Tag: Kate Howarth

Free Kick Downs Bulldogs in South Quarterfinal

Sarah MacQuarrie
Sarah MacQuarrie (9) and the Bulldogs were undone by a late free kick in a 2-0 loss to Medfield on Saturday. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By Josh Perry, Managing Editor

CANTON, Mass. – Saturday afternoon’s Div. 2 South matchup between Canton and Medfield at World War II Veterans Memorial Field was intense. Both teams pressured high up the pitch, the ball rocketed back and forth from one end to the other, and no one had more than a second on the ball to try and make a play.

In evenly matched games between good teams, sometimes it takes one moment of magic to decide the outcome. On Saturday, that moment of magic was provided by Medfield right back Sydney Joline.

The junior lined up a 25-yard free kick from the right side of the penalty area with 10 minutes remaining in a scoreless game. The angle and distance would normally require a cross into the box, but Joline was urged to shoot by the Medfield bench and she cooperated with a rocket that snuck just inside the far post breaking the deadlock and Canton hearts.

Medfield tacked on another goal in the final minute and came away with a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs that moved the Warriors on to the sectional semifinal and a matchup with Notre Dame Academy (Hingham).

“It wasn’t savable by any stretch of the imagination,” said Canton coach Kate Howarth in frustration. “It is what it is; you can’t do anything about it.”

“We fought back and that’s all we can do…there was nothing we could do about that.”

Medfield coach Mike LaFrancesca, who said that Joline had the hardest shot he has seen in 20 years of coaching, added, “Having a weapon like that is so important. That was the difference tonight. We were able to get on the board because of a play like that.”

Canton had the first shot on goal in the third minute. Tessa Cudmore taking a shot from the edge of the box that was right at Medfield keeper Sarah Graham. A minute later, Medfield had its first chance when Canton keeper Kathryn Doody failed to handle the first shot that led to a scramble in the box. Doody ended up making two big saves before the ball was cleared.

Joline fired warning shots in the 20th and 31st minute. One free kick from the right sailed narrowly over the crossbar and her shot from the left forced Doody into another save on a tough dipping shot that bounced a foot in front of the keeper.

The Bulldogs had probably the best chance of the game in the 33rd minute. Sarah MacQuarrie spring Cudmore with a through ball in the left channel. Graham came out to the edge of the box but was unable to handle it cleanly and Cudmore touched it past the keeper. With the goal gaping, but at a tough angle, she missed the far post by inches.

“I think we did a good of being dangerous on the chances we had,” said Howarth. “I think we had more dangerous chances than they did; we just couldn’t finish one.”

The second half was played almost entirely in the midfield with neither team able to create consistent scoring opportunities. As the clock continued to wind down and the pressure ratcheted up, both teams became increasingly frenetic.

Howarth said, “I talked to a couple of my girls when we get a throw in or we get a free kick to just take a second and take a deep breath. Those are the moments when you can pause for a second and everyone can compose themselves.”

In the 70th minute, Joline struck for the Warriors and changed the way the game was being played. Canton needed to push forward more and take more chances. In the 74th it almost paid off for the Bulldogs when Cudmore had a breakaway down the right channel only to be denied at the last minute by Medfield left back Sarah Crofts.

MacQuarrie also had a shot from he edge of the box that forced Graham to get down well to tip it around the post. The ensuing corner was cleared.

In the final two minutes, Medfield had a throw in deep in its attacking third and the ball bounced into the penalty area where Maggie McCarthy slid across to knock it past Doody.

“Are they two goals better than us? No,” said Howarth. “But, that’s part of the reason you play the game and you love the game because any given day anyone can beat any team.”

Howarth praised the back four of Shannon Foley, Sarah Connelly, Hayley Mulford, and Sarah Collins for keeping Medfield at bay. Other than a chance in the first half, the Warriors striker Taylor Sherman has little impact on the game.

Overall, Howarth was proud of her team, while also disappointed in the one chance the separated the teams.

“We didn’t play badly at all,” she said. “We played with more intensity today than we had all season. We played the way we needed to and they got lucky and that’s part of the game.”

Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.

Taking Stock of the Hock: Girls Soccer 2015

Victoria Stowell Francesca Calabraro
Victoria Stowell (blue) and Francesca Calabraro lead the midfields of the top two teams in the Hock and are among the players contending for Player of the Year this season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Who is the current soccer Player of the Year?
Perry: For the past three years, a Franklin girls’ soccer player has been named Player of the Year. It started with Kristi Kirshe, who split the award by division the first year that we gave it out, and Taylor Cogliano won it each of the past two years. At the moment, I think the Panthers’ domination of this award will continue.

Senior Victoria Stowell continues to dominate the middle of the pitch for Franklin, especially against the top teams, as Mansfield can attest. Even with a host of new and inexperienced players around her in the midfield, she continues to keep the Panthers offense rolling with incisive passing and a bite in the tackle that helps protect the defense by keeping the ball high up the pitch. Stowell is second in the league with 18 points, including 13 assists, and is the main cog in a team that remains unbeaten and has yet to give up a goal.

There are plenty of great players in the Hock and many who have had great first halves but Stowell remains the most influential player on the top team in the league.

Lanigan: There are a handful of really talented players this year and a couple that could very well be picked as the top player. As of right now, I’d say Oliver Ames’ Francesca Calabraro is the Player of the Year. Through the first half of the season, the junior has netted 11 goals, which is currently second in the league and has a total of 15 points, which is fourth in the league. The Tigers sit atop of the Davenport Division and have only allowed four goals this season while finding the back of the net 33 times. They were able to keep both Franklin and Mansfield, two other top teams in the state, scoreless in the game and both had to focus a lot of their attention on stopping Calabraro. The 2014 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year should certainly be in the conversation for the league’s top player this year.

Who is the soccer Underclassman of the Year?
Perry: Coming into the season, I would’ve assumed that Lily Sykes would be a sure bet to win this award, but injuries to her teammates have moved her back into a more central midfield position (taking away some of her scoring punch from last year) and another sophomore has stepped in to become the league’s leading scorer. North Attleboro’s Haley Guertin is the focal point of a talented Rocketeers attack and she leads the league with 13 goals and 23 points She is skilled on the ball, strong in the air, and seems to always be in the right position to get the goal when North counters with its vaunted pace. Her partnership up top with Hana Caster has combined for 23 goals.

Guertin may be the frontrunner at the midway point, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a charge from Sykes in the second half of the season, as she and her teammates get healthier. Don’t count out players like Riley Duserick of Canton or Sam Tichelaar of Taunton making a push as well.

Lanigan: Sometimes stats don’t tell the entire story, but in this case they certainly do. North Attleboro sophomore Haley Guertin has had a superb first half of the season, leading the Hockomock League with 13 goals and is second in the league with 10 assists. The partnership she has formed with senior Hana Caster has been one of the most dangerous in the entire league. With 37 goals scored this year, the Rocketeers are one of the top offenses in the league. With seven league games left, Guertin and North Attleboro are just three points out of first place undefeated Franklin Panthers.

What has been the biggest surprise this season?
Perry: I’m not at all surprised that Franklin is back on top of the league and has a serious chance at winning another league title, but the fact that the Panthers have allowed exactly zero goals through the opening 10 games of the season is shocking. After losing Nicole Ellin, who was a rock at center back last year, and both outside backs, I assumed Franklin would need some time to mesh defensively. But Lauren Rudolph and Meghan Dieterle have been immense at the back and on the outside converted midfielder Nadia Havens has slotted in at right back like she’s played there forever. Of course, having four-year starter Dani Lonati in goal also helps with the organization and confidence of the Franklin back line. There is a ton of talent on this squad, but seriously no goals allowed in 10 games? That is a remarkable accomplishment.

Lanigan: Certainly Franklin having a +38 goal differential (with zero goals against) is quite the feat but I’d say the biggest surprise so far has been North Attleboro. The Rocketeers graduated two very talented players in Nicole Chretien and Courtney Hewitt, both of which had the ability to find the back of the net. But they haven’t skipped a bit with Glenn Pasquel in his first year at the helm. Between Hana Caster, Haley Guertin, Grace Guertin and Shannon Kingsley, among others, the Rocketeers are second with 37 goals scored this year. North still has two games left against Franklin, who has yet to surrender a goal.

HockomockSports.com Midseason Best XI
Perry:
G – Dani Lonati, Franklin
D – Delaney Benton, Oliver Ames
D – Hannah Reiter, Mansfield
D – Meghan Dieterle, Franklin
D – Sarah MacQuarrie, Canton
M – Victoria Stowell, Franklin
M – Francesca Calabraro, Oliver Ames
M – Lily Sykes, Foxboro
M/F – Hana Caster, North Attleboro
F – Haley Guertin, North Attleboro
F – Jackie Carchedi, Mansfield

Lanigan
G – Dani Lonati, Franklin
D – Hannah Reiter, Mansfield
D – Sarah MacQuarrie, Canton
D – Delaney Benton, Oliver Ames
M – Victoria Stowell, Franklin
M – Francesca Calabraro, Oliver Ames
M – Hana Caster, North Attleboro
M – Alexis Stowell, Franklin
F – Haley Guertin, North Attleboro
F – Jackie Carchedi, Mansfield

At this point, which team will be going the furthest in the tournament?
Perry: I’m not really going out on a limb, but I think at this point it would be hard to pick against Franklin. Even with injuries starting to hit the Panthers attack, freshman Halle Atkinson has stepped in and provided a spark and, as mentioned above, the defense is playing at a very high level.

But, I will say that there is a chance that we could see a deep run from Canton this season. Division 2 South is wide open with a lot of very good teams, but without a powerhouse like Hingham at the top. While the Bulldogs will have to go through the likes of Scituate and Medfield (and probably Hingham), Canton has made huge strides in head coach Kate Howarth’s third year and showed against Mansfield at Gillette that it can pass the ball and control possession as well as any team in the league, which becomes particularly important in the tournament.

Lanigan: I think there’s a very good chance we could see the Panthers return to the D1 South Sectional game for the fourth straight year. Between Mansfield, Franklin and OA, they might have to go through one another in a very talented D1 South bracket. You win games with defense and so far, the Panthers have done just that as they haven’t allowed a goal. I think all three of those teams will all be tough to play in the playoffs.

What is your bold prediction for the rest of the season?
Perry: I’m not great at bold predictions. I’m almost invariably way off or my pick is far from bold. But here goes: my bold prediction is that this fall a girls’ soccer team wins silverware for the league in the tournament. At first glance, Franklin looks the most likely, but Mansfield, Oliver Ames, and North Attleboro will be teams that the likes of Whitman-Hanson and Bishop Feehan will want to avoid in D1 and Canton and Foxboro have potential to cause problems in D2. The league looks increasingly deep and before the season ends one of the teams will have a trophy to show for it.

Lanigan: My bold prediction is that Franklin won’t allow a goal all regular season. It will be a very tough task with two games left against North Attleboro and one against Mansfield but I think the Panthers have a chance at doing it. With Meghan Dieterle anchoring a strong back line and with Dani Lonati, one of the best goals in the state over the last four years, in net, it will be a challenge for teams to score against Franklin.

Canton Bounces Back By Beating Hornets at Gillette

Kathryn Doody
Canton goalie Kathryn Doody stops a last minute chance by Jackie Carchedi to preserve a 2-1 win against Mansfield at Gillette Stadium. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By Josh Perry, Managing Editor

FOXBORO, Mass. – Following Monday’s loss to Attleboro, Canton coach Kate Howarth told her team to leave take one night to get over the defeat and come back for practice on Tuesday ready to work and ready to prepare for Wednesday’s test against Mansfield at Gillette Stadium.

“At the beginning of practice, I said, did you all go home, cry, and do what you had to do to get ready for practice?” said Howarth. “They all laughed and said yeah we cried, which was good because they should’ve, but this is the response that you want.”

The Bulldogs played arguably their best game of the season, scoring in the opening 10 minutes of each half and then holding on against relentless Hornets pressure to pull out a 2-1 victory.

Howarth said, “We put the ball down and played the best game we have all season. We possessed better than we have all year.”

Canton jumped all over Mansfield at the start of the game. The Bulldogs dominated the ball and moved it around from side to side, while left back Sarah Collins bombed forward with consistent overlapping runs. It was Collins that would open up the Mansfield defense for the game’s first goal.

The freshman was fed by Sarah MacQuarrie down the left and she cut it back to Tessa Cudmore, who then fed the ball across the six-yard box to Hannah Link and she prodded it past Emily Gaumond.

Collins’ ability to get forward and create scoring opportunities was due to a switch made by Howarth for the game. She moved MacQuarrie from right back to the center of midfield and the senior captain was a dominant figure throughout.

“I tried her there a couple of times early in the season and in scrimmages,” explained Howarth, “but we ended up tucking her back because I like the way she got up. We made some adjustments and it worked.”

The Hornets started to create chances near the end of the first half with Rebecca Bornstein creating an opening in the final 10 minutes but her cross from the right channel just missed the foot of Jen Kemp and went all the way across to Jackie Carchedi, but her shot sailed over the bar.

Six minutes into the second half and MacQuarrie again popped up in an important position, driving into the box between a pair of Mansfield defenders who clipped her to give away a penalty. Center back Sarah Connolly stepped up to the spot and her shot past the outstretched Gaumond to make it 2-0.

“They were the best team for the first 15 minutes of each half…by far,” admitted Mansfield coach Kevin Smith. “Credit to them, they earned it. I thought that for the last 15 minutes of every half we were better but we missed a ton of good opportunities.”

As the second half wore on and Canton continued to be in control, Smith moved junior Hannah Reiter up from the center of defense to lead the line as a center forward, which also allowed Carchedi and Kemp to move out wide.

The switch instantly paid dividends with Reiter sending a header wide and then Kemp finding space on the left to send a ball back to Katie Bongarzone stepping up from midfield but her 20-yard shot was over the bar.

With 15 minutes left to play, Reiter got Mansfield back in the game. Jordan Zarat pressed forward from right back and she played a quick pass in behind the defense that Reiter ran onto and slipped past Canton keeper Kathryn Doody.

“She’s a dominant player,” said Smith of Reiter. When asked why he does not play the Quinnipiac-commit up front more often, he responded, “She’s just such a good defender. We have seven shutouts with her at center back.”

“She has so much composure on the ball and trust in her abilities. The girls know they can make runs because they’re going to get the ball.”

The Hornets continued to press with Bongarzone, Kemp, Reiter, and Carchedi all having chances that were saved or narrowly off target. The Hornets also had a late penalty shout when Carchedi went down in the box, but the official waved it away for a goal kick.

“We had our shots,” said Smith. “It was the complete opposite of how we played on Monday night.”

In the final minute of the game, Mansfield had one last chance when the ball was headed into the path of Carchedi, who managed to get a toe on it under pressure from Collins, but Doody was out quick to block the shot and deny the equalizer.

“She’s been solid all year and she’s come up big when we need her to,” said Howarth. “She’s been consistently solid back there.”

The Canton players stood together after the game, snapping selfies and looking around at their surroundings to take in this rare opportunity to play at Gillette. Unlike Monday, there was no reason for tears after this game.

Canton will host Kelley-Rex leader Franklin on Friday night, while Mansfield will travel to Foxboro.

Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.

Tuesday's Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/29/15

Today’s games are listed below.
Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Chris Elsner picked up his sixth assist of the season, finding Brad Eames for the opening goal just seven minutes into the game to give the Hornets the early lead. Cullin Anastasia doubled the Hornets’ lead just seconds before the halftime before off an assist from Jareme DiLirenzo. Michael Kirejczyk made five saves in net and got strong performances from Harry Braidt, Max Gurnon, Nick Hyland and Elsner in front of him. 

Canton, 1 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Freshman Fabio Ponce De Leon finished off a long throw in from Josh Mitchell in the first half but Canton freshman Paul Corcoran scored his first career goal to pull the Bulldogs level. 

Taunton, @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Tyler Mann scored the opening goal inside the first 10 minutes off an assist from Joe Kellett and then Mann returned the favor less than 10 minutes later, finding Kellett on a corner kick. Will Weir also scored a first half goal and Cam Mullins added a fourth for the Warriors early in the second half. 

Milford, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Junior Thomas McCormick set up a goal in both the first and second halves to push OA to a key divisional win. McCormick assisted on Keegan Nutt’s goal in the first half and then McCormick set up Jack Sheldon in the second half.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Alle Bezeau, Stephanie Kemp, Jen Kemp and Katie Bongarzone all scored second half goals to give Mansfield head coach Kevin Smith his 100th career victory. Paige Medeiros scored for Attleboro. 

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 6 – Final – The Bulldogs created a number of chances, according to coach Kate Howarth, and had five different players score goals in the win. Meaghan Hunter scored twice for Canton, which also got goals from Hannah Link, Riley Duserick, Sarah MacQuarrie, and Sarah Connelly. Stoughton’s goal was scored by Krista Michienzi off a cross from Mia Greene. 
Foxboro, 5 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Riley Collins scored a hat trick for Foxboro and Hannah Burns and Hailey Maling each scored once. 

King Philip, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames jumped out to a 2-0 lead at halftime behind goals from junior Francesca Calabraro and senior Delaney Benton. Junior Kiana Lozzi added a second half goal for the Tigers. Milford head coach Jay Mastaj said Katie Brown, Kristen Franzini and Nichole Dahlgren played well for the Scarlet Hawks. 
Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final
Field Hockey
Mansfield, 4 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Olivia Horn found the back of the net twice to pace Mansfield to a key divisional win over Attleboro. Caitlin Whitman and Brianna Puccia each scored once for the Hornets.

Canton, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Angela Connelly’s goal with 2:39 left in the game lifted Stoughton to its first win over Canton in over a decade. Mia Russell scored Stoughton’s first goal.

Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Annie McGeary scored a hat trick for the Warriors. 

North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Senior Samantha Jones made nine saves in net to get the shutout as Franklin bounced back from its first loss of the season. Freshman Annie Walsh scored a pair of goals while senior Kelsey McPhee, sophomore Christina Quinn and freshman Cassi Ronan each scored once. 

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip netted a pair of goals in the second half to break a 1-1 deadlock at halftime. Courtney Foley scored twice, one assisted by Christina Hathaway and one by Casie Curtin. Liz Furfari netted an unassisted goal for KP. 
Cross Country
Boys
Attleboro, 22 @ King Philip, 33 – Final

Milford, 25 @ Canton, 30 – Final – Canton senior Mark Clancy broke the course record time, finishing in 16:08 to beat the old record by 13 seconds. Canton’s other finishes were sophomore Jack Healey in fourth (17:09), senior Courtland Priest in sixth (17:41) Thomas Cahill in ninth (18:04) and Andrew Salvatori in 11th (18:27).

Foxboro, 44 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final
Mansfield, 20 @ Franklin, 35 – Final
North Attleboro, 35 @ Taunton, 20 – Final
Stoughton, 45 @ Sharon, 16 – Final
Girls
Attleboro, 50 @ King Philip, 15 – Final – King Philip took the first five spots in the race with sophomore Erin Quinn leading the way in 20:41. Erica Layne, Leia Quinn, Nicole Jutras and Brianna Aubin also finished in the top five. 

Milford, 34 @ Canton, 25 – Final – Canton’s Cat Song set a new course record (17:57), smashing the previous record (19:26) but nearly 90 seconds. Olivia Stevens finished fourth (22:13), Ally Chin finished fifth (22;21), Emily Orkin in seventh (22:35) and Margaret Polsgrove (22:54) in eighth. 
Foxboro, 41 @ Oliver Ames, 20 – Final
Mansfield, 42 @ Franklin, 18 – Final
North Attleboro, 22 @ Taunton, 39 – Final
Stoughton, 49 @ Sharon, 15 – Final
Golf
Milford, 104 @ Stoughton, 122 – Final (6 holes) – Ryan Tomaso, Anthony Arcudi, Riley Lynch and Tylor Renaud were the top four finishers for the Scarlet Hawks. Eoin Doherty was the top finish for Stoughton.

Sharon, 176 @ Canton, 156 – Final – Junior Pat Duggan and sophomore Danny Powers each shot 39 for the Bulldogs, who qualified for the state tournament with the win. Junior Jackson Maffeo added a 39 and Jack Goyetch shot 41 for Canton. Sharon’s Jordan Chabot shot a team-low 39. 

Taunton, 200 @ King Philip, 203 – Final – After being tied at 159 through four cards, the match was decided on the fifth card with Taunton edging KP by three strokes. Mario Wilson and Kaynel Gonsalves each shot 39 for Taunton while Justin Proto shot a 40. For King Philip, Mickey Riley was the match medalist with a 37 and sophomore Danny McLoughlin added a 38. 

Oliver Ames, 158 @ Attleboro, 175 – Final – Steven Tasho and Brian Lambert each carded a 39 to lead the Tigers to a win. Tyler Letendre shot a 40 for Attleboro.

North Attleboro, 166 @ Mansfield, 164 – Final

Friday's Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/18/15

Today’s games are listed below.
Game of the Week – Football
Milford, 21 @ Franklin, 24 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Zach Lanzetta 7 yard pass to Blake Hill, Sean Lehane XP good; (F) Jake Wolowacki 32 yard rush, Nick Yelle XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Jack DeSantis 6 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Z. Lanzetta 4 yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (F) Brad Jarosz 18 yard pass to Will O’Reilly, N. Yelle XP good;
4th Quarter: (F) B. Jarosz 16 yard rush, N. Yelle XP good; (F) N. Yelle 41-yard field goal good.
Football
Attleboro, 0 vs. Dartmouth, 10 – Final

Canton, 14 vs. Bedford, 13 – Final (OT)
1st Quarter: Bedford 66 yard pass, XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (C) Dennis Ross 2 yard rush, Thomas Monagle XP good.
Overtime: (C) Joe Bires 5 yard rush, T. Monagle XP good; Bedford 10 yard pass, 2pt failed
Mansfield, 27 vs. Haverhill, 0 – Final
1st Quarter: Connor Finerty 42 yard rush, Diogo DeSousa XP good; Nick Graham 9 yard rush, XP fail.
2nd Quarter: N. Graham 9 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good.
3rd Quarter: C. Finerty 30 yard rush, D. DeSousa XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

North Attleboro, 21 vs. Bishop Feehan, 10 – Final
Oliver Ames, 15 @ Plymouth North, 42 – Final
Stoughton, 6 @ Marshfield, 31 – Final
Taunton, 8 @ Durfee, 22 – Final
Boys Soccer
King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Brendan Sullivan put Mansfield in the lead in the 27th minute off an assist from Chris Elsner. In the second half, James Chotkowski doubled the Hornets’ lead off an assist from Jake Staples. Head coach Steve Sheridan had high praise for goalie Michael Kirejcyzk, saying he played “phenomenal” in goal after nine saves to earn his third shutout. Sheridan also said defenders Max Gurnon, Nick Hyland, Harry Braidt, Ethan Brill-Cass and Elsner played phenomenal.
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – The Eagles struck twice inside a 10 minute span in the first half to pick up their second win of the season. Senior Dan Bender set up both chances for the Eagles. First, Bender found Oliver Huat just over seven minutes in to make it 1-0. Just under 16 minutes in, Bender found Ian Camilli to double the lead. 

North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro’s Matt Coscarella put the Rocketeers in front in the first half but Taunton scored the tying goal via Daeshawn Duffie less than a minute into the second half. 

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Keegan Nutt scored twice inside the first 10 minutes of the second half to lift the Tigers. Sophomore Mason Galbato scored his first career goal shortly before midway through the second half to give OA their 3-1 lead. Stoughton’s Josh Mitchell tied the game 1-1 less than minutes into the second half on a free kick. 
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Megan Georges netted a hat trick for the Panthers and Bailey Knouse added two goals. 

Canton, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Riley Duserick and Tessa Cudmore scored unassisted goals for the Bulldogs to give Canton a “solid win,” according to head coach Kate Howarth.

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Emma Goulet opened the scoring for Mansfield 12 minutes into the game on an assist by Jackie Carchedi. Seven minutes into the second half, Jen Kemp scored her fourth of the season, assisted by Katie Bongarzone. With 12 minutes remaining, Trish Murphy scored from 45 yards out for the Hornets.

Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Gabbie Riley scored the lone goal of the game on an assist by Kristen Franzini. Emily Duquette made six saves to record her second straight clean sheet.

Taunton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – Haley Guertin had a first half hat trick and added an assist in the second half for the Rocketeers. Felicity Monfils opened the scoring for North and also had an assist on one of Geurtin’s goals. North jumped out to a 3-0 lead but goals from Mariah O’Gara and Sam Tichelaar cut the lead to 3-2. Guertin and Hana Caster scored either side of halftime to build the lead to 5-2 before O’Gara scored a second midway through the second half.

Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Francesca Calabraro scored a first half hat trick for the Tigers. Emily Freeman, Jackie Mills, Annabella Walsh, Dana Lowney, and Lauren Wright also scored for OA. 
Volleyball
Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip handed Canton its first league loss since October of 2013 with a 28-26, 25-10, 25-22 sweep. Josie Rowean led KP with 19 kills and Gwen Uyrus chipped in with 12 kills to pace the Warriors offense. Micaela Murray had 11 digs and Molly Citarell had five digs while Carly Adams led the team in assists. For Canton, Elizabeth Hamilton and Rye Verille combined for 16 kills and Casey Shea had four blocks.

Franklin, 3 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Franklin took care of the Boxers 25-21, 25-20, 25-17 in a non-league contest. Aubrie Kutil had 10 kills, Caroline Maguire added six kills and a pair of blocks and Beth Neal had six kills and four aces. Neal also added 16 assists while Dayna McCue had 23 serve receivers, 18 digs and four aces. Head coach Catherine Horsmann said Sam Campbell set the tone in the third set with a run of 16 service points to give the Panthers a big lead. Campbell also had a pair of digs and serve receives. 
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Attleboro took a 1-0 lead into halftime but Franklin rallied in the second half. Dana Lewandowski scored both of the Panthers’ goals. Lewandowski tied it on assists from juniors Caroline Lounsbury and Kayla Marshall and then took the lead on an assist from freshman Annie Walsh just eight minutes into the second half. Samantha Jones made four saves to earn the win for Franklin.

Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Brenna Puccia, Mary Kate Kelly and Julia Todesco scored in a short time span to lift Mansfield. King Philip’s Alli Meehan scored the Warriors lone goal off an assist from Liz Furfari.

Milford, 8 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – After scoring just three goals in their first three games, the Scarlet Hawks came to life offensively. Nicole Fokas and Elena DelloRusso each scored a pair of goals while Jessica Palmer, Christina Capone, Ali Atherton and Danielle Fokas each scored once.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Nicole Walker opened the scoring for the Tigers off an assist from Hannah Friend. Junior Dimitra Efremidis doubled the lead and then senior Missy Krim added a third off an assist from Nadia Eldemery. 
North Attlerboro, 0 @ Taunton, 0 – Final
Cross Country
Canton @ Sharon, 3:45
Golf
Foxboro, 165 @ Oliver Ames, 154 – Final – A trio of Tigers – Steven Tasho, Brian Lambert and Matt Kelley -each shot 38 for the day. Foxboro’s Tim Luciano shot a team-low 38 for the Warriors while Matt Tierney carded a 41.

Sharon, 156 @ North Attleboro, 148 – Final

Canton, 163 @ King Philip, 166 – Final – Junior Pat Duggan shot a match-best 38 to lead the Bulldogs to a narrow win over KP. Canton senior Joe Peccia shot a 42 while sophomores Jack Goyetch (one under on the last five holes) and Danny Powers, along with senior Griffin Jerrier, all shot 42. King Philip’s Todd Bushway and Dan McLaughlin each shot a 41 while Sebastian Ladoulis and Mickey Riley each shot 42. 

Canton Leave It Late But Hunter Goal Sinks Warriors

Meaghan Hunter Canton
Canton celebrates Meaghan Hunter’s goal with 12 minutes remaining that turned out to be the game-winner for the Bulldogs against KP. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Click HERE for a photo gallery from the game.

By Josh Perry, Managing Editor

CANTON, Mass. – The ball seemed stuck in the King Philip defensive third. Canton was creating chance after chance but somehow between the post and Warriors keeper Maggie Hall (13 saves) the Bulldogs could not find the breakthrough.

Out of nowhere KP strung together a counter attack that had the potential to turn the game on its head.

With just 15 minutes left, the ball found its way to senior Kate Sexton on the left side and she beat her defender before sending in a low cross that picked out Maddie Smith in the box, but her first-time, point-blank shot was saved by Canton goalie Kathryn Doody, who had been little more than a spectator for most of the game.

It was a wake-up call for the Bulldogs that for all their possession the game was not yet won. Three minutes after the scare, Canton finally found the back of the net. Tessa Cudmore snuck a pass behind the right back to Sarah Collins whose shot was tipped onto the bar by Hall into the path of senior Meaghan Hunter for what turned out to be the game-winner.

Hannah Link added a second with just eight minutes left and Canton walked away with a 2-0 victory over KP on Wednesday night at World War II Veterans Memorial Field.

“They fight right to the last whistle and that’s why we got the result,” said Canton coach Kate Howarth. “Doesn’t matter if it was ugly or pretty, it’s a ‘W.’ We just have to work out a little bit of the first half.”

Cudmore nearly put the Bulldogs ahead in the third minute only to be robbed by a sliding Hall at the edge of the box. Two minutes later Rachel Hogan created a rare chance for the Warriors when her cutback found Victoria Ely but the freshman’s shot was stopped by Doody at full stretch.

Link had a chance in the 14th minute when she rolled her defender and had a breakaway but again Hall came to the Warriors’ rescue. In the 33rd minute, Hall was tested by a strong shot from Sarah Connolly but she was able to tip it over the bar. There was a scramble on the corner, but KP managed to clear.

“We had a chat before the game and I said that I need the old Maggie back and…she did,” said KP coach Gary Pichel. “She came up big for us several times. It could’ve been 5-0 without Maggie there.”

The first half saw both teams pass the ball around in the midfield but after halftime it was almost entirely one-way traffic as the Bulldogs pressed KP back into its own third of the field. In the 50th minute, Hall had to be quick off her line to stop a Cudmore break and six minutes later Link beat Hall at her near post only to see the shot cannon off the post.

“In the second half, when we won all the 50-50 balls…we were in our attacking third almost the entire time and it changed the game,” explained Howarth.

“My kids were trying to defend for most of the game and that’s probably normal considering all the losses we’ve had,” said Pichel noting the six starters that he was missing due to injury. “I’m proud of them for keeping it a game until the last 10 minutes or so.”

It could have been a very different result when KP created its only chance. Doody managed to get her hands up, stay big, and block the shot from close range after great work down the left by Sexton.

“I thought that was going to go in,” said Pichel with a shake of the head. “That was a beautiful play and one of the few honest chances that we had. If that one goes in then it’s a different game.”

Howarth admitted that there was some frustration starting to set in for the Bulldogs after missing so many chances in the game. But, with 12 minutes left, Hunter found herself in the right place at the right time to tap in the goal that eased the tension.

“She’s that kid that works her butt off on the field and does whatever you ask,” said Howarth of the senior. “That’s what you need from your bench players is to go in and make a spark.”

After waiting so long for the first goal, the second seemed to follow right away. Link was first to a rebound after Hall made another smart save low to her left. The junior forward followed up and essentially wrapped up the win for the Bulldogs.

Howarth said, “She just goes hard for everything and that’s the kind of people you need up top. That’s how she scored the goal – she took a chance, followed up, and finished it.”

Not every win has to be pretty and Howarth shrugged and said simply, “It’s two points.”

Canton (2-0) will put its perfect record on the line against Foxboro on Friday, while KP (1-2) will open the school’s new turf field against Mansfield.

Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.