Below are the official 2017 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Sophia DiCenso, Foxboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Sara Addeche, Foxboro
Caroline Boudreau, Foxboro
Hallie Canfield, Foxboro
Meghan Curran, Foxboro
Sophia DiCenso, Foxboro
Gianna Cameron, Franklin
Caroline Lounsbury, Franklin
Grace MacCallum, Franklin
Annie Walsh, Franklin
Erin Walsh, Franklin
Katie Crowther, King Philip
Maire Foley, Mansfield
Ann Maher, Mansfield
Erin Holley, North Attleboro
MacKenzie Rosenberg, North Attleboro
Emily Schromm, North Attleboro
Olivia Piazza, Oliver Ames
Emma Eberhardt, Sharon
Alex Rabb, Sharon
Sabrina Robbins, Sharon
Honorable Mentions
Kyra Lyons, Attleboro
Kathryn Doody, Canton
Christina Rogers, Foxboro
Grace McDermott, Franklin
Angela Vellante, King Philip
Katy Garvin, Mansfield
Jill Burley, Milford
Julia Dakin, North Attleboro
Ari Waldorf, Oliver Ames
Anna Crosby, Sharon
Alana Tavares, Taunton
For a history of recent Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse All Stars, check out our history section.
2017 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse All Stars
For a history of recent Hockomock League Boys Outdoor Track All Stars, check out our history section. You can also see all stars from other sports in our history section. Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League Hockomock League
Baseball
Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Franklin senior Steve Ferguson scored what turned out to be the winning run on a squeeze play in the top of the seventh and the Panthers held off a late surge from Attleboro to earn the win. Franklin scored two runs in the top frame to go up 4-1. Jake Noviello went 6.1 innings for Franklin, striking out nine with four hits allowed to earn the win. Bryan Woelfel picked up the last two outs to earn the save for Franklin. Offensively, Jake Lyons had two hits, including a double, and scored a run, Ryan Hodgkins belted an RBI triple and scored a run and Cam Lupien knocked in a run. Attleboro’s Matt Callahan had two hits, scored a run and drove in two, Dylan Maskell had two hits and an RBI and Tyler Davis reached base four times, stole two bases and scored once. Tyler McGovern was the tough luck loser on the mound, tossing a complete game. “He pitched well, made it tough for us,” said FHS head coach Zach Brown.
Foxboro, 9 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Colin Thoener did it all for the Warriors, tossing a complete game and knocking in a team-high four RBI in a close win over Canton. Thoener scattered seven hits, walked two and struck out five to earn the win while going 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI. AJ Bubencik also had a strong day offensively, going 3-for-4 with three runs and a stolen base and sophomore Anthony Mollica had two hits, three RBI and two stolen bases.
Mansfield, 8 @ King Philip, 5 – Final (8 inn.) – Kevin Dow (2-for-4) knocked in Cullin Anastasia (2-for-3, RBI) for the winning run in the top of the eighth and Aidan Cahill brought in two more insurance runs — Max Boen (2-for-2, RBI) and Matt Farragher — as Mansfield escaped with an 8-5 win in extras at King Philip. Mansfield took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first but KP responded with two in the bottom half. The Hornets tacked on single runs in the second and third to make it 5-2, but KP cut into the deficit with a run in the third and tied the game with two runs in the fifth. Mansfield’s Kyle Moran earned the winning, tossing 3.1 innings in relief with just two hits allowed and two strikeouts. Stephen Murray knocked in two runs for KP while Will Weir (2-for-4, two runs) and Ben Furfari (2-for-4) each knocked in one.
Milford, 2 @ North Attleboro, 9 – Final – North Attleboro junior Peter Cohen shined in his first ever varsity start, allowing just one run on four hits and no walks, striking out five to lead the Rocketeers to a big division win. Offensively, the Rocketeers had nine hits, scoring two runs in the first, five in the second and tacking on single runs in each the third and fifth innings. Zach DeMattio (three RBI) belted a two-run home run in the first and John Brennan had a solo home run in the third.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Taunton, 8 – Final – Taunton junior Christin Simoes had two hits, including a home run, and knocked in a pair of runs as Taunton prevailed against OA. OA took a 1-0 lead in the first, only for Taunton to respond with two runs in the bottom half. Taunton added three more in the third to take a 5-1 lead. OA didn’t go quietly, tying the game with four runs in the fourth but Taunton added three more in the sixth to get the win. Jacob Crawford added two hits and Matt Machado had one hit and an RBI for Taunton. Tyler Medeiros earned the win on the mound, tossing a complete game with seven strikeouts and four earned runs allowed. Oliver Ames’ Cam Johnson went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and an RBI and Sam Burr added two hits as well.
Sharon, 3 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton overcame a one run deficit with the tying run in the third and then the go-ahead run in the fifth to edge out the Eagles and clinch their second straight Davenport title. Senior Josh Roos delivered the big hit for the Black Knights, connecting for a one-out triple in the fifth and came on a sac fly from Ruben Gonzalez for what turned out to be the winning run. Gonzalez also scored the tying run in the third, scoring on a passed ball after singling and stealing second. Stoughton took the lead with two runs in the first on Luke Johnson’s two-out two-run triple. Johnson also earned the win on the mound, going six innings with three runs allowed on eight hits, three strikeouts and one walk. Evan Gibb pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the save.
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin got all three of its runs within the first two innings and junior Jackie Cherry did the rest in the circle, tossing a complete game shutout. Franklin freshman Anna Balkus singled, stole second and used two wild pitched to come home. Ally Shea also scored in the first inning for the Panthers. In the second inning, Cherry helped her own cause, reaching in the second and having courtesy running Emma DiPhilippo scoring the Panthers’ third run. In the circle, Cherry allowed just two hits, issued two walks and struck out five.
Canton, 5 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final
King Philip, 4 @ Mansfield, 0- Final – King Philip Elise Pereira allowed just one hit while fanning 10 batters in a complete game shutout. Jenn Hutnyan paced KP’s offense with three hits, an RBI and a run scored while Hailey McCasland added two this and Faith Turnese contributed with a key pinch hit double. Mansfield’s Sarah Cahill had three strikeouts while giving up eight hits while Megan Letendre had the lone hit of the day for the Hornets.
North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 6 – Final – North Attleboro cut into MIlford’s 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third but the Scarlet Hawks had an answer, tacking on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to pick up the win. The teams traded single runs in the sixth inning. Junior Emily Piergustavo paced Milford’s offense, going 4-for-4 with three doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. Kate Irwin (1-for-3) added three runs, Jess Tomaso had two hits and an RBI and Maggie Farrell reached twice and knocked in one run. MHS head coach Steve DiVitto said Maddy Bonvino “played an exceptional defensive game at second base.” Kelley Reichert picked up the win, going six innings, scattering five hits and striking out one. Ali Atherton earned the save, striking out two in one inning of work. For North Attleboro, Meg Barlow had two hits and a a run scored and Ashley Cangiano drove in pinch runner Kat Munley.
Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, 5/18 at 3:45.
Stoughton, 12 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (6 inn.) – Brianna Ferrandiz went 3-for-3 with three RBI to pace the Black Knights on offense, while Gina Carafa allowed only two hits and struck out nine in a six-inning shutout. Jordan Lyons added two hits and three RBI and Nikki Coppola drilled a three-run homer for Stoughton.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 10 – Final
Canton, 18 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Canton senior CJ Martin netted first career goal and then went on to add two more to record a hat trick in the Bulldogs’ big win. Brian Albert and Alec Raguso also scored their first career goals while Connor Proctor and Matt Mackay found the back of the net for the first time this season.
Foxboro, 5 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Franklin raced out to a 5-1 lead after the first quarter and used that strong start to take down Foxboro. The Panthers gained a 7-3 edge by halftime but were blanked in the third quarter by Foxboro’s defense and the Warriors cut the deficit to three at 7-4 entering the fourth. But Franklin recovered and won the fourth quarter 2-1 to prevail with a win. Eric Civetti had three goals and three assists, Packie Watson also netted a hat trick and had one assist and Nitin Chaudhury had one goal and one assist. Chase Tanner and Jake Davis each added one goal while sophomore Jacob Alexander notched 15 wins at the face off X.
King Philip, 21 @ Milford, 1 – Final
North Attleboro, 12 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – North Attleboro built a commanding 7-2 lead by halftime and never looked back to notch a key road win and clinch the Davenport division outright. Jason McNeany won 10 of the 15 face offs he participated in to help give Big Red the possession edge. Jack Dakin scored a team-high five goals and added two assists, Zach McGowan (two goals, two assists) totaled four points and McNeany finished with a pair of goals and one assist. Owen Costello also recorded four points for the Rocketeers while Colin Young scored once and had one assist, Tommy Lindstrom added two assists and Hunter Sarro notched one helper.
Oliver Ames, 17 @ Stoughton, 7 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 12 @ Canton, 14 – Final – Emily Fabbiano scored six goals to lead Canton to a come-from-behind victory, while Mary Kent added a hat trick and Kathryn Doody made 11 saves for the Bulldogs. The Tigers were led by Abbey Kingman’s five goals and four from Alana Tavares, while Lorna Li made 17 saves.
Franklin, 9 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final
Milford, 5 @ King Philip, 21 – Final
Mansfield, 11 @ North Attleboro, 18 – Final – North clinched its tournament berth with the win and had 14 assists on its 18 goals. Chloe Olsen had four assists, while Julia Dakin, Katie Lindstrom, Kenzie Rosenberg and Erin Holley each had two assists apiece.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin bounced back from just its third loss with a sweep of Attleboro, dropping just four games total. Eli Brooks moved up a spot and earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, Rohan Herur won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Tyler DiPalma, usually a second doubles player, notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of James Johnston and Derek Wu continued their strong season with a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles while Dan Angermeier and Tony Calderone won 6-1, 6-1 at second doubles.
Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – King Philip prevailed from a competitive divisional match with Mansfield with a close win, taking two wins in singles and one more in doubles. Cole Ginter prevailed 6-1, 7-5 at first singles and Martin Matous recorded a 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. KP’s team of Ryan Gemelli and Marco DiStefano earned a key 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win at first doubles to seal the win. Mansfield’s Luke Nickerson won 6-0, 6-1 at second singles and the team of Gus Daganhardt and Stephen Zenack won 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 at second doubles.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Rocketeers, winning all five matches in straight sets to earn a road victory. Zac Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-3 at first singles, Alex Rinaldi moved up a spot and earned a 6-2, 6-1 at second singles and Alex Pfeffer prevailed from third singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win. The team of Daniel Zhang and Ben Pfeffer won 6-1, 6-4 at first doubles and Andrew Harris and Vikram Senthilakumaran notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Taunton, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Taunton’s first doubles of sophomores Dylan Kullas and Charlie Fiske emerged victorious from a 10-set super tie breaker to complete the Tigers’ clean sweep. Kullas and Fiske won 6-7, 7-5, 11-9 while the team of junior Kyle Dennehy and freshman Alex Pugh won 6-2, 6-4 at second doubles. Taunton swept singles as well with sophomore Brett Beaulieu (6-1, 6-1), junior Mike Briggs (6-2, 6-2) and senior Eric Gwozdz (6-2, 7-5) all winning in straight sets.
Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – The Panthers earned their second 5-0 sweep of the season, both coming in victories over Attleboro. Hannah Sweeney (first singles) and Anja Deric (second singles) won in straight sets without losing a game while junior Stephanie Schiavo won 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. Franklin’s first doubles team of Madison Derby and Julia Hogan won 6-4, 6-3 and juniors Jillian McLaughlin and Alexa Katsaros notched a 7-5, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Foxboro, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Foxboro lost a total of four games in singles play, winning all three matches in straight sets in a win over Canton. Sophia Prinos won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles, Lexi Nelson recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles and Julia Muise walked away with a 6-0, 6-4 victory at third singles. The team of Kayla Prag and Olivia Dantona won 6-2, 6-1 at first doubles for Foxboro while Jacey Nicklas and Morgan Krockta prevailed 3-6, 6-3, 10-4 at second doubles.
Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip won a pair of matches in both singles and doubles to take down visiting Mansfield. Erin Regnier won 6-2, 7-5 at second singles and Meghan Sepich picked up a 6-2, 7-5, 10-5 win at third singles. The team of Megan Davenport and Carly Adams recorded a 6-4, 6-0 win at first doubles and Corinne Palumbo and Gracie Jarest won 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Paulina Martin won at first singles, falling 2-6 in the first set before winning by default.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton’s Jillian Pagliuca prevailed in a tight match at third singles, winning 7-5, 6-3 to complete the sweep. Olivia Sweeney won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Jordan Pagliuca notched a 6-1, 6-1 at second singles. Taunton lost just two games total in doubles play with Ashley Eason and Emily Moor (first doubles) and Caroline Hebert and Jordan Martin (second doubles) each winning 6-0, 6-1.
Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Catholic Memorial, 0 – Final
Sophomore attacker Sophia DiCenso (1) and Foxboro will be favorites for a sixth straight Davenport division crown this season but will face tough challenges from North Attleboro, Sharon, and Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2016 Record: 6-12 2016 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro is still a relatively young program but has taken strides to be competitive with the rest of the teams in the Hockomock and first-year head coach Kevin Patton is hopeful that the large number of players at tryouts is a sign that the Bombardiers are heading in the right direction.
One of the reasons for Attleboro’s confidence coming into the spring is the experienced players that will take the field, including senior Mish Logie, who is a four-year varsity midfielder. Joining Logie as a captain for this year’s team is goalie Hadley Porreca, who is in her second year in net.
In addition. juniors Emily Patton and Ali Wall return in attack, while classmates Kim White and Graycen Cassidy will keep things tight on the defensive side of the ball. Midfield depth will be provided by sophomores Kyra Lyons and Alex Compton, who are both coming off strong rookie seasons on varsity. Freshman Sydney DiLiddo will also have the chance to step in and contribute in midfield this season and junior Ashlyn Salisbury and sophomore Shea Harrison will see time on defense.
“We had our largest player turnout in the program’s history,” said Patton, “and we have girls that want to work hard and succeed. With only two seniors on this year’s team, I will be looking to certain underclassmen to take on added leadership roles. This will help us not only this year but going forward.”
2016 Record: 8-9 2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Christine O’Connor
Canton won five of its final seven games last season to get back to .500 and qualify for the state tournament and the Bulldogs will be hoping to carry that momentum over to this spring with a roster that features nine seniors and eight juniors.
Some of the key returning players for Canton this season include senior attacker Mary Kent, senior defender Tessa Cudmore, and senior goalie Kathryn Doody, who form a solid spine for the Bulldogs to build on. Caroline Hagan, Rebecca Eckler, and Maria Mackie are among the other seniors that will be contributing for Canton.
One of the younger players to watch is sophomore attacker Leah McClellan, who is one of several players that helped the girls’ hockey team reach the state title game at the TD Garden. Another sophomore, Maggie Malloy, has already had strong seasons for the field hockey and ice hockey teams and will provide depth this spring.
“We look to gain strength as the season progresses,” said O’Connor. “We will look to the seniors for leadership and intensity in order to be competitive.”
Foxboro won its fifth straight Davenport division title last spring and returned to the Div. 2 South semifinal for the second straight season and expectations will be even higher this season for head coach Brittany Sherry, as the Warriors return 15 players to try and make it six league titles in a row.
Among the many experienced players coming back is an exciting core of sophomores that have made instant impacts, including the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Sophia DiCenso, who scored 65 goals and had 31 assists last year. Joining DiCenso up front will be classmates Caroline McGeary and Meghan Curran and juniors Jackie Brion and Catherine Luciano.
Defensively, senior Hallie Canfield will be back to anchor things and provide leadership. Junior Christina Rogers and sophomores Jenna Stamatov and Molly Murphy will also be back to limit opposing offenses. Freshman Sara Addeche will take over in goal and is another in a line of talented underclassmen that Sherry is excited to see develop over the course of the season.
“Our goals stay about the same every year, most importantly getting another round further!” Sherry said. “The last two years our season has ended in the semi finals but I’m hoping with the scheduling and tourney experience last year we will have the edge we need to get to the finals.”
2016 Record: 19-5 2016 Finish: Reached the Div. 1 State Semifinal Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino
Another spring and another league title for Franklin, which completed another perfect season in the Hockomock and then carried that success into the playoffs to win a second Div. 1 East title with a dramatic, one-goal victory over Acton-Boxboro. Even though they only return five players, the Panthers enter the season as the favorite in the Kelley-Rex division and with sights set on challenging for a state title.
There is experience coming back for the Panthers with seniors Grace McDermott and Dana Lewandowski coming back to control things on the defensive end, while former Underclassman of the Year Kendall Reardon and fellow senior Caroline Lounsbury will provide leadership in the attack.
Franklin always seems to have players ready to step in and, despite there being a youth movement on the varsity team, the Panthers have already started 2-0 with wins against Needham and Lincoln-Sudbury. Sophomore midfielder Annie Walsh and her freshman sister Erin have both gotten off to strong starts with sophomore Halle Atkinson helping out with a hat trick in the win over L-S as well.
“I am very excited for the 2017 season!” said Igoe Guarino. “Our freshmen and sophomores bring a lot of energy and competitiveness to practice and games, while our juniors and seniors bring the discipline and experience. The two combined could bring us very far again this year!”
King Philip surprised some last spring when the Warriors went on the road to beat Westford Academy in the first round of the Div. 1 East tournament and that experience could pay dividends as KP returns a number of key players with the intent making a run at earning a first league title since 2012.
Senior Angela Vellante is back and head coach Julie Boudreau called her the “quarterback” for the attacking unit. Vellante will be looking to feed junior Katie Crowther, who was the team’s and the league’s leading scorer as a sophomore with 111 points. Senior Meghan Wagner was a starter as a freshman and scored in every game but missed the last two years with an injury and is now back to make an impact on offense.
KP can also count on a strong sophomore class led by a core of midfielders: Caroline Klim, Alli Meehan, Victoria and Olivia Tormey, and Dana Truini. Also back is sophomore goalie Caroline Watson behind a defense of juniors Molly Mullins, Christina Hathaway and Izzy Agricola. Also making a return is assistant coach Mary Pasquantonio, Boudreau’s sister, who brings experience as a former KP player and will help the current crop of Warriors on draw controls.
“We have a deep bench with many sophomores and will be looking to run lines and sub regularly to keep everyone fresh,” said Boudreau. “Our theme for the season is ‘grit=hard work + passion’.”
Mansfield won its opening two games of the 2016 season, but the Hornets struggled during a difficult middle part of the spring and missed out on the state tournament. The Hornets showed flashes of potential during the year, including a close loss to perennial tournament team Hingham, and hopes are high that they can get back into the postseason this year.
Expectations are boosted by the return of a strong core of experience players. Senior Maire Foley will be a focal point of the Hornets attack this year, while classmate Maggie Dunn and junior Ann Maher will return in the midfield. Senior Jen McCabe will provide leadership in defense and sophomore Kaity Garvin will build off her rookie season in attack.
Among the new faces this spring are sophomore midfielders Maggie Danehy, who had a solid winter with the girls’ basketball team, and Lauren Whitman
“Our team really has been working together as a unit day one,” said head coach Alexis Kobey. “They came into the season ready to go and work on what they needed to work on to get better, from draw controls, ball movement, attack/defense they have been showing up everyday. They also really love playing with each other, working with each other, making each other better.”
2016 Record: 3-15 2016 Finish: Missed Postseason Coach: Tim Dowd
It has been a tough run for Milford since moving to the Hockomock League, but the Hawks bring back an experienced roster for first-year head coach Tim Dowd and he is hopeful that the program will continue to improve over the course of the season.
Dowd’s excitement for the new season is in part built on the leadership of his senior class, including captains Taylor Dube, Jill Burley, and Jordyn Lombardo, who Dowd said would all have “incredible seasons.” He praised all three for their competitive spirits and for pushing their teammates to improve.
Another senior, Brainna Croteau, will be in charge of the defensive unit and Dowd is counting on the development of a talented group of sophomores and juniors. Milford also has two freshmen, Hannah Bangert and Anne Flanagan, who will be on the varsity roster this season and who Dowd thinks will make an impact.
“I think one of our strengths is going to be teamwork and work ethic,” said Dowd. “We want to be a team that goes the extra mile for each other and constantly works to win battles on the field. We’re going to try to outwork other teams. We’re going to try to focus on the little things to hopefully make big improvements.”
2016 Record: 13-7 2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East Quarterfinal Coach: Mike Vitelli
Under first-year head coach Mike Vitelli (who had previously led King Philip to a Hockomock League title and a South final), North Attleboro made a jump into second place in the Kelley-Rex division and won 13 games, while reaching the playoffs for the first time. After a loss to eventual state champ Walpole, Vitelli has built up North’s schedule with perennial powers Notre Dame Academy, Natick, and Walpole to get the Rocketeers prepared for a tournament run.
North will clearly miss last year’s Player of the Year Hana Caster (who is now at UMass Lowell), the Rocketeers return a number of important players, including six of the team’s seven defenders. Seniors Samantha Taggart, Emily Schromm, Emma Cromidas, and Alaina Mello will provide an experienced defensive unit in front of junior goalie Kayla Moulin, who Vitelli believes will have a great season.
Up front, North will turn to junior Kenzie Rosenberg and senior Erin Holley, who had breakout seasons for the Rocketeers in 2016. Chloe Olsen, Julia Dakin, and Julia Tolfa will also be counted on to provide offense for North Attleboro, while Camille Pizzaro and freshman Katie Lindstrom will be newcomers to watch this spring.
“I really like the depth of our bench as well,” said Vitelli. “Lots of hybrid players who can play in many roles…Biggest question I’ve gotten this offseason has been ‘how can you replace Hana Caster?’ My response is we can’t. But that being said, I don’t think any player is replaceable…It just becomes an opportunity for other players to step in and make their mark.”
2016 Record: 8-11 2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round Coach: Abby Tepper
Oliver Ames reached the postseason last year by finishing second in the Davenport division and will look to build on that in 2017 in the Tigers first season in the Kelley-Rex and first season under new head coach Abby Tepper, who is only one year removed from the end of a very successful college playing career at Salve Regina and a solid first season as coach of the OA field hockey program this fall.
Tepper inherits a roster with several key returning players that provide a foundation for the Tigers, who won the opening two games of the spring. Junior captain Sofia Masciarelli will be the main attacking cog for OA this season with senior Katie Davenport back in the heart of the defense and junior goalie Ari Waldorf will be back between the pipes.
Also back for OA and expected to make a step up into the starting lineup are senior captain Kendall Clifford in the midfield, junior Chloe Kilkelly in the attack, and sophomore midfielder Olivia Piazza.
“The girls have been working hard each day at practice to prepare for the tough schedule they will face,” said Tepper. They continually improve their skills and lacrosse IQ each day. I have been impressed with how the girls have pushed one another to get better and have committed themselves to the program.”
2016 Record: 10-9 2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round Coach: Colleen Carchedi
In her second season in charge, Sharon head coach Colleen Carchedi (née Manning) led the Eagles to their first ever playoff appearance. On their home grass, the Eagles put in a great performance to battle perennial playoff competitor Bishop Feehan and the experience has generated a lot of excitement in the program as the new season begins.
Sharon has five key players returning from last season, including leading scorer Alex Rabb and twin sister Sam, who is one of the team’s top defensive players. Senior Anna Crosby will be the motor in the midfield and junior midfielder Sabrina Robbins has verbally committed to the University of Colorado. Carchedi said of Robbins, “She is someone who always gets the job done and deserves more credit than she gets. She is reliable and hard working, never afraid to take a risk.”
Sophomore Emma Eberhardt is another player coming back that Carchedi believes will be able to take on a much larger role this spring. Eberhardt will add size in the midfield and, particularly, on draw controls. Carchedi said, “She is an all around stud athlete and is for sure a player to watch.” Sophomore Rose Wald is a newcomer that takes over in goal.
“I know we are going to be a really well balanced team,” Carchedi added, noting that the Eagles had six different goal scorers in the season opener against Milford. “I am so excited for the season and ready to hit the ground running after a big game against my old high school, KP.”
With a win against Norton on Monday, Taunton avenged a pair of losses to the Lancers from 2016 and is halfway to last year’s win total. The Tigers are still a young program at the varsity level and, as such, head coach Kerry Northup knows there will be a learning curve against Hockomock opponents, but she is also excited about the team’s potential.
The Tigers will turn to seniors Delaney Powell, Annie Tate, and Abbey Kingman to provide consistent offense this spring and all three had big games in the opener against Norton, combining for 12 of the team’s 17 goals. Powell led the way with six goals in the win and junior Lorna Li had 12 saves in another strong performance for the Tigers’ “confident” goalie.
Taunton also has plenty of youth that will be gaining valuable experience this spring, including three sophomores, a pair of freshmen, and three eighth graders. One of the eighth graders, Alana Tavares, made the most of her varsity debut on Monday, potting five goals against Norton and will be one of the newcomers to watch in the Hock this season.
“We have a solid group of girls this season,” said Northup. “Our strength players have a nice balance throughout the field from offense, mid, to defense. We are not a powerhouse team, but a team with passion, drive, and grit. These girls play to the end and don’t give up until that last whistle sounds.”
Below are the official 2016 Hockomock League Girls Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Hannah Reiter, Mansfield
Hockomock League All Stars
Jordyn Forte, Attleboro
Riley Duserick, Canton
Kristen Bortolotti, Foxboro
Lily Sykes, Foxboro
Nadia Havens, Franklin
Catherine Robbins, Franklin
Abigail Gipson, Franklin
Emma Corcoran, King Philip
Avery Snead, King Philip
Chloe Layne, King Philip
Hannah Reiter, Mansfield
Melissa Reef, Mansfield
Bryn Anderson, Mansfield
Stephanie Kemp, Mansfield
Kristen Franzini, Milford
Haley Guertin, North Attleboro
Rachel LaBonte, North Attleboro
Emily Chiasson, North Attleboro
Kiana Lozzi, Oliver Ames
Zoe Chazan, Oliver Ames
Emily Freeman, Oliver Ames
Lauren Wright, Oliver Ames
Alex Rabb, Sharon
Ally Filipowski, Sharon
Sarah Widrow, Stoughton
Samantha Tichelaar, Taunton
Honorable Mentions
Rebekah Entwistle, Attleboro
Kathryn Doody, Canton
Jamie Gorham, Foxboro
Miranda Smith, Franklin
Rachel Hogan, King Philip
Emily Vigeant, Mansfield
Nicole Dahlgren, Milford
Aine Mendonca, North Attleboro
Regan Benton, Oliver Ames
Ally Steinberg, Sharon
Emma Harrington, Stoughton
Kayla Felix, Taunton
Canton’s Sarah Collins and Medfield’s Annie Phipps battle for possession on Friday afternoon. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – For the first 30 minutes of the D2 South Semifinal, 15th-seeded Canton was not only the better side, but the Bulldogs were dominating sixth-seeded Medfield and held a 3-1 lead.
But a late surge from the Warriors resulted in two goals in the final three minutes to bring the teams level just before halftime. Medfield used that momentum — and the advantage of the wind — to go on and score four goals in the second half and come away with a 7-3 victory of the Bulldogs.
From the opening minute, Canton seized control of the play,. Junior Sarah Connolly won possession just over half, dribbled her way through the Medfield defense and unleashed a shot from atop the area that forced a save.
Canton finally broke through in the 18th minute when Hannah Link sent a pinpoint through ball that Tessa Cudmore ran onto. Cudmore muscled her way past one defender and held off another as her shot from just inside the area found the far post for a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes later, the Bulldogs doubled the lead. Riley Duserick whipped in a curling corner kick that forced Medfield keeper Sarah Graham into a save but the rebound fell right to Julia Hamilton, who one-timed it in from in close.
Medfield applied pressure after a timeout, first with Kathryn Doody coming off her line to thwart a break from Alanna Cooney. But a minute after the save, Cooney gained some space on the right wing and ripped a shot to the far post to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
Canton was quick to respond, with Duserick nearly scoring an olimpico off a corner but the linesman deemed it didn’t cross the line. In the 27th minute, the ball popped into the attacking area and Cudmore played it perfectly, shielding off a defender to get some space before placing it into the corner for a commanding 3-1 lead.
But in the 37th minute, Annie Phipps used a turn just outside the area to gain a bit of space and fired top shelf to bring the Warriors within one. Two minutes later, Phipps centered a cross to Taylor Sherman, who got a touch past Doody as she charged out, and slid the ball into the net to make it 3-3.
“The momentum swung in their favor completely and it hammered us,” Canton head coach Kate Howarth said. “I think it’s a completely different game if we go into halftime with a 3-1 lead. It took the wind out of our sails for sure. We had the momentum for the whole first half until the last 10 minutes and we just crumbled.
“You lose all the footage that you gained. Instead of going forward a step, you go back three steps. It was still a winnable game but we just didn’t have it today. If we came out like we did the last two games I think we would have destroyed them. We didn’t have 80 minutes in us today.”
Medfield scored the game-winner in the 55th minute as a long throw eluded Canton’s defense and Sherman raced onto it. The break forced Canton’s defense to commit and Sherman centered to Cooney in the middle for an open shot and goal.
The Warriors made it 5-3 when a long throw found Maggie McCarthy at the near post for a flick to the far post. Medfield added a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes as the Bulldogs pushed numbers forward.
In total, eight of the 10 goals scored in the game came from the team playing with the wind at its back.
“The wind affected the game a lot,” Howarth said. “It’s not just a breeze, it’s significant. It can help take the ball when you have it and it can kill you when you’re against it.
“We weren’t come at the same level that we were the last few games. Some games you come into and you can’t be beaten, some games you struggle through. This was one we were going to have to struggle through. We didn’t look good, they didn’t look good. They kicked the ball around a lot. It was going to be a struggle for both sides but they struggled better than us and found ways to score some goals. I think if we played the second half like we played the first 30 minutes of the game, it’s a completely different game.”
Canton girls soccer finishes the season at 10-8-2. The Bulldogs, who were seeded 15th in the D2 South Sectional, knocked off #2 Greater New Bedford and #10 Milton in their tournament run.
“I don’t think our wins and losses showed exactly how good this team was,” Howarth said. “We play in one of the toughest leagues around here. You go into the tournament against someone who’s 13-1 and play nobody, we were able to go in and destroy them. We gained from playing tougher teams during the regular season. We’ve been through the adversity.”
Canton celebrates a second half goal by Catherine Leonetti (14) that sealed a 2-0 win against Sharon. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – The pitch was slick from two days worth of rain, but the Canton defense showed no ill effects and zero slip-ups, as it corralled Sharon’s top two attacking threats, Alex Rabb and Ally Filipkowski, limiting the Eagles to only a couple clear scoring chances.
It was a major turnaround for the Bulldogs, who had allowed six goals last time out against Milford. The back four, with help from the midfield, held firm on Saturday morning at World War II Veterans Memorial Field and Canton pulled out a 2-0 victory that edges the Bulldogs closer to a spot in the state tournament.
“After the Milford game, I took the back line and we talked about some issues,” explained Canton coach Kate Howarth, “and there was a little bit of confusion I wasn’t aware of. We cleared everything up and you could see the back line was so solid today.”
Chances were at a premium for both teams in the first half. The Bulldogs has the first shot on goal when Tessa Cudmore’s shot was handled by Sharon keeper Natalie Gray. A corner three minutes later from Sarah Connolly had to be cleared off the line by Amanda Klayman and then Lauren McCabe had the rebound saved by Gray in the bottom corner.
The Bulldogs’ best scoring opportunities were coming from Connolly’s set piece deliveries. She fired in a long free kick that Gray caught cleanly and then in the 27th minute she was credited with the opening goal when her corner was deflected off the leg of a Sharon defender and just over the line.
The defensive effort for Canton started with the midfield trio of Julia Hamilton and freshmen cousins Lauren and Morgan McCabe, who bottled up Filipkowski by sending multiple players at the junior playmaker as often as possible. Even without Riley Duserick, who was out with an injury, the Bulldogs put the clamps on the Sharon midfield in the first half.
“She’s a good player and I think when you can shut her down they don’t really create a lot of chances,” said Howarth of Filipkowski. “[Julia] fought hard and I think she stood her ground with Ally.”
When the Eagles did get the ball forward, Rabb was regularly alone up top surrounded by Connolly and Carly Hutchinson. At halftime, the Eagles made an adjustment to try and get more runners out wide and it created Sharon’s best chance in the 46th minute.
Filipkowski managed to shrug off the attention of the Bulldogs and slid a pass into Victoria Zambello angling in from the right wing but Canton keeper Kathryn Doody was off her line quick to block the shot. Ally Steinberg also started to find space on the right side going one-on-one with Canton right back Sarah Collins and created a couple dangerous crosses that Doody and the defense managed to clear in front of Rabb.
“We made a formation change in the second half to try and isolate Ally [Steinberg] one-on-one out wide,” said first-year Sharon coach Brad Furnival. “We were able to create a few chances. Their keeper dealt well with some crosses, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough players in the box to score goals, which kind of killed us in the end.”
When asked about opponents focusing on Filipkowski to try and stunt the Eagles attack, Furnival replied, “I thought Filipkowski had a good game. I’d like her to get more shots off but even if teams put two or three players on Ally, she’s still going to create chances because she’s that kind of player.”
Canton had its chances to close out the victory. Cudmore was causing problems with her speed, running at the Sharon back line, and Lauren Fitzpatrick added some good minutes off the Bulldogs bench.
Cudmore nearly doubled the lead in the 48th minute when she chased down a deflected pass but it was saved by back-up keeper Isabella Berger and the follow-up by Hannah Link sailed over the bar. In the 52nd minute Cudmore had another good look but her curling effort from the edge of the box smacked off the bar.
“We had a couple other chances that would have been easy finishes,” said Howarth, “and we didn’t get them in and those are the ones that we talk about every week. If we put away some of the easy chances…we would be beating teams by a lot more than we are.”
In the 64th minute, Cudmore set up the goal that sealed the win. She hustled to keep a loose ball alive on the near side of the box and laid a pass into the path of Catherine Leonetti, who had just come into the game, and she hit it first time off the underside of the crossbar and across the line.
Howarth said, “Once we got that I think everybody calmed down a little bit. It took the pressure off and we could finish the game.”
With the win Canton (7-6-1, 7-5-1) moves back into second place in the Davenport, one point ahead of Foxboro, which the Bulldogs will face on Tuesday afternoon. Sharon (5-9-1, 4-9-1) will step out of the league on Monday for a trip to Norwood.
Riley Duserick scored the only goal of the game with 11 minutes to halftime to lift the Bulldogs back to .500. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Coming off a 4-0 loss to North Attleboro on Tuesday, in a game that head coach Kate Howarth admitted her team was not ready to play, Canton was looking to bring back the intensity and defensive discipline that Howarth demands when it hosted Milford on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs brought back the physical play all over the pitch, stayed composed and organized in the back four, and got a first half strike from Riley Duserick to get back on track with a 1-0 victory over Milford at World War II Veterans Memorial Park.
“This is the first game that we played the way that I’ve taught for the past three years,” said Howarth. When asked if this could be a foundation on which the team could build, the always demanding coach added, “I think they need to.”
The outcome could have been very different if Milford took its early chance. In the 14th minute, Madeline Boyle played a corner from the left that just eluded the far post and was knocked out for a chance from the opposite side. Boyle’s second corner found Nicole Dahlgren alone in the box but her header was blocked on the line. The ball bounced around and a second chance from inside the six was saved by sprawling Canton keeper Kathryn Doody.
“Huge save,” said Howarth. “She time and time again comes up with these big saves and she just puts herself in the right place at the right time and it works. That’s just what she does and she’s done it for three years now.”
Milford coach Jay Mastaj added, “I think that point at time we had the momentum. We were starting to string together a few passes, we had them back on their heels, but again their defense came up including their keeper and that’s what you need.”
The save spurred Canton into action and the Bulldogs midfield started to assert itself, led by Duserick, Julia Hamilton, and Kendra Farrelly. Controlling the middle of the field allowed Canton to get the ball forward to Hannah Link and Tessa Cudmore in the channels and stretch the Milford defense.
It took to the 29th minute for the Bulldogs to create a clear scoring chance and Cudmore played a ball across the edge of the box that was deflected into the path of Duserick. The junior midfielder calmly side-footed a lefty shot inside the far post to break the deadlock.
“It doesn’t matter how much possession you have, how much of the ball, it doesn’t matter how many chances, if you don’t put one in then the game is still 0-0,” Howarth noted. “So, putting that in got us on a different level and we really started pushing after that.”
Canton upped the pressure another gear after the goal and again started to play balls in behind the Milford defenders. Morgan McCabe was nearly in on one chance only for Milford defender Rachel LeBlanc to get across at the last second and block the shot. Cudmore also struck the bar with a cross from the left two minute before the break.
In the second half, Canton started strongly again with Duserick having another shot from outside the box that sailed just over the bar. But Milford slowly grew into the game and had its chances going forward when Mastaj switched to a 4-4-2 to try and get help up front for Kristen Franzini.
Gabbie Riley added another outlet for the Hawks who won a corner that Doody needed to palm away and had a couple of chances that they could not put on target. Canton was finding room on the break and left back Sarah Collins found herself with room in the box to have a shot but it was blocked and center back Sarah Connolly let fly with a long-range shot that went over.
“Their defense kind of bent a few times but didn’t break,” said Mastaj. “We came up with stuff but they found a way and unfortunately luck wasn’t on our side in this one, but overall I was very happy. This was the intensity that we needed.”
The second half was mostly a battle of center backs with Dahlgren on the Milford side and Connolly on the Canton side both stopping attack after attack.
“Nicole since day one has just been a standout for us,” said Mastaj, “and she just continues to get better. Her calm on the field is such an influence on the kids. There’s no panic in her eyes at any point in time and she just plays the right ball.”
After shipping four goals earlier this week, Howarth was pleased to see her defense keep a clean sheet. She said, “This back line was completely different than the North Attleboro game. [Against North] we just came out flat and…we were horrible. When we have a solid back line and we possess out of the back, it’s different, you can tell that we can dominate.”
Canton (2-2) will try to continue the forward momentum on Monday at Sharon, while Milford (2-3-1) will try to get back to .500 when it travels to Foxboro.
2015 Record: 13-5-1 2015 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Kate Howarth
The Bulldogs will be happy to see Oliver Ames move on to the Kelley-Rex after finishing just behind the Tigers in the Davenport title race each of the past two seasons. Head coach Kate Howarth is now in her fourth season and Canton seems poised to make an even bigger impact this year with a number of returning players, despite still being a very young team that has only three seniors on the roster.
Canton’s strength starts at the back where senior goalie Kathryn Doody has developed into a solid shot stopper and also an extra sweeper who can cover when the defense steps up to press the play. Just in front of the keeper, Sarah Connolly will be in her third year on varsity and brings “loads of experience,” according to Howarth.
Junior Riley Duserick is back to run the middle of the pitch for the Bulldogs after a pair of all-star seasons. Her range of passing and her long-range shooting will force defenses to keep an eye on her at all times, which can open lanes for the pass into senior forwards Hannah Link and Tessa Cudmore. Both are in their fourth year on varsity and Howarth is counting on their experience to be in the right place to finish opportunities.
Howarth added, “We have some great depth this year. When we make subs I don’t think our quality will go down at all and that is very exciting.”
2015 Record: 9-9-0 2015 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Kaitlin Lamothe-Vaughn
The Warriors were one of several teams that battled injuries last season. Foxboro started the fall without its starting keeper, one of its primary forwards and with its star midfielder playing through an injury suffered in the off-season. The Warriors still reached the postseason but with a full roster set to start 2016, expectations are even higher.
The key player is junior midfielder Lily Sykes, who head coach Kaitlin Lamothe-Vaughn referred to as the team’s “rock.” Sykes has recovered from the injury problems she dealt with last year and will be the primary playmaker in behind the forwards. She will have plenty of experienced players to look for with the return of senior Kristen Bortolotti, who was one of Foxboro’s top scorers as a sophomore but missed all of last year with injury. Also up top, the Warriors will feature Olivia Dantona, Shaina Abbott, and Hannah Burns.
Another key returner is senior goalie Hallie Canfield, who missed significant time last year. She adds even more confidence to a returning back four of seniors Devon Mollica, Lauren Flahive, and Jamie Gorman and sophomore Alex Stamatos. With Hailey Maling and Riley Collins running the wings, Foxboro has plenty of familiar talent coming back to try and win the program’s first league title since 1993.
2015 Record: 8-9-2 2015 Finish: Reached D1 South Preliminary Round Coach: Jay Mastaj
For the past several seasons, Milford has been incorporating younger players in an effort to get back to the postseason, but injury troubles have limited the Hawks in the ultra-competitive Hock. This year, the Hawks have a good balance between senior leadership and young talent and could be poised for a breakthrough season.
The key players for Milford are senior captains Nicole Dahlgren, who is a strong presence in the center of defense with the ability to step into the midfield, and Kristen Franzini, who was the team’s leading scorer from a year ago with nine goals. The four-year starters will have help from midfielder Maggie Boyle and defender Rachel LeBlanc.
Head coach Jay Mastaj is excited about a strong crop of freshmen, including Maddie Boyle, Ashleigh Starks, Annie Flanagan, and Juliana France. Mastaj said that the team has plenty of depth this season. He added, “This is the most talented team that we have fielded in my four years here at Milford.”
While the Rocketeers had a solid regular season under first-year head coach Glenn Pasquel, not many expected North Attleboro to make a run through league rivals OA and Franklin to reach the Div. 1 South semifinal (a 2-1 loss to Whitman-Hanson). Key players like Hana Caster and Grace Guertin are gone, but North has a lot of returning talent for its first season in the Davenport and expectations are high at Kelly Field.
Much of the excitement around the program is in the attacking third where junior Haley Guertin will try to have another season like 2015 in which she scored 19 goals, led the league in scoring, and was named HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year. She will receive help up top from winger Felicity Monfils, who emerged last year as a threat on the right wing for the Rocketeers. Emily Schromm and Julianna DiRenzo will try to fill the holes in midfield from the strong crop that graduated.
Goals are important but it was the development of the North defense that propelled the Rocketeers to a tournament run. The move of Rachel Labonte to sweeper turned into a masterstroke as she seemed to block every attack and move the ball quickly back into the attack. Emily Chiasson will join Labonte in the back line in front of new goalie Emma Noreck. Pasquel said, “Great start to the season, plenty of returning players…Looking forward to a great season.”
First-year head coach Brad Furnival has spent the preseason installing his style of play and building the organization needed to compete in the Hockomock League. So far, he said that results have been positive and he is excited to get the season underway. It may be a new coaching staff, but the Eagles have plenty of familiar names from last year’s young and talented squad.
Senior captains Anna Crosby and Ally Steinberg will be the players that Furnival is expecting to be leaders on and off the pitch and both have the potential to make an impact in the midfield. Ally Filipkowski has the foot skills and moves to create scoring chances for herself and her teammates.
In addition, Sharon will also have St. Michael’s College-commit Victoria Zambello and Ithaca College lacrosse commits Alex and Samantha Rabb back this season to add aggressiveness and energy to the team. There is a lot of talent on hand and Furnival is trying to find the right “vision” to mold the talent into a competitive team. He said, “I’m looking to have the perfect balance this season between players with a technical and physical prowess, which will make Sharon a much harder team to play against.”
Head coach Tara Daniels enters her second season with the Black Knights looking to continue the development of the program to compete in the very competitive Davenport division. Stoughton has several players that Daniels believes could make a big impact this season and see the Black Knights make a move up the standings.
The key for Stoughton will be the midfield where Emerson Sprague will try to run things from the center of the pitch. Daniels praised Sprague’s distribution and her ability to keep the Black Knights in possession. On the outside, senior captain Amelia Cochran will be racing up and down the wing and junior Mia Greene will be helping Sprague with the playmaking duties. Up front, sophomore Gabby Diaz will try to build on a solid freshman campaign.
The defense is led by junior captain Sarah Wildrow. Daniels said of the vocal outside back, “I’ve never seen Sarah get out-hustled.” Daniels added, “Hard work and staying healthy will be key to our success. Our goal this season is to keep our mind focused on teamwork and connecting passes.”
Baseball
Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:15
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:15
King Philip @ Stoughton – Postponed to 5/5 at 3:30
Mansfield @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:00
North Attleboro @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD
Taunton @ Sharon – Postponed to TBD
Softball
Canton @ Attleboro – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:00
Foxboro @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD
Milford @ Franklin – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:30
Stoughton @ King Philip – Postponed to 5/5 at 3:30
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield – Postponed to 5/3 at 4:00
Sharon @ Taunton – Postponed to TBD
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Norton, 3:30
Canton, 12 @ Braintree, 6 – Final – Canton raced out to a 6-1 lead and never looked back in a non-league contest at Braintree. Ben O’Neill scored four goals, including his 100th career goal, passing former Bulldog Pat Ward to become the third highest scorer in program history (103 goals, 49 assists). Shaun Kirby netted a hat trick and had an assist, Dan Dillon scored twice and Mike Shaw, Ryan Lodge and Charlie O’Connor each scored once for Canton.
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 20 – Final– The Warriors had 13 different players find the back of the net in the big win. Sam Agricola scored all five of his goals in the first quarter while Harry Fallon had one goal and five assists in the same frame. Zach D’Amico and Evan Megura each scored twice for KP while freshmen Aiden Bender and Tyler Bartlett scored their first career goals. Taunton’s Andrew Wellington scored the lone goal for the Tigers.
Mansfield, 16 @ Norwood, 10 – Final
North Attleboro, 4 @ Hopkinton, 12 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 17 @ Norton, 5 – Final
Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 9 – Final– Canton’s Kathryn Doody made 12 saves in net for the Bulldogs and freshman Leah McClellan netted a hat trick to pace the offense.
King Philip, 19 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Bre Conlon and Abby Kingman each scored goals for Taunton and Kingman also had an assist.
Sharon, 12 vs. Ursuline Academy, 11 – Final
Boys Tennis
Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to 5/10 at 3:45
North Attleboro @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to 5/5 at 3:30
King Philip @ Stoughton – Postponed to 5/3 at 3:30
Mansfield @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to 5/10 at 3:30
Taunton @ Sharon – Postponed to 5/3 at 3:45
Girls Tennis
Canton @ Attleboro – Postponed to 5/10 at 3:45
Foxboro @ North Attleboro – Postponed to TBD
Milford @ Franklin – Postponed to 5/5 at 3:30
Stoughton @ King Philip – Postponed to 5/3 at 3:30
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield – Postponed to 5/10 at 3:30
Sharon @ Taunton – Postponed to 5/3 at 3:45
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 3 vs. Brockton, 2 – Final– Taunton was just a point away from getting swept by the Boxers, trailing 24-20 in the third game after losing the first two games. But the Tigers clawed back with a 6-0 run to clinch the third game and went on to win the final two to get the win (20-25, 17-25, 26-24, 25-16, 15-10). Taunton received a great all around effort from David Perry, Malik Charles, Lance Law, Lens Esquil, and Collin Hunter. Head coach Toby Chaperon credited Nate Grant for stepping up at setter after Ricardo DaFonseca departed with an injury. Chaperon also noted that Dawid Fusiecki and Jason Khang were solid on defense.
Julia Todesco (right) scored three goals and made several defensive plays to help Mansfield improve to 2-0 on the season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – The wind was whipping across Alumni Field on Wednesday afternoon and it felt more like the middle of the winter than the start of spring, but the turf was clear of snow and so Mansfield and Canton each took the field for the second time this season.
It took a little longer than usual for the two teams to warm up, the first half was dominated by turnovers and misplaced passes, but in the end the teams went right down to the wire. Seniors Caroline Maher and Julia Todesco each scored hat tricks for the Hornets to pull out a 10-8 victory and push Mansfield to 2-0 on the season.
Mansfield coach Alexis Kobey was not surprised that her upperclassmen led the way on Wednesday. She said, “Both Julia and Caroline played amazing. Claire Maroney anchored our defense back there…Those three are really the backbone of our team. They anchor everything for us.”
Things did not start well for the hosts. Canton opened the scoring nearly four minutes in when Caroline Hagen bounced a shot past Mansfield goalie Tori Lawlor. Jill Pulutchko answered off a feed from Katie Garvin to tie it for the Hornets two minutes later, but Canton came right back with the first of two goals by senior Casey Bradley, on an assist by Abby Colburn.
Todesco and then Maher went back-to-back for Mansfield to give the Hornets their first lead of the game at 3-2 but then Bradley tied the game and classmate Mary Nee smacked the post on a quick break. On her next chance, Nee went over the top of Lawlor (10 saves, seven in first half) to make it 4-3 Bulldogs.
Midway through the first half, Kobey made a change on the draws. She put Todesco on the initial draw and moved Maher up to the edge of the circle with Maggie Dunn and occasionally freshman Emily Vigeant to try and gain control. The switch worked and the Hornets won 8-11 draw controls in the first half and 14-20 for the game.
“We kind of switched it around to get different looks and Emily Vigeant, a freshman, we were trying to get her some looks on the draw,” said Kobey. “But Caroline is so good with those one-handed catches, she has such a good eye.”
Lawlor made a huge kick save to block a chance from Bradley with 9:25 left in the half and two minutes later Maher spun past her marker to tie the game at 4-4. Vigeant put Mansfield ahead at halftime, 6-4, with a pair of goals, the first of her career.
The first came off a turnover that she forced directly in front of Canton goalie Kathryn Doody and the second after she had earned a free position opportunity.
“Her first varsity goals, so that’s big for her,” said Kobey. “She was excited. Her and Katie Garvin are our two freshmen and they came right in and made an impact on the game.”
Canton came out of halftime with renewed energy and immediately got back into the game. Just 1:43 after the break, Colburn took advantage of a restart with Lawlor out of the cage and found Rebecca Eckler alone in front to make it 6-5.
Mansfield pressed forward looking to extend the lead but was denied by Doody, who made seven of her 12 saves in the second half, including four in the opening six minutes. Her stops allowed the Bulldogs to tie the game with 19:48 left on Nee’s second of the game.
“She had a great game; a few big saves,” said Canton coach Chrissy O’Connor of Doody. “She really stepped up and had a great game.”
O’Connor added, “I thought they did a good job in the second half of kind of pulling it together. We’re still kind of early on in the season, so we’re still trying to work some things out.”
Mansfield took less than a minute to regain the lead. Todesco forced a turnover in the defensive zone and started a quick transition that went from Mary Folan to Dunn for a 7-6 lead.
Olivia Devoe answered right back for Canton from a free position chance, but then Todesco scored two in a row, both slicing across the Bulldogs’ defense, to put the Hornets ahead 9-7.
Maroney picked up a card and Canton had an extra player on the field, but the Bulldogs struggled to make the advantage pay. Finally, Nee made a steal on defense and sparked a quick transition. Bradley picked out Hagen in the middle and she cut the lead to just one with 10:57 left.
O’Connor said, “I think it took us a little while to figure out to double team on the man down, but they did a good job of starting to pressure. Our shooting – we hit the post a couple of times, had a couple of overthrows but overall I’m happy with how they played.”
As the clock wound down under six minutes remaining, Canton was probing for the tying goal. The Bulldogs had more than a minute of sustained pressure, but the Mansfield defense was staying with cutters and not allowing good looks. The one chance that the Bulldogs had was stopped by Lawlor.
“I think that’s what really saved us, making that save that gave them the extra confidence,” said Kobey. “When the goalie saved, they’re like yeah! When we went to the timeout, we had the lead and I told them it’s our game.”
Todesco made another play, this time on the defensive side of the game, when she scooped up a ground ball to end Canton’s possession. The play transitioned into the attack and Maher capped her hat trick with a finish that made it 10-8 with 5:17 to play.
The game was sloppy at times, but Kobey admitted that the conditions were at least partly to blame. She explained, “The cold conditions are tough because the blood’s not flowing a much and your hands are freezing and you can’t feel the stick.”
O’Connor is in her first year as head coach and has started with back-to-back losses to perennial power Franklin and now Mansfield. Despite the defeats, she is pleased with how the team is coming together.
She said, “Starting off with Franklin is difficult, but I was happy with how they came back and stayed in this game. It wasn’t the outcome we wanted but I was happy with the fight the whole game…baby steps.”
