are lucky to have a good number of players who have varsity experience from 2018 and 2019,” Shuffain said. “They have been preparing for 18 months for this season and this group has tremendous leadership and a ton of talent. I am excited to see what they can do on the field.”
For the 2021 season, it all starts with pitching for the Foxboro Warriors. The 2019 squad graduated six players, and there were nine juniors on that team that missed out on their senior season a year ago. That means Foxboro has four players coming back for this spring, and almost all picked up a lot of valuable experience the last time out.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Seniors Cam Prescott and Sean Yoest will headline the Warriors’ rotation, bringing a lot of experience to the staff. Prescott logged over 26 innings as a sophomore, allowing just four walks with a 1.86 ERA. Yoest had a lot of success at the plate as a sophomore and will be looking to replicate that on the mound this year. Sophomore Sean O’Leary will likely be a key piece on the mound when fully healthy and the Warriors will look to seniors Dylan Quinn, Mike O’Toole, Ryan Jacobs, and Sebastian Ortiz, as well as juniors Liam Mulkern and Tom Marcucella to provide pitching depth.
Yoest will patrol the outfield when he’s not on the mound and will be a key piece offensively after hitting 0.346 as a sophomore with 11 runs scored and 11 RBI. Yoest will be joined in the outfield by junior Jack Watts, a three-sport athlete who has excelled in golf and hockey, and sophomore Kenny Mello. Marcucella will also see time in the outfield while senior Griffin Morse is a solid depth piece that can play all three spots in the outfield.
Prescott will see time at either third or shortstop when he’s not pitching. Beyond Prescott, the Warriors will have some inexperience around the infield with freshman Tyler Prescott (second base) and sophomore Ryan LeClair (shortstop) impressing early on. Mulkern and O’Toole will provide the infield with some senior leadership from first while Marcucella and Ortiz providing depth. Mulkern will also be an option behind the plate while junior Mike LaVita will step into the starting role at catcher.
“We are excited for the opportunity to get back on the field and compete every day,” head coach Derek Suess said. “Having our top two arms still here is comforting, but we will need contributions from many different guys. We have a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who have bought in to our vision for the season.”
2019 Record: 22-3 2019 Finish: Reached Super 8 Coach: Zach Brown
While Franklin won’t be able to make it three straight appearances in the Super 8 with the tournament not happening this year (and possibly for a couple of years), there is something the Panthers can do: defend their Kelley-Rex division title.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
The Panthers were nearly perfect in league action during the 2019 season (15-1) and will be one of the favorites for the title again this year. But it will be almost an entirely new cast of players doing so. Franklin had 10 seniors on that team plus another seven juniors that graduated last year, meaning just a handful of players from the roster are back. Of that group, just one starter is back in senior Jake Fitzgibbons, who played second base at the time.
Now Fitzgibbons moves behind the plate and will be in charge of handling a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. Having him behind the plate should make it easier for the likes of junior Jacob Jette and sophomore Alfred Mucciarone, who figure to be two of the key components of Franklin’s rotation this season. And when needed, Fitzgibbons will switch out from behind the plate and take the mound himself.
Seniors Nate Cooke and CJ Jette serve as captains alongside Fitzgibbons and will provide leadership both on and off the field. Cooke is slated to start at first base and will bring a big bat to the lineup while Jette will see time both in the outfield and at designated hitter. Seniors Luc Boudreau (outfielder) and Nick Quinn (right-handed pitcher) have impressed early on as well.
“As always the cornerstone of our program is pitching and defense,” said head coach Zach Brown. “We believe we have the right mix of athletes and arms to compete daily this season. Offensively, we believe that our line-up can be pretty athletic. Obviously, we are all in the same boat missing last season so it will be an exciting season to get back out onto the field. I know the players and our coaching staff are really excited for the games to start up.”
2019 Record: 8-12 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jeff Plympton
There will be a lot of new faces on the mound, in the field, in the batter’s box, and even on the bench for the King Philip Warriors this season. Looking back at the 2019 season, only one name is back in action for the Warriors this season. And on top of that, there’s a new coach in the dugout in Jeff Plympton.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Both Conor Cooke and Jack Silveria saw plenty of action during their sophomore seasons but Silveria will miss his senior campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That means that Plympton and the rest of the Warriors will lean heavily on Cooke, a three-year starter who will guide KP from behind the plate. Cooke, who is committed to play at Brown University, is a rock behind the plate and that will be important as KP deploys a pitching staff that is new to the varsity level. That rotation will feature junior Nick Viscusi and sophomore Rudy Gately, with seniors Jack Mullen, Grayden Lawrence, Harry Brown, and Jake Burns all providing depth.
Cooke will be a key part of the offense as well, slated to hit from the clean up spot. Viscusi will set the tone from the leadoff spot and can cause some damage on the base paths with his speed. Junior Shawn Lagere will start at shortstop and bat third in the lineup, providing the Warriors with some power while Gately will see time at third when he isn’t on the mound. Seniors Ethan Hurwitz and Mikey Malatesta provide outfield depth and Plympton has 10 juniors on the roster to help fill out the lineup.
“Looking forward to getting the season going and watching the team play together,” Plympton said. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had high school baseball and most of our guys, like many teams, are new to the varsity level. We have some good talent on our team. Plenty of good throwing arms to get us through the new pitching restrictions. The infield is solid with very dependable fielders around the diamond. The outfield is fast and does a great job tracking fly balls. I believe defense will be our best strength this season. The players have been putting in a lot of hard work during practices.”
2019 Record: 18-7 2019 Finish: Reached Super 8 Coach: Chris Hall
Joe Breen had a very successful run at the helm of the Hornets, and his successor is one that the program is very familiar with. Chris Hall, who served as Breen’s assistant, takes over and is aiming to continue the success that Mansfield has had in recent seasons.
Coming off one of their best seasons in program history that culminated in a second straight Super 8 appearance, the Hornets will try to rebuild their lineup with a strong core of seniors. Eric Sullivan will move into the starting role behind the plate and will be a vocal leader both on and off the field for the Hornets. Three-sport athlete Jack Colby is slated to take over at first base, Luke Urban looks to take over at second base, Ben Mintz can slot into a variety of roles, including in the field or on the mound, and Greg Coyle, the lone returner from the 2019 team, will be an option on the mound for the Hornets. Juniors Jared Fraone and Liam Anastasia will help round out the lineup.
Coyle will be joined by juniors Aaron Blinn, Anthony Sacchetti, and Jimmy Gilleran on the Hornets’ staff. That group brings a lot of baseball experience and a range of knowledge, and Hall is hoping all of that will translate to the varsity level. Mintz, Colby Geddis, and Brayden Purtell will look to provide additional innings in relief.
“With two years off due to COVID-19, and few players having varsity experience, I expected tryouts to be exciting,” Hall said. “Our players knew they had to come in and earn everything to gain a spot in the starting lineup. There continues to be daily position battles daily and it pushes players to improve. The talent we have in the program is consistent from top to bottom. The team brings energy and enthusiasm to everything they do and it truly makes the atmosphere on the field second to none. We cannot wait to get out on the field and compete against some of the best competition in the Hockomock League.”
2019 Record: 11-11 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Alex Dion
Milford will be the new kids on the block this season in their first year apart of the Kelley-Rex division, which features two teams that went to the Super 8 last time out and another that won the D1 State title.
The Hawks are going to rely on their pitching as they compete for the division title. Senior right-hander Mario Lee and classmate Wes Solomon, another righty, both picked up valuable experience as sophomores during the 2019 season and will anchor the Milford pitching rotation. Lee, who is committed to playing both football and baseball at Wesleyan, pitched in 10 games out of the bullpen in 2019 while Solomon appeared in five games with a 2.33 ERA.
Sophomore Evan Cornelius is a “big, physical kid” according to head coach Alex Dion, and he will round out the Hawks’ rotation this season. When he isn’t on the mound, Cornelius will be behind the plate and the same goes for Solomon, who could also see him in the middle infield. Lee will also be in the lineup when he’s not on the mound, playing at either first or third. Senior Carter Scudo burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hitting 0.352, and will be the catalyst to the offense this year, batting in the leadoff spot. He will anchor the outfield defense from center field.
“I’m excited to start our 2021 season,” Dion said. “It has been great to get back out on Fino Field for the first time since 2019. I have a good group of young men this year with players from all four classes making the varsity roster. This is a great league with quality teams, players, and coaches throughout. We will go out and compete to the best of our ability on a daily basis. I am optimistic about what this group has to offer this year and in the future.”
2019 Record: 11-10 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round Coach: Mike Hart
North Attleboro head coach Mike Hart has the best arm in the Hockomock League in senior Dennis Colleran and the 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Jared Penta as the catalyst for the offense so the Rocketeers will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport title this season.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Colleran, who is committed to pitch at Northeastern, has been a member of the Rocketeers since his freshman year, making his first appearance in North’s D2 South Semifinal win over Dartmouth back in 2018. He logged 37.1 innings as a sophomore, posting a 3-4 record with a 2.63 ERA during the 2019 season. Since then, Colleran has honed his skills on the club scene and is poised to lead the Rocketeers this year. Senior Joe Hartnett and junior Danny Curran look to fill out the rotation while the Rocketeers have plenty of depth pieces including Tyler Bannon, Dan Pedro, Derek Maceda, and Aidan Weir.
Penta will hit from the leadoff spot and set the tone for the offense. Weir and classmate Justin Vecchiarelli will anchor the infield Maceda, a sophomore, could be poised for a breakout season at shortstop. Curran will also see time in the outfield when he isn’t pitching while senior Evan Vigorito, and juniors Brody Rosenberg, and Gavin Wells will be in the outfield mix. Bannon and Nik Kojoian will be options behind the dish for the Rocketeers.
“Just like other teams in the league, we are curious how our players will make the jump to varsity baseball,” Hart said. “We will do our best to be fundamentally sound and keep things simple. Our pitching staff has a handful of competitive guys who are looking for an opportunity to help the team. The boys are excited about the season and hope we can bring a consistent approach to all our opportunities this year.”
2019 Record: 12-13 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Joe Abarr
After reaching the D2 South Sectional Final in 2018, the Tigers fielded basically an entirely new squad during the 2019 campaign. Two years later, Oliver Ames looks to be in the same boat as there minimal varsity experience on the roaster.
Senior Nate Fulford is one of the few players that did see varsity action two years ago, emerging as a go-to option offensively as a pinch-hitter as a sophomore. Now Fulford will be a key piece in the lineup each game, manning third base and bringing a big bat to the heart of the lineup. Senior Jadon Ricci will take over at shortstop and is slated to hit near the top of the lineup.
Junior Jack Richardson was a part of the Tigers’ varsity squad as a freshman and is now in position to anchor the rotation. He’ll be in the lineup even when he’s not on the mound, patrolling the always tricky outfield at Frothingham Park for the Tigers. When it comes to new faces on the squad this year, junior Jake Waxman brings a big bat to the lineup and can bring some pop to the offense; he will start at first base defensively. Junior Joe Cicchetti has impressed early on in tryouts and the preseason both offensively and defensively, and he is slated to start in center for the Tigers.
“We should have a solid lineup,” said OA head coach Joe Abarr. “We have depth at most positions and decent options on the mound. With so little practice time prior to the first game, there are still a lot of questions to be answered, but we have a great group of guys that are really looking to compete this year.”
2019 Record: 2-18 2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The last time the Eagles hit the field, they had one of the youngest teams in the Hockomock League. Now that means there is a lot of returning players back in the dugout this year and Sharon should be one of the most experienced groups in terms of baseball played.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Sharon has a new head coach in alum Andrew Poliferno, who is no stranger to the program after coaching at each level over the past few seasons. Poliferno takes over for Kee Arguimbau, who had been with the program as a coach for nearly 20 years including the last four as head coach. Poliferno has 10 seniors at his disposal this year including two of the most experienced players in JD Rittenberg and Justin Brown, who both started as sophomores in 2019. Playing at second and short, respectively, the Eagles will have solid defense up the middle of the field. Sharon expects strong defense to come with the experience it has.
Junior Dylan Labbe pitched some innings as a freshman so the Eagles will lean on him as one of the anchors of the pitching staff. Senior Justin Nault and junior Ryan Baker will also see time on the mound while freshman Luke Meixel is slated to be a part of the starting rotation right away. Offensively, Rittenberg and Brown will lead the way once again. Baker and classmate Nate Yaffe should slot into the lineup in their first year on varsity, playing third and outfield, respectively. Poliferno is also looking for contributions from Damien Bonner and Daniel Zagoren offensively.
“After a missed season, it’s wonderful to see our players back out on the field,” Poliferno said. “Despite the year off, I was impressed with the growth and progress our players made since they last played high school baseball. It was clear to me we have a program of players who work hard during the off-season and I look forward to seeing their hard work translate to wins this season.”
2019 Record: 14-9 2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal Coach: Mike Armour
Like most schools, Stoughton has a limited number of players with varsity experience on the roster this season. It will be baptism by fire for a lot of new faces as head coach Mike Armour will look to get the most out of his lineup to try and compete for the Davenport division title.
The players that do have any varsity experience will be key, especially early on in the season as the rest of the Black Knights get used to the varsity level. Senior Brady Conlin will anchor the Stoughton staff on the mound this year and also hit in the heart of the lineup. Conlin has experience both pitching and at the plate and could be one of the most dangerous all-around players in the league. Senior captain Kyle Doolin will anchor the infield and is an option to pitch as well. He is slated to hit near the top of the lineup and could also see time behind the plate defensively.
Jake Queeney, another senior captain, will patrol center field for the Black Knights and hit from the leadoff spot. Queeney’s speed has been on display on both the basketball court and football field, so his legs could cause some damage on the base paths. Senior captain Brandon Mantilla-Mercado will take care of the pitching staff this year as the starting catcher and will bring some power to the plate offensively. Junior infielder Anthony Tilton has impressed early and figures to be a top bat in the lineup, juniors Jonah Ly and James Price will both see innings in the infield and on the mound, and junior Brad Franey is slated to take over at second. Seniors Joe McNulty, Colby Andrews, Andrew Scardina, and junior Colin Alessi provide lineup depth. Freshmen Hunter Malkin and Ben Zola will likely make an immediate impact for Stoughton.
“The kids are excited to play baseball,” Armour said. “They have brought a positive attitude and willingness to work to practice, which is all I can ask for as a coach. We are excited to get a little bit better every day, and put ourselves in a position to win some ballgames this season.”
2019 Record: 21-7 2019 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Blair Bourque
It seems like just yesterday the Tigers were celebrating their Division 1 State Championship at LeLacheur Park in Lowell. Yet at the same time, it somehow also feels like a lifetime ago.
2021 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
The Tigers are one of the teams that will “what if” when it comes to the 2019 season, as they were set to have eight starters back to try and defend their first-ever state championship. Now for the 2021 season, there is just one Tiger starter back from that regular season. That is senior pitcher/infielder Danny MacDougall, who will anchor the pitching staff and also return to his shortstop position. Ty Cali, who took over for MacDougall after an injury sidelined him for the postseason, is also back to give Taunton a solid 1-2 punch up the middle of the field. Cali can also slide over and play short when MacDougall, who is committed to playing at the University of Hartford next year, is on the mound.
Sophomore Ryan MacDougall is set to finally make his varsity debut this year. A verbal commit to the University of Dayton, Ryan MacDougall was on the playoff roster for the state championship team as an eighth-grader. Not only does he bring a big bat and power to the lineup, head coach Blair Bourque described his plate discipline as “well beyond his years.” If the Tigers want to compete at a high level, Bourque noted the importance of senior pitchers Conor Quinlan, Bretton Heggs, and Matthew Ferrara. In total, Taunton boasts a dozen seniors on the roster.
“My expectation for this season is for us to compete as a team and individually every day as best we can, but ultimately, I will be grateful I get to spend time on the field with my players,” Bourque said. “It is always about the relationships formed with your players throughout the course of a year, you don’t always appreciate how good you have it until it’s gone. Losing last season really made me appreciate my role as the head coach for the Taunton High baseball program.”
Baseball
Franklin, 7 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin’s offense scored in four of the seven innings, including three in the seventh to put the game away. Senior Jake Fitzgibbons drove in a pair of runs for the visiting Panthers while both Brian Gerety and Chris Goode had a hit and scored a pair of runs. Junior lefty Jacob Jette was stellar on the mound, scattering three hits and one walk across five shutout innings, striking out nine for the win. Foxboro’s Sean Yoest had a strong overall day, allowing just one earned run (three runs total) on two hits and three walks in four innings, striking out four. At the plate, Yoest had a hit, a walk, and a run scored. Jack Watts knocked in Yoest for Foxboro’s lone run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro scored all of its runs within the first three innings and senior right-handed pitcher Dennis Colleran took care of the rest as the Rocketeers opened the season with a win over visiting King Philip. The Big Red scored twice in the bottom of the first and tacked on two more in the bottom of the third. King Philip halved the deficit in the top of the third with an unearned run and added another run in the sixth. Colleran scattered three hits over six innings, striking out 10 to earn the win. Danny Curran earned the save, striking out two. North senior Justin Vecchiarelli went 2-3 with four RBI in the win.
Mansfield, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield scored a single run in three straight innings and went on the road to pick up a win at Frothingham Park. A walk, a wild pitch, and a grounder gave the Hornets the lead in the third inning and Mansfield doubled its lead on a sacrifice fly in the fourth. OA loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but Hornet starter Anthony Sacchetti (6IP, 3H, 1BB, 7K) escaped the jam without any harm done. Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning. Sacchetti, Luke Urban, and Jack Colby (run, two walks) each drove in a run for Mansfield. OA’s Christian Papasodero (2.1 IP, 0R 3K) pitched well in relief for the Tigers, getting out of a bases loaded jam.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. OA held Attleboro scoreless in the second half and used four goals from Remi Creighton to pull out their first win of the season. The Bombardiers opened the scoring off a turnover that Keigan Conley finished from close range. OA tied it three minutes later on a shot by Wes Tower. Michael Strachan assisted on a Carter Shelton goal to put Attleboro back in front but Wyatt Frichtman fired OA level from distance. OA grabbed the lead with four straight goals to start the second. Creighton scored back-to-back goals and then assisted on one by Doug Oliveira. Tower got his second of the day to put the Tigers up 6-2. Attleboro scored three times in a span of 40 seconds to get back within one at halftime. Shelton scored on a Conley assist and then Conley added his second of the day. Ryan Betts set up Matt Perry to make it 6-5. It took nearly seven minutes of the third quarter before OA doubled its lead when Ben Reardon found Oliveira in front. Creighton and Frichtman also scored in the third, the last one with 35.8 on the clock, and OA went into the fourth up 9-5. The Tigers put the game away with three more goals. Reardon got the first of his career with a redirect of a pass by Ross Carroll then Creighton added his fourth before Carroll wrapped up the scoring off a pass by Oliveira. Noah Isleib had a big game in goal for the Tigers to help preserve the lead.
Milford, 4 @ Foxboro, 17 – Final
King Philip @ Stoughton, 3:45
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 3 @ King Philip, 17 – Final – Six different players found the back of the net as King Philip rolled on its home turf to a win over visiting Canton. Julia Marsden (two assists), Lily Brown (one assist), and Haley Izydorczak led the offensive charge for the hosts with four goals apiece. Morgan Cunningham (assist) added a hat trick while Peyton Mellman and Alyssa Legere each scored once. Emily Campbell made nine saves in net in the win.
Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final
Milford, 2 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final
Boys Outdoor Track
Mansfield, 85 @ Attleboro, 47, Final – It was a day to remember for Jake Wall, who etched his name in the record books at Mansfield High in the Hornets’ win over Attleboro. Wall won four events and set the school record in the long jump at 22’11”. Wall also won the 100M (11.0), 200M (22.9), and the triple jump (44’5″). Mansfield swept both relay events and Trevor Flint had a great finishing kick to win the 2 Mile race in 10:28 for the Hornets. Other first-place finishes included Evan Rawlings (400IH, 64.3), Caden Riley (400M, 53.4), Dylan Buchanan (110HH, 15.9), Dana Johnson (high jump, 5’6″), and Jack Taylor (javelin, 157’5″). Mansfield’s winning 4×100 team (46.9) consisted of DaSean Peters-Wolfe, Isaiah Kinds, Ryan Munroe, and Dylan Buchanan while the first-place 4×400 team (3:44.7) was Stephen Saba, Caden Riley, Tim Corkery, and Jack Taylor.
King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Taunton @ Milford, 4:00
Girls Outdoor Track
Mansfield, 93 @ Attleboro, 43 – Final – Mansfield took first place in 12 events to open the season with a convincing win over Attleboro. Anna Buckley was a double winner for the visitors, taking first in both the high jump (4’8″) and the long jump (16’0″), adding a second place finish in the 100M hurdles (17.8). Other winners for Mansfield included Elyssa Buchanan (400M hurdles, 75.6), Colleen Waters & Meghan Driscoll (100M tie, 13.1), Katie Miller (1 Mile, 5:52), Anna Darlington (400M, 61.8), Norah Puleo (800M 2:29.7), Tessa Lancaster (2 Mile, 12:17), Caitlin Haley (triple jump, 33’2.5″), and Alissa Cooke (discus, 68’6.5″). Mansfield also won both relays with the 4×100 (Scott, Driscoll, Penney, Waters) winning in 51.25 and the 4×400 (Darlington, N.Puleo, McIntryre, K. Miller) finished in 4:26.7. Attleboro’s Kamsi Igbobi won both the 100M hurdles (17.6) and the shot put (33’8.25″), Elayna Marinelli took first in the javelin (91-6), and Cassondra Stuger crossed first in the 200 (27.3).
King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Taunton @ Milford, 4:00
Wrestling
King Philip @ Canton, 5:30
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Milford, 5:00
Taunton, 3 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final – Taunton rallied from a one-set deficit to win three in and row and grab a win in its first match of the season, 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-20). Senior Tyler Stewart paced the offense with 12 kills and four blocks while Jakob Thorpe added eight kills, six digs, three blocks, and two aces. Daniel Medina dished out 25 assists and Travis Nunes registered 12 digs and an ace.
Outlook:
It’s a new era in Canton as Anthony Fallon takes over for longtime head coach Dave Bohane, who stepped down from his second stint in charge of the Bulldogs at the end of last season.
While it’s a new era, all of the players and coaches are hoping that the success from the past two seasons continues going forward. If that success is going to continue, it’s going to be by a host of new faces. The Bulldogs graduated a historic class that won back-to-back Davenport division titles and reached the D5 South Sectional final in 2019. While competing for the Davenport division title this year, Canton will lean heavily on its few returners while new players take advantage of the new opportunities.
Senior Matt Connolly is a force on both sides of the ball, protecting the quarterback on the offensive line and leading the way for the ground game with his blocking. And defensively, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound senior who is committed to play at Assumption College, is an absolute handful and requires a lot of attention. Cam Sanchez is another experienced player back for the Bulldogs and will be involved in the running game offensively and apart of the secondary defensively. Carson Campbell started all 11 games for Canton last year at right tackle and will add defensive line duties this season. Jack Albert should see an expanded role on both sides of the ball and will be one of the main targets in the receiving game.
“Our team has great speed in our secondary, we are big and strong upfront and our linebackers are tough and fast,” Fallon said. “We have a solid mix on our varsity of juniors and seniors. I am also excited with our numbers on the sub-varsity level with 30-plus players. With a tough-minded defense and a fast offense, I know we will compete in every game.”
Outlook:
There is a lot of optimism in Foxboro for the Fall II season, and with a strong group of returning starters in different spots all over the field, there is good reason for it.
The Warriors seem to be in the mix for the Davenport division title each season, coming in third in 2019 and 2017. With talent back in key spots, Foxboro could be a serious contender for their first crown since 2015. The offense starts with the line and Foxboro has some experience and size to work with. Senior Sean Ferguson is a towering presence at 6’5, 315-pounds and anchors the line from the center position and he will be joined by junior Dylan Kerrigan (6’0, 205) at tackle. Senior Cam Prescott will start under center and will have a bevy of options to work with including playmaker Luis Sulham and junior Rashaad Way. Look for Chris McNamara to pick up where he left off carrying the ball.
Foxboro has an equal amount of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball with the strength of the team coming from the linebackers and the secondary. Seniors Mike Norvish and James Stamatos return with plenty of varsity experience under their belts and will anchor the linebacker position while senior James Kraus will start at safety and will be accompanied in the secondary by Way and Tom Sharkey, both juniors. One player to keep an eye out for is senior Jon Moses, a 6’4 defensive end that really improved over the course of last season and could be a handful for opposing offenses to deal with.
“The heart and soul of team this year is the senior leadership and experience along with a strong and talented junior class,” said Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli.
Outlook:
North Attleboro was ravished by injuries during the 2019 season and the result was the program’s first sub-.500 season in 27 years. It speaks volumes to how consistent the Rocketeers are year in and year out that it had been that long but the Big Red are ready to turn the page and begin a new streak.
The Rocketeers are getting a lot of players back that missed time last year and also have a bunch of players back that were thrown into the fire last year and now have varsity experience. With that combination, North Attleboro is hoping the end result is the Davenport division title. Junior Tyler DeMattio is back under center for his second year as the starter after making a big splash on Thanksgiving his freshman season. DeMattio can get it done with both his arm and his legs (and his foot in the kicking game). He has a lot of weapons at his disposal this year with Jared Penta and Alex McCoy in the slots, Coby Feid and Matt Penta at split end, and 6-foot-5 Endicott-commit Robbie Donovan at tight end. Jacob Silva returns at tailback and will be complemented by senior Tommy Whalen while sophomores Nathan Shultz and Greg Berthiaume could be in the mix as well. Harry Bullock will anchor the offensive line alongside classmates Danny Hayes and Justin Vecchiarelli and juniors Jared Vacher and Keysun Wise.
On top of the eight returning starters on offense, the Rocketeers boast eight returners on the defensive side of the ball as well. North Attleboro has a lot of depth at the linebacker position with Silva, a team captain, being a key part of the group. He’ll be joined by Berthiaume, Vecchiarelli, Whalen, senior Dylan Eberle, and junior Tyler Bannon. Jared and Matt Penta are both very experienced safeties while McCoy and Feid return at corner, so the secondary will certainly be a strength for the Big Red. The Rocketeers don’t have the biggest defensive line but the likes of Donovan, Vacher, and Bullock provide speed from the edge.
“The extended off season has provided extra time for tremendous growth in the weight room,” said North Attleboro head coach Don Johnson. “The depth at the skill positions on both sides of the ball will be the strength of this team. The key will be how quickly and effectively we can put together our offensive and defensive lines.”
Outlook:
Oliver Ames is back in the Davenport division and is looking to make a splash in its first season back.
The Tigers had a lot of success when the league first split into two divisions, winning the Davenport title in 2011 and 2013 before making the jump up to the Kelley-Rex. With a strong group of players back, OA is looking to take the next step forward during the Fall II 2020 season. Senior captain Gavin Morrison is a two-way lineman and will anchor the offensive group from the center spot. He’ll be joined by senior Dante Cocivera and Max Tower, both returning players from last season. Junior Collin Williamson burst onto the scene last year and should see an expanded role in the backfield during this abbreviated season while sophomore Chad Silva should be in the mix as well.
Speed will be a strength on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers, who boast a lot of the same faces on the defensive line as their offensive line. Tower anchors the linebackers and will be one to keep an eye on, using his speed and strength to make plays, and he’ll be joined by the sophomore Silva. Senior captain Jaden Ricci is one of the best defensive players on the team, a fast, physical player with a nose for the ball that will start at corner. He’ll be joined by senior Jaden Krowski in the secondary.
2020 (Fall II) Davenport Division Preview
“We are excited about where our program is heading and are really ecstatic and thankful to get an opportunity to play this season,” said head coach Ed DeWitt.
Outlook:
Sharon had a very young squad a season ago and went through plenty of growing pains. The Eagles are hoping to turn some of that experience into success on the field this season.
Not only do the Eagles have their quarterback and top receivers back, but they are also getting a big boost with a return from injury. Senior Kiran Chandrasekaran returns under center and has weapons in PJ McManus, Owen Conway, and Conor McLaughlin in the passing game. Nico Marrero, who showed flashes of great play as a sophomore, had to miss all of last year due to injury but is back this year and will be a key two-way player for the Eagles. Marrero is a powerful runner that will look to find space created by an improved offensive line. The Eagles’ offensive line is anchored by senior center Shea Letendre while junior Jack Murphy and sophomores Miles Clay and Daniel Davis help round out Sharon’s line.
Defensive the Eagles are always a competitive group, the challenge will be doing so for four quarters against some top offenses in the Davenport. Ike Ogbonnanze, who is also a big receiving target on offense, will start at linebacker alongside Marrero and Letendre, giving the Eagles a very experienced group in the heart of the defense. McManus and Conway will play on both sides of the ball, starting in the secondary defensively.
“Our kids know our numbers are not strong but they have a great attitude and are playing like their backs are against the wall,” said Sharon head coach Dave Morse.
Outlook:
Stoughton head coach Greg Burke always leans heavily on his senior class and he has a real talented group this year.
The Black Knights have a handful of very talented and experienced seniors that have played a lot of snaps over the past two seasons and that has Stoughton primed for a run a the Davenport division title. Senior John Burke is back under center at quarterback for the Knights and it’s likely we’ll see Brady Conlin take some snaps similar to how Burke split with Clayton Rahaman last season. Both quarterbacks will have plenty of options to work with, especially on the ground. The Knights have a “home run” type offense with any given handoff capable to break off a big run. Senior brothers Christopher and Christian Ais recently committed to the University of New Haven and both bring speed and power when running the ball. Christian Georges is another workhorse out of the backfield while juniors Anthony Girolamo and Jonah Ly could see some carries as well. What makes Stoughton’s run game so dangerous is all of the backs do a great job of blocking when they don’t get carries. Jake Queeney will be the main target in the passing game for the Knights. Sproul Derolus is one of the few returners on the offensive line so Stoughton will need some players to step up there.
Defense is always a staple for the Knights and that looks to be the case again this year. A lot of the same faces that make plays on the offensive side will be the ones making plays on the defensive side. Georges is an absolute monster coming off the edge and uses his speed and strength to cause havoc in the backfield. Christopher Ais will be joined by Ly and Girolamo at linebacker while Christian Ais, Queeney, and Burke are all returners in the secondary for the Knights.
“Hopefully without a ton of injuries we can have a good year,” Burke said. “We have some experience and the kids have worked hard in the clubs for weight training. We need the juniors to step up and contribute fast while still learning varsity speed. The league is always tough and hopefully, we can survive tough crossover games.”
