01/23/2022

Fast Start Lifts Franklin to Win Over Title Rival KP

Franklin boys hockey — Ben Jarosz celebrates the opening goal for Franklin in its title showdown with rival King Philip. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

FRANKLIN, Mass. – Last season, Franklin and King Philip shared the Kelley-Rex division crown. On Saturday night, at a packed Pirelli Veterans Arena, the teams met again for a showdown between the top two teams in the division standings. Feeding off the home crowd, Franklin came out firing on all cylinders and that fast start proved decisive.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Panthers dominated the opening period, taking advantage of their team speed to put the Warriors on their heels. Franklin scored four times in the first 15 minutes, digging a deep hole that the Warriors were unable to climb out of and skating away with a 5-3 win that puts them three points up on KP.

“We try to put them on their heels first,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “We want to come out with that nice hard fore-check, take away both D, take away options up the wall and seal off the middle. We’ve got four lines of speed and when they put it together and use their speed and work the system, then we usually come out and get a goal in the first period.”

KP coach Paul Carlow admitted that his team struggled in the opening period and that it put them in a difficult position for the rest of the night.

“The same thing happened to us here last year,” he explained. “We came out flat and they jumped on us early and they dominated us the whole first period, out-worked us, out-played us. Then I thought we got our composure a little in the second and made a game of it.”

It didn’t take long for Franklin to get on the front foot. Ben Jarosz forced KP goalie Kyle Abbott (32 saves) into a blocker stop a couple minutes in. Franklin would hold a 13-8 edge in shots in the period and half of KP’s efforts on goal in the first came from outside the blue line.

A little over three minutes in, the Panthers grabbed the lead. Jarosz got loose in the left wing circle and whipped a quick-release shot through bodies in front and under the goalie’s pads.

It took four minutes for Franklin to double its lead. On a four-on-four, Dylan Marchand sped into the high slot and fired a shot that Abbott was able to get a piece of, but it trickled behind him and Justin Magazu reacted quickest to tap it across the line.

With five minutes to go in the first, Logan Marchand kept the puck in at the blue line and got it to Magazu. He went dot-to-dot with a pass to Domenic Lampasona, who struggled to control the puck at first but then spun and flicked a backhand shot inside the far post for a 3-0 lead.

Three minutes later, it was four and it seemed that a rout was on. Jack Mackinnon won a battle along the boards in the defensive zone, allowing Franklin to break out. He then jumped into the attack and got the puck as he entered the zone, wristing a shot through a screen and into the top corner.

KP’s best chance of the period came right at the end. Shaun Fitzpatrick drove to the net and forced Franklin goalie Cole Pouliot-Porter (26 saves) into two stops from close range before the sophomore was able to cover up. The puck ended up in the back of the net but only after the officials had blown play dead.

The game looked to be well in hand for the Panthers, but KP came out of the intermission with a purpose and would turn things around in the second, with help from a series of Franklin penalties. Nolan Feyler had the first good chance, forcing a save our of Pouliot-Porter and then sliding the rebound right across the goal line. Marchand almost added a fifth on the other end, as he sliced through the zone but his attempted pass in the crease was covered by Abbott.

Franklin was still pushing for more. On the penalty kill, Abbott had to be strong to deny Jarosz from close range and denied Ryan Sicchio on a couple of shots from the point. He then got the shaft of the stick on a shot from Anthony Lampasona that looked destined for the corner.

KP turned it on over the final five minutes of the second and by the end of the period Franklin appeared to be just hanging on. Colin Lightbody had a good chance from the edge of the crease but Pouliot-Porter flashed a left pad to deny him. Kevin Birenbaum tried to take advantage of a poor clearance and handcuffed the goalie with a shot but the loose puck was covered just before it crossed the line.

With 4:35 left in the period, KP finally got on the board Brad Guden jumped up into the attack and forced his way to the net. Pouliot-Porter made a couple of saves from close range as Guden, Feyler, and Cam Lehan-Allen all crowded the crease, with one of them able to force the puck through.

Three minutes later, and just 17 seconds into a 5-on-3, the lead was sliced to two. Guden was given room to walk into a wrister and the sophomore defenseman sniped the corner to make it 4-2 heading into the locker rooms.

“There’s a few guys over there with real speed,” said Carlow. “We’re trying to make sure we don’t get caught, but just the little things, winning face-offs, winning wall battles, we could’ve been a lot better. We were chasing and we don’t want to be chasing a team like that.”

Only 30 seconds into the third period, Franklin had restored a three-goal cushion. Liam O’Rielly forced a pad save with a shot from the point and the rebound fell right on the stick of Jarosz, who buried the chance for his second of the night.

“We told them in the locker room, calm down, take a deep breath, you’re in control,” Sarno said. “The only way you lose is if you beat yourself, so let’s get back to our nice forecheck that we had in the first period. Once you put a puck in let’s just see if we can keep it going and stay out of the penalty box.”

Abbott was busy in the third period, as the Panthers got back on top. Anthony Lampasona, Magazu, and Marchand all forced the goalie into good stops. KP had only one shot for the first 12 minutes of the third, but then out of nowhere got right back in the game. Guden was the impetus again, skating behind the net and finding Rowan Boulger at the post. On his second attempt, the sophomore forward slid the puck past Pouliot-Porter.

The Warriors had a power play opportunity to close out the game but, after Marchand hit the bar on a shorthanded breakaway, Franklin was able to clear the rebound from Birenbaum’s shot and complete the win.

“In the Hock, everyone brings their best games and you’ve got to be ready,” said Sarno. “These teams are all well-coached. We know it’s going to be a good, hard-fought battle every night.”

Franklin (9-5-0, 4-1-0) will be back on the ice on Wednesday when it travels to the Foxboro Sports Center to face Mansfield in another top of the league clash. King Philip (3-6-1, 2-2-1) will get a day off before it travels to Bishop Feehan on Monday.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

01/19/202201/20/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/19/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 66 @ Southeastern, 67 – Final – Oliver Ames led after each of the first three quarters but Southeastern scored the go-ahead bucket with just over two seconds to play to steal the win from the Tigers. Junior Zach Tagliamonte scored a team-high 25 points for the second straight game to pace the Tigers. Jake Grimaldi chipped in with 17 points and Drew Baxter had 10 for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 72 @ Weymouth, 61 – Final – Deadlocked after three quarters, Stoughton poured in 24 points and get some key stops to secure a win on the road at Weymouth. Freshman Matt Greenspoon hit a big three and added another field goal in the fourth quarter to spark the Black Knights, finishing with 11 points (all in the second half). Senior Connor Andrews scored nine of his team-high 24 points in the final frame and junior Rayan Sablon had 11 of his 19 points in the last frame to help Stoughton get the win.

Girls Basketball
Sharon, 46 @ East Bridgewater, 63 – Final – Jasmine Davis scored 27 points and added 20 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Eagles fell on the road in a non-league game. Rachael Hager chipped in with 12 points for the second straight day.

Stoughton, 35 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Fay Gallery led the way for the Bulldogs with 23 points, including four three-pointers, as Canton extended its win streak to five games. The Bulldogs held a three-point lead after one and extended it to 10 by halftime. The Black Knights stayed within 13 heading to the fourth, but Canton outscored the visitors 19-7 over the final eight minutes to pull away for a big win. Kiara Cerruti scored 14 and Sydney Gallery added seven for Canton. Kate Bulger scored 13 for the Black Knights, including six in the first, and Vanessa Phelimond and Raina Tat each scored six.

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Troy Carlisle scored a pair of goals and assisted on two other, helping North sweep the season series against Attleboro. Carlisle opened the scoring with a breakaway goal four minutes into the game and then picked up an assist about four minutes later when he set up Jack Dluhy in the slot. Attleboro goalie Nick Piazza made a pad stop but Joe Quinn knocked in the rebound. North hit the post twice in the first and Attleboro had a shot cleared off the line. Carlisle got his second when he stole the puck in the attacking zone and found the top corner. Nick Longa made it 4-0, assisted by Nik Kojoian and Mark Ayvazyan. North then got two more 39 seconds apart to lead 6-0 after two. Quinn scored his second off a Dluhy assist and Brody Gaulin was credited with a tip of Austin Comery’s shot from the point. Kojoian got his second assist early in the third when Anthony Westcott’s shot from the point went in off the bar. Gaulin added a 4-on-4 goal with 8:37 to play, assisted by Brady Sarro. Attleboro got on the board in the final 90 seconds, as Sean Marshall went the length of the ice on the power play and buried his shot in the top corner past North goalie Nate Kelly (eight saves). Piazza finished with 46 saves in the loss.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final

Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – King Philip sophomore Brad Guden scored a hat trick to lead the Warriors to a league win over Foxboro at the Foxboro Sports Center. King Philip scored twice in the first, three times in the second, and tacked on one more in the third to get the win. Guden set up KP’s first goal, carrying possession into the offensive zone before teeing up classmate Sam Naggar for a one-timer from the blue line that found its way through. Less than two minutes later, John Campbell used a nice move in front to beat the goalie, assists going to Sean Crowther and Kevin Birenbaum. Foxboro cut the deficit in half with 8:08 to play in the first as senior Ben Ricketts intercepted a clearance attempt and fired a wrister that was partially stopped but trickled over the line. Guden lit the lamp twice in the second, first firing a low wrister from the blue line that found the back of the net, and then minutes later, had another low shot take a fortunate deflection off a Foxboro skate and into the back of the net. Crowther came flying down the left side before roofing a shot with less than two minutes to go to make it 5-1 after two periods. Guden completed the hat trick in the third, finishing off a pass from Crowther for a 6-1 edge. Senior Josh Marcoux made 33 saves in net for Foxboro.

Franklin, 7 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin scored three goals in each the first and second periods on its way to a league win on the road over Taunton. Christian Shabbick scored a hat trick for the Panhters, scoring with eight minutes left in the first (on an assist from Ben Paterson) to make it 3-0, again less then two minutes into the second (from Anthony Lampasona) to make it 4-0, and then completed the hat trick (on another assist from Paterson) to push the lead to 6-0. Dylan Marchand added a pair of goals, Ryan Sicchio scored on the power play in the first period, and Paterson lit the lamp once and had a total of three assists. Freshman Jack O’Connor made 16 saves for the win. Taunton sophomore Conner Goranson scored off of an assist from senior Nathan Fernandes in the third period. Freshman Cam Tomaszycki made 46 saves in net for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 7 @ Cardinal Spellman, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Sean Farley scored a pair of goals to help the Black Knights pick up their second win over Cardinal Spellman this month. Ryan Summers, Joe McNulty, Cooper Card, Colin Alessi and Charlie Caputo each added one goal for Stoughton.

Girls Hockey
Canton, 4 @ Medway/Ashland, 1 – Final – Audrey Koen scored a pair of goals to lead Canton to a third straight win and its fifth win in the last six games.

Franklin, 0 @ Medfield, 1 – Final (OT)

Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Westwood, 2 – Final

King Philip, 9 @ Dedham, 0 – Final

Stoughton/Sharon, 2 vs. West/East Bridgewater, 7 – Final

Wrestling
Canton, 12 @ North Attleboro, 69 – Final

Sharon, 62 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final – Ashmith Yeruva, Vehnil Rangaraman, Adam Landstein, Cam Birnbaum, Nick Varvak, Kyle Samuels, Aaron Cashton, Phil Varvak, Cormac Horlbogen, Ethan Siao, and Ron Loebl each won for the Eagles, who clinched at least a share of the Davenport division title with the victory.

Mansfield, 21 @ Franklin, 49 – Final

Milford @ King Philip, 6:00

Oliver Ames, 78 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Senior Gio Juste, juniors Ryan Widdop, Kyle Hardie, and Victor Romeiro, and freshman Rory Gallagher-Lambert each earned a pinfall win for the Tigers.

Taunton, 72 @ Keefe Tech, 9 – Final – Ryan Jones (113), Christian Balmain (152), John Mandeville (160), Peter Ye (195), and Logan Frank (220) all won by pin to help Taunton secure a win on the road over Keefe Tech.

Boys Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 29 @ Taunton, 43 – Final

Girls Swimming
North Attleboro @ Canton, 5:15
King Philip, 63 @ Taunton, 17 – Final

12/21/202112/23/2021

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 12/22/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 69 @ Durfee, 58 – Final – Attleboro senior Jake Struminski and sophomore Neo Franco each scored seven points in the fourth quarter, with Struminski hitting a clutch three, as the Bombardiers rallied from an early fourth quarter deficit to knock off the Hilltoppers. Attleboro lead after each the first (17-13), second (35-27), and third (46-44) quarters but a strong start to the fourth put the hosts ahead 54-47. The Bombardiers finished the game with a 22-4 run. Struminski had a career-high 16 points, both Evan Houle and Joe Francois-Annevil chipped in with 15 points, and Frano finished with 10 points.

Canton @ Southeastern – Postponed to TBD.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 73 vs. Durfee, 45 – Final – Lindsey Perry scored 22 points to lead Attleboro to a big non-league win. She was one of four players that scored in double digits for the Bombardiers, who have won two in row to get back to .500 on the season. Lily Routhier, who transferred from Wheeler School this year, added 12 points and Kayla Goldrick scored 11. Meghan Gordon rounded things out with 10 points. Attleboro had eight players get on the score sheet.

Boys Hockey
North Attleboro, 7 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Nik Kojoian recorded six points and Nick Longa added four points as the Rocketeers skated past rival Attleboro. Kojian scored a hat trick and added three assists to pace the offense while Longa found the back of the net twice and assisted on two more goals.

Canton, 4 @ Hanover, 2 – Final

King Philip, 1 @ Natick, 2 – Final (OT) – King Philip tied the game with a goal in the second period and owned a heavy advantage in shots but came away without a point after falling to Natick in overtime. Trailing 1-0 after a period, Kevin Birenbaum knotted the score on a power play goal just under five minutes into the second, scoring off assists from Nolan Feyler and Brad Guden. KP had a 37-18 advantage in shots.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Silver Lake, 5 – Final – Junior goaltender Brandon Burke made 26 saves but Oliver Ames fell on the road to Silver Lake.

Stoughton, 0 @ Dartmouth, 6 – Final – Stoughton goalie Chris Andrade turned aside 35 shots in net but the Black Knights suffered a setback at the hands of Dartmouth.

Taunton, 0 vs. Middleboro, 4 – Final

Franklin, 1 @ Catholic Memorial, 7 – Final

Mansfield, 1 vs. Walpole, 5 – Final

Girls Hockey
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Walpole, 4 – Final
Stoughton/Sharon vs. Milton, 5:00

Wrestling
Stoughton, 15 @ Canton, 60 – Final

Oliver Ames, 40 @ Foxboro, 35 – Final

King Philip, 34 @ Franklin, 39 – Final

Taunton, 52 @ Mansfield, 24 – Final – Taunton grabbed its first division win of the season, pinning down a victory on the road at Mansfield. Xavier Sandoval (132), Ben Mandeville (145), and Logan Frank (220) each won by pinfall while Brandon Mendes (120, TF 15-0), Anthony Vieira (126, MD 15-8), Christian Balmain (160, MD 18-4), and Ethan Harris (182, 8-5) also had wins for the Tigers. For Mansfield, Nathan Jackson (113, 1:30), Sam Connelly (152, 2:27), Dashiell Munson (170, 3:04), and Andrew Cameron (285, 4:33) all won by pinfall.

North Attleboro, 29 @ Sharon, 34 – Final

Boys Swimming
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Canton, 73 – Final

Girls Swimming
Oliver Ames, 80 @ Canton, 96 – Final

Gymnastics
Oliver Ames, 138.2 @ Attleboro, 139.2 – Final

12/15/202112/15/2021

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Attleboro

2020-2021 Record: 1-8-0
Coach: Greg Chamberlain
Attleboro had a difficult 2020-21 season, as delays and big breaks early in the season led to three games in three days to close things out. The Bombardiers will be hoping that they can build off that experience and make a push to get back into the postseason mix with several underclassmen stepping in to supplement the returning corps.

The offense has depth to it this season and head coach Greg Chamberlain is expecting a lot of grit and effort in the attacking zone to create scoring chances. Senior Nate Parker will be the leader of the forward line but he will get help from juniors Colin Flynn and Mike Lachance, who have both had two seasons on varsity already. Freshmen Austin Bessette and Nate Conroy have impressed the coaches in the preseason and could be ready to contribute right away.

Defense could be a strong unit this season, as the Bombardiers have decent skaters and decent depth along the blue line. Senior Sean Marshall will be the key to that group, providing on-ice leadership. Sophomore Dane Holske had a good first season on varsity and can help out both in defense and at forward. Senior Nick Piazza is capable of being one of the top netminders in the league and will be back between the pipes for Attleboro this season.

“Biggest thing that is a positive for us is the guys wanna earn some respect and be tough to play against,” said Chamberlain. “We understand what we have but we think our schedule can help us gain some real confidence.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Canton

2020-2021 Record: 11-0-1
Coach: Brian Shuman
The Davenport division has been ruled by Canton, which has won the title every season since the league split. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of returning players to hunt a 12th straight league title and defend the Div. 2 state title that they won back in 2019-20, but for many of the players, this will be their first season with a full slate of games.

Canton is known for its goalscoring, but the Bulldogs typically start from the defensive zone and this year should be no different. Senior Sean Connolly, the reigning league MVP, will be back at the blue line alongside classmate Ryan Doucette. Juniors James Young and Leo Owens should also see plenty of time on the ice with seniors Brennen Pecararo and Jay Kelleher slotting in at defense or at forward. The goalie job is up for grabs coming into the season with a three-way battle going on between senior Aiden French, junior Carson Eagles, and freshman Collin Davis.

As usual, the Bulldogs should be potent in front of the goal this winter. Senior Eamon Kelly, the team’s leading scorer last year, is back for his fourth season on varsity. Seniors Andrew Valkanas, Tommy Phaneuf, Sam Carlino, and Eddie Gillis will all chip in and junior Jeff Chaput could be poised for a big season after scoring 13 points last year.

“Solid team defense is the expectation as always this season, and we ask all positions to be important players all over the ice,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. “Our forwards need to be able to shut down opponents and our defense must contribute to our offensive production to have a successful year.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Foxboro

2020-2021 Record: 4-6-0
Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Just two years removed from one of the best seasons in program history, Foxboro comes into the winter with an experienced squad, featuring nine seniors, to try and make another push for a state tournament berth. Although the Warriors went 4-6 in the shortened 2020-21 season, four of those losses were against Franklin and Canton and the other two were to North Attleboro by a combined three goals, so there is potential for the Warriors to get back to their 2019-20 form.

The forward line should have plenty of firepower this season with the return of seniors Jack Watts, Matt Grace, and Ben Ricketts, who combined for 13 goals in 10 games last year. Fellow forwards Derek Axon and Steven Bridges will give Foxboro good leadership and depth in the forward line. The Warriors also got plenty of scoring from the blue line, with senior Tom Marcucella adding four goals and three assists last winter.

Improvements in the defensive zone (and not playing almost every game against the league’s top-scoring teams) will be expected this season. Marcucella is listed as a defenseman but has the versatility to line up in multiple positions and he will be helped on defense by classmates Dylan Pothier and Brady Callahan. Junior Alex Coviello and sophomore Sully Kenneally are also going to step into bigger roles on the blue line this season.

“I would say all nine of our seniors are going to be major contributors and that’s definitely a first for Foxboro hockey and it’s a good thing!” said Foxboro coach Mark Cedorchuk. “I would say we will be skilled and experienced.”

Franklin

2020-2021 Record: 10-2-1
Coach: Anthony Sarno
This will be a new-look Franklin team that takes the ice this season, looking to win its 11th straight league title and make a deep run in the postseason. The Panthers graduated 16 seniors from last year’s team and only return seven players with significant varsity experience to try and manage a schedule loaded with some of the best teams in the state.

Senior forward Dylan Marchand is the key returning player in the forward line. The team’s leading scorer last year, the speedy center scored eight goals and nine assists in 13 games. Seniors Justin Magazu and Domenic Lampasona and juniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio will also return to add more firepower to the attacking end of the ice. With 14 new players on the roster, there could be a lot of new names on the score sheet this winter.

Defensively, the Panthers will lean on experienced players like seniors Aidan Hunt and Jack MacKinnon to guide the younger players, as they take on the high-end talent that Franklin will face right from the start of the season. In goal, sophomore Cole Pouliot-Porter and freshman Jack O’Connor will both get chances between the pipes.

“I am optimistic with the youth we have and excited to watch us grow together,” said Franklin coach Anthony Sarno. “We will just have to weather the ebbs and flows, try to remain even-keeled, communicate, and trust each other as a team in order for us to grow and move forward as a complete unit.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

King Philip

2020-2021 Record: 9-1-0
Coach: Paul Carlow
Last season, King Philip won a share of its first league title since 2006, picking up a rare win against rival Franklin in the process. With 12 returning players and a roster that has 16 upperclassmen, the Warriors will try to make more history by winning back-to-back titles for the first time in program history and also put together a run in the state tournament.

There are four players coming back this year that averaged a point per game in 2020-21. Three of those players are forwards. Seniors Shaun Fitzpatrick and Sean Crowther and junior James Boldy, who combined for 15 goals and 22 assists in 10 games last season. Senior Nolan Feyler will be a big boost, as the forward had a strong sophomore season but missed all of last year due to an injury. Senior Kevin Birenbaum is another of the nine seniors on the forward line.

Sophomore defenseman Brad Guden is the fourth Warrior who averaged a point per game last year. He broke into the lineup and scored 10 times and had 10 assists in his first varsity season. Seniors Nolan Jackson and Quin Garstka add leadership and experience at the blue line and sophomore Max Robison returns after an impressive rookie season. Senior Kyle Abbott will be back between the pipes for the Warriors.

“We have a tough schedule this season but we are looking to challenge for another Hockomock League title,” said KP coach Paul Carlow. We have great leadership from our seniors and a good mix of skill and speed with the younger players. I’m really looking forward to working with this group and build on last year’s success.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Mansfield

2020-2021 Record: 5-6-0
Coach: Mike Balzarini
With its top six forwards all back from last year, there is optimism that Mansfield will consistently put the puck in the back of the net and in turn, challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title.

And another big positive for the Hornets is junior Chris Hormann back between the pipes with a solid amount of varsity experience now under his belt. That combination of experience in the offensive zone and in the crease is what Mansfield is hoping translates to success. The challenge will be getting a new mix of defensemen working together as the Hornets graduated the majority of that unit.

Leading scorer Mark DeGirolamo returns with a lot of varsity experience under his belt, coming off a season with eight goals and five assists. He’s joined by Dillon Benoit (7 goals, 5 assists), Kyle Oakley (2 goals, 5 assists), Doherty (2 goals, 3 assists), Liam Anastasia (6 goals, 5 assists), and Brayden Purtell (4 goals, 2 assists). As the stats suggest, the Hornets have a very even top two lines which means head coach Mike Balzarini can trust both units to get it done.

Looks for the line of Cullen Egan, Cody Gordon, and Connor Davey to provide energy and some offensive punch throughout the season. Balzarini is looking for some new faces to step up on the blue line. A mix of depth pieces are back, and the Hornets have converted some forwards to defensemen looking to solidify that unit. Patrick Gormley, Brendan Flynn, Will Cameron, Ryan DeGirolamo, and Ty Carroll are all in the mix to get some minutes.

“Last season was difficult for everyone so we’re excited for a more normal year,” Balzarini said. “We’re going to be quick and we have multiple lines that can be a factor for us. We’ve seen some success on offense in our scrimmages so scoring should be a strength, these kids are working well together.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

North Attleboro

2020-2021 Record: 8-6-0
Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro returns 14 players from last year’s roster, including two of the league’s top three scorers, and the Rocketeers will be looking to use that experience under first-year coach Kyle Heagney (who formerly coached Norton and was a North assistant the past two seasons) to challenge Canton at the top of the Davenport division and to put together a playoff run.

Although the Rocketeers bring back senior forwards Nik Kojoain and Brady Sarro, who combined for 41 points in 14 games last year, North is a team built on hard work and team effort in the offensive zone, rather than on individual stars. Seniors Sam Clarke and Nick Longa and juniors Joe Quinn and Mark Ayvazyan will provide plenty of help in front of goal and all have plenty of experience at the varsity level.

North graduated only one of its defensemen from last year. Senior Austin Comery will be the leader for North at the blue line and he will be assisted by classmate Anthony Westcott. Sophomore Kyle Gruber is back in goal for North after an impressive debut season, where he was thrown in against some of the league’s top teams, including a first appearance against Canton.

“Our strength is that we are not a team of superstars,” said Heagney. “We are a team of hockey players that will win first in the locker room before the ice. We look forward to the season and having fun. These are memories that will live forever with our players.”

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Oliver Ames

2020-2021 Record: 1-10-0
Coach: Mike Zucarelli
Oliver Ames has been in a rebuilding phase under head coach Mike Zucarelli. The Tigers won just once in the shortened 2020-21 season and head into this winter with a roster loaded with underclassmen. While this may be a difficult season, Zucarelli is excited for the potential on his team and the growth the program is making for the future.

Seniors Cam Tower and Eliot Cohen will be instrumental in shoring things up at the blue line. The two defensemen will need to provide leadership for the younger players and help limit the opposition scoring chances. Junior forwards Sean McCarthy and Jack Perron will hope to improve the team’s scoring punch as well, after OA was held to 10 goals in 11 games last year. Zucarelli is already seeing more confidence and better decision-making in the offensive zone and is hoping the team’s work rate will lead to more chances.

With seven sophomores on the roster, OA will rely on its youth movement to turn things around. After a lot of growth in the offseason (both physically and mentally), Zucarelli thinks that the septet is ready for the challenges of playing varsity hockey day-in, day-out. Winger Andrew Livingstone and center Matt Lawson will add to the team’s production in the offensive zone and defenseman Landon Grothe could be a standout in the defensive end of the ice. Junior Brandon Burke had a solid summer with his club team and will be the starting goalie for the Tigers this winter.

“If we continue to put in the effort I have seen both on and off the ice to start this year, I believe these young men have the opportunity to do something special,” Zuccarelli said.

2021-2022 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Taunton

2020-2021 Record: 0-6-1
Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton had a tough 2020-21 season, as the Tigers were only able to six games, and come into a winter of transition. The roster is going to be very young, with only nine upperclassmen (juniors and seniors) in the program, so there will be a lot of younger players getting their first taste of varsity action and others experiencing a full season for the first time.

The forward line has a lot of speed and the Tigers are going to rely on that energy to try and create scoring chances. Senior Nathan Fernandes is the most experienced forward returning and he will be joined up top by junior Connor McGrath.

Defensively, the Tigers will be an inexperienced group but there is potential and the desire to get better over the course of the season. Senior Ethan Ross will be the leader at the blue line and junior Colton Scheralis can add his experience there as well. Freshman Cameron Tomaszycki will be jumping between the pipes this season to get his first varsity action.

“We are happy to be back for a full year,” said Taunton coach Kris Metea. “Last season was full of delays, pauses, and feelings of frustrations that made for a very long, short, season. The lessons learned from last season has made the players within the program grateful for a return to a more normal season. We will plan to improve every day and be a better, more complete team by the end of the season.”

02/03/202102/03/2021

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/03/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
King Philip, 73 @ Taunton, 38 – Final – Five players scored in double digits and KP made 10 three-pointers as a team, as the Warriors bounced back from a tough weekend with a big win. Liv Lafond was the top scorer with 12 points. Emily Sawyer scored 11 points and Emma Glaser, Caroline Aaron, and Jackie Bonner all scored 10 points apiece.

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin erased a pair of one-goal deficits in the first half and then pulled away from Attleboro for the win. The Bombardiers struck first but Franklin’s Dom Lampasona (from Dylan Marchand and Nolan Norton) equalized for the hosts. After Attleboro scored again, Declan Lovett tied the game with assists coming from Joe LeBlanc and Sean Connelly. Justin Abely added two more goals while Will Sheehan and Sean Connelly each scored once.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton sophomore Charlie Caputo scored a pair of goals for the second straight game, helping the Black Knights knock off Oliver Ames. Steve Westerlund and Kyle Cruickshank also scored for the Knight-Boxers. Ryan Spano played well in net and earned the win for Stoughton. Kevin Tremblay scored for OA.

King Philip, 9 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of power play goals and adde two more shorthanded tallies in a win over Taunton. Seniors Conor Cooke (from Aidan Boulger and John Campbell) and Justin Yatsuhashi (from Ian Hill and Campbell) scored on the man advantage while Boulger (from Max Robison) and Brad Guden (from Kevin Birenbaum and Robison) scored shorthanded. Sean Crowther scored a pair of goals for KP.

Girls Hockey
King Philip, 4 vs. St. Joseph’s, 0 – Final

Canton, 7 vs. Boston Latin, 1 – Final – Canton junior Payton McDonough scored a pair of goals for the Bulldogs, who pushed their unbeaten streak to 18 games.

Franklin, 2 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Gymnastics
North Attleboro, 141.00 @ Sharon, 118.00 – Final

Swimming
Mansfield @ Milford, 4:00

01/16/202101/17/2021

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/16/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 49 @ Foxboro, 45 – Final – Oliver Ames opened the second half with a big run and then held on as Foxboro made a fourth-quarter push. Similar to Friday night’s game, OA turned a close game at halftime (25-25) into a double-digit lead entering the fourth quarter, this time using a 15-2 run to start the third quarter. But Foxboro didn’t back down, battling back in the fourth to make it a one-possession game late. Junior Dylan Gordon stole a pass and scored with just under a minute to go to make it 48-45 but the Tigers were able to hold on for the win. OA senior Amari Brown led all scorers with a game-high 28 points, scoring 14 points in each quarter. Sophomore Alex Penders scored a career-high 19 points while Gordon added 14 points.

Canton, 16 @ Mansfield, 55 – Final – Mansfield’s defense pitched a first quarter shutout and allowed just one first half field goal in a big win over Canton. Baskets from Brendan Foley, TJ Guy, Matt Boen, Brian See, and Chris Hill helped the Hornets establish an 11-0 lead after eight minutes, and junior Matt Hyland helped Mansfield extend the lead to 26-3 at half. Guy added eight of his game-high 15 points in the third quarter. Mansfield’s Matt Boen and Canton’s Eric Mischler each had eight points.

Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 42 @ Mansfield, 69 – Final – Mansfield came out firing on all cylinders, scoring 39 points in the first half to take control of the game and never looked back. Brooke Berube led all scorers with 14 points and Abby Wager added 12 points and a strong all-around game on both ends of the floor to help the Hornets pick up the non-league win. Kayla Vine also had 12 points for Mansfield. North tried to chip away at the lead in the second half and had it down to 13 with five minutes to play, but couldn’t get any closer. Taylor McMath had 12 points to pace North and Amanda Kaiser added six.

Boys Hockey
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – King Philip lit the lamp four times in the opening period and tacked on three more in the second period on its way to a big win over Oliver Ames in a non-league clash. Conor Cooke (Paul McDonald, Aidan Boulger) and Brad Guden scored just a minute apart to get the scoring started while David Lawler (power play from Boulger, Max Robison) and Rocco Bianculli (Kevin Birenbaum) added two more late in the period. Boulger added two goals in the second, Sean Crowther added another goal, and Shaun Fitzpatrick capped the scoring in the third.

Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 2 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 5 – Final

King Philip, 5 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Jen Daniels scored twice and three Warriors each scored once as King Philip avenged its loss to Franklin to split the seasons series. Kara McWhinnie, Sydney O’Shea, and Kelly Holmes also scored for KP.

Gymnastics
King Philip, 129.70 @ Sharon, 108.70 – Final

09/29/2020

2020 Hockomock League Golf Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2020 Hockomock League Golf Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 6-10
Coach: Jon Burre
Despite graduating over a half a dozen seniors from last year’s squad, head coach Jonathan Burre is excited to see what the new faces will bring to the table this season. One constant the Bombardiers have is junior captain Brendan Raymond, who led the team with an average score of 40.3 last year as a sophomore. Not only is Raymond a solid player on the course and great around the greens, but Burre also said he’s a great leader for the young squad.

Junior captain Parker Sackett, junior Jackson Sweeney, and sophomore Carter Shelton are all back after picking up valuable match experience last season and will be counted on to be key scorers for the Bombardiers, who are playing out of Stone-E-Lea Golf Course for the third straight season. Sophomore Leo Lombardo has made a big leap and will factor into the scoring for the squad while freshmen Dane Holske and Ryan Hill have shown promise in tryouts and practices.

“I like what I have seen from the underclassmen and I am looking forward to seeing who steps up and grabs those last few match spots each week,” Burre said. “The team has been coming in each day with good attitudes and competing at practice. We are well led by our captains and ready for the season!”

Canton

2019 Record: 13-1 (Davenport division champions)
Coach: Mike Barucci
The three-time defending Davenport division champions will be looking to stretch the streak to four this season, which would be a program first. The Bulldogs earned their third straight crown last season on the back of Hockomock League MVP senior Chris Lavoie, who led the league in average for the regular season, as well as a very deep lineup behind him. The Bulldogs will host division foes at Blue Hill Country Club on the challenger course.

Canton also won three straight league titles from 1998-2000 and the Bulldogs head into this season as the favorite to win a fourth straight Davenport title. Despite losing Lavoie to graduation, Canton returns three other Hock All-Stars in juniors Conor Hunter, Will Gefteas, and Michael Leonetti — all three shot an average of under 40 during breakout sophomore campaigns. They will be joined by four-year starter Thomas Singleton in the quest for a four-peat in 2020. Head coach Mike Barucci praised the improvement of senior Owen Donovan and expects a lot of golfers to be in the mix for a spot in the lineup including Nate MacDonald, Andrew Middleton, Aiden French, Charlie Cohen, and Ryan Doucette.

“We have a lot of depth this year and a lot of guys returning who have experience playing in matches,” Barucci said. “We should have a very competitive and exciting season.”

Foxboro

2019 Record: 10-6
Coach: Jared Tise
It might be a month later than anticipated but the Foxboro Warriors are excited to hit the links and get back out on the course to try and build on their 2019 campaign. Posting an 8-2 record against division foes and a 10-win season overall — the squad’s best in nearly a decade — Foxboro is looking to challenge Canton for the top spot in the Davenport.

Teeing off on the front nine at Foxborough Country Club, the Warriors will be anchored by a pair of senior captains in Dylan Quinn and Luke Davies. Quinn, who qualified for states as an individual last season, spent the summer improving all parts of his game and will be in the mix among the top golfers in the league this year. Davies was apart of the Warriors lineup each match last season and head coach Jared Tise expects him to be a big factor this year.

“[Davies] has improved to come out of tryouts as our number two player,” Tise said. “Luke, like Dylan, has worked very hard this summer improving his game while keeping his strength of iron play.”

Foxboro will turn to a handful of juniors to round out the top four this season, including Jack Rounds, Matt Fossella, Jack Watts, and Dylan Pothier. Rounds and Fossella each played in all of Foxboro’s matches last season while Watts and Pothier gained some valuable experience; all four are likely to factor into scoring this year.

Franklin

2019 Record: 14-4
Coach: Dustin Picillo
With six starters returning from last year’s 14-win team, including five experienced seniors, the Panthers are primed to make a push for the Kelley-Rex division title. After sharing the crown with OA in 2018, the Franklin finished second last year but will be one of the top challengers as rival Mansfield looks to repeat. Franklin calls Franklin Country Club home and will host teams on the front nine (par 35).

Spearheading the way for the Panthers will be senior Jack Paterson, returning after a stellar 2019 campaign. After finishing the regular season in the top five with an average score of 38.2, Paterson capped the season by shooting a 76 at Blue Hill Country Club to take home the individual title at the Hockomock League Championships. Seniors Nolan Norton, Brian Sandham, Sean Connelly, and Pat Dolan, who is coming off a breakout season in 2019, will make up the backbone of the Panthers this season. Juniors Caroline Woelfel and Jack MacKinnon will also be in the mix after gaining valuable experience on the course a year ago, while underclassmen Jack Hagerty, Ben Paterson, and CJ Steel have impressed in the early going.

“We are excited about our team this year,” said head coach Dustin Picillo. “Greens are firm and fast at FCC which has given us an early test of where we are at. We’re excited to get started against Attleboro.”

Hockomock League Golf

King Philip

2019 Record: 9-5
Coach: Myles McHugh
Despite a late start to the season, King Philip is aiming to be a spoiler in the Kelley-Rex division title hunt this season. Coming off a nine-win season, the Warriors are hoping to take the next step this year. Junior captain and Hock all-star Mike Matheson will lead the way for the Warriors, fresh off a strong 2019 campaign in which he averaged 39.9. He will be joined by senior captain Aidan Leonard, a four-year member of the program who will provide leadership and guidance for a squad with 11 juniors and nine underclassmen.

Head coach Myles McHugh will be leaning on Jared Curran, Pat Reardon, and Kevin Birenbaum — three returners from last season. Juniors Timmy Hartwell and Markus Paschke have shown a lot of improvement from a season ago and will be in the mix for the starting lineup when the Warriors tee off at Wentworth Hills Country Club. Sophomore James Boldy and freshmen Ethan Sullivan and Tyler Douglas have impressed in the early tryouts and practices and will be pushing for spots in the KP lineup.

“With 21 players on the team this year, the eight varsity travel spots are sure to be hotly contested,” McHugh said. “And as always, I would like to thank Wentworth Hills Country Club for hosting our team. It’s is a beautiful course that has afforded us a strong home course advantage for several years now.”

Hockomock League Golf

Mansfield

2019 Record: 14-2 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
Coach: Chris Hall
The Hornets had a banner year in 2019, winning the Kelley-Rex division for the first time since 2015 and went on to take first place at the Hockomock League Championship with a 12-stroke margin of victory. With virtually its entire starting lineup back this season, Mansfield enters the season as the favorite to repeat as division champions under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Chris Hall.

Playing the front nine at Norton Country Club its home course, the Hornets will face stiff competition as they try to secure another division championship. But with a strong senior class that features 11 golfers, Mansfield remains the team to beat. Ryan Dow, who led the team with an average of 38.8 and placed second at each of the last two league championships, is joined by brothers Jason See (39.1) and Brian See (39.5) at the top of the lineup for the Hornets. And don’t forget senior Nate Morreale (40.3), who took home the individual title as a sophomore at the 2018 league championship meet. Mansfield boasts incredible depth with seniors Joe Gormley (41.8) and Ava Haggis (42.8), both consistent scorers over the past couple of seasons, back in the lineup.

“Rounding out the team are a variety of incredibly talented senior athletes, mixed with a strong group of juniors and underclassmen looking to complete,” Hall said. “The Hornets have truly worked together to build a successful program at Mansfield High School. While our short term intentions are clear, the future is bright for the Hornets.”

Hockomock League Golf

Milford

2019 Record: 3-12
Coach: Jason Potty
Milford is hoping to have a bounce back season after just three wins in 2019. Hosting division rivals at Hopedale Country Club (par 35), the Scarlet Hawks will lean heavily on their most experienced golfers as they battle against Kelley-Rex foes this season. While the Hawks will have home course advantage against most of its new division rivals, they will be venturing to a handful of courses for the first time this season.

Seniors Dave Pacella (captain) and Wesley Murdock will lead the way and have a big impact for Milford this season. They will be joined by juniors Ronan Fleming and Tom Donato, who both picked up valuable experience last season as sophomores. After that, the Hawks will turn to youth to fill out the lineup card. First-year sophomores Eric Farrell and Tyler Caldon are going to be in the mix while freshmen Anthony LaPierre, Nate Lawrence, Jacob Hipolito, and Joe Pezza have shown promise early on and could factor into the scoring for Milford.

“We’re really excited that we actually have a season even if it is shortened so the seniors can have a nice send off and young guys can get match experience and play the other golf courses in the Hock,” said head coach Jason Potty.

Hockomock League Golf

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 8-8
Coach: Steve Nelson
After spending the past two seasons on the gridiron, junior Tyler DeMattio will be hitting the links this season and will be one of the main players for a Rocketeers squad that is looking to break Canton’s streak atop the Davenport division. With football pushed to the wedge season between winter and spring, athletes have the opportunity to participate in a different fall sport and DeMattio is taking advantage, trading his helmet and shoulder pads in for a driver and putter.

Along with the addition of DeMattio, the Rocketeers have sophomore Jake Gaskin back in the fold at Heather Hill Country Club. As a freshman, Gaskin burst onto the scene with an average of 40.6 during the regular season and tied for North’s top score at the league championship match. With a year under his belt, Gaskin will likely be in the mix among the top golfers in the division. Senior co-captains Aidan Weir (43.6) and Sam Gallagher (43.0) will lead the way both on and off the course this season. Head coach Steve Nelson has eight golfers battling it out for the last four spots, hoping the competition among teammates will bring out the best when the Rocketeers tee off this week.

Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 9-5
Coach: Ryan Riley
After a four-year stint in the Kelley-Rex that featured three division titles, the Tigers are back in the Davenport where they won four straight titles from 2012-2015. With its seven-year title streak snapped in 2019, Oliver Ames is looking to knock off three-time defending champion Canton behind a deep, but young, squad.

Head coach Ryan Riley will lean on senior captain James Walsh and junior captain Jo Jo Gaultier to provide some stability to a team that graduated six seniors, including all three of its participants in last year’s league championships. Senior Logan Domenico and junior Carter Allbritton have match experience and will be key pieces this season while junior Jake Kaplan has impressed in the early going. Freshmen David Rodgers and Sean Kearns don’t have any match experience yet but will be in the mix for the Tigers’ starting lineup. Oliver Ames plays off the white tees at Pine Oaks Golf Course in Easton.

Hockomock League Golf

Sharon

2019 Record: 5-8
Coach: Thor Van Vaerenewyck
Sharon lost two starters to graduation and has just one senior on the team this year, but with two of the top returning golfers back in the fold, the Eagles will contend against division foes this year on the front nine at the Cape Club of Sharon.

Senior Ethan Skelly has been among the league leaders in each of the past two seasons (37.5 average over two seasons) and that trend is likely to continue this year. Skelly, who finished tied for sixth at Hocks last year, is joined by juniors Nathan Daley and Eric Carter, who not only picked up valuable match experience last year but were key contributors in the Eagles’ starting lineup. Daley had a strong finish to his 2019 campaign with a fourth-place finish at Hocks while Carter has shown improvement from a year ago. Juniors Owen Kevorkian and Rosie Leonard will also factor into the scoring for Sharon after getting their feet wet last season.

Hockomock League Golf

Stoughton

2019 Record: 1-14
Coach: Brett Boyd
With all eight starters back from a year ago, the Black Knights are aiming to have an improved season on the links. Led by senior captain Max Huminik, who had the top average on the team and was the team’s medalist in almost all matches, the Knights are hoping to increase the win count this year under fifth-year head coach Brett Boyd.

Juniors Anthony Hearn and Patrick Smith are aiming to build on some great rounds from last year, gaining valuable experience as sophomores on courses they will see again this season. Senior Jake Curtis will be another key contributor for Stoughton, who hosts teams on the front nine at Easton Country Club. Curtis is a consistent player and will likely factor into the scoring in each match. Boyd noted how all four golfers have made great adjustments off the team and have positioned themselves to improve their scoring. Jonah Hochberg, Brooke Bulger, Joseph Mark, and Joseph Rush have impressed early on and will be battling for spots in the starting lineup.

“I’m looking forward to having the same squad back from last year that now has experienced playing in matches and seen these other courses,” Boyd said.
“It will only help make us more competitive down the stretch.”

Hockomock League Golf

Taunton

2019 Record: 2-13
Coach: Brad Koneski
The Tigers boast four returning starters from last year’s squad and are aiming to improve as the season progresses. The Tigers are set to tee off on the road against King Philip but later in the week will entertain the Warriors, as well as the rest of the Kelley-Rex division, at Segregansett Country Club.

Seniors Spencer Andrews, Colton Fagan, Dillon Schofield, and Kyle Robinson are the key contributors back for the Tigers in 2020 and will all be important pieces for this season. All four were apart of the Tigers’ starting lineup a year ago and that experience should help as they battle through a loaded Kelley-Rex division. Head coach Brad Koneski, now in his sixth season at the helm, also expects Nathan Fernandes and Alex Dias to factor into the scoring for the Tigers this season.

09/06/201909/06/2019

Golf: 2019 Hockomock League Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Golf Preview

Attleboro

2018 Record: 3-12
2018 Hock Championships: 10th Place
Coach: Jon Burre
The Bombardiers bring back four players from last year’s team and have a unique home course advantage at Stone-E-Lea that gives Attleboro confidence that it can make a move up the Kelley-Rex division standings and challenge for a tournament spot.

Senior Jack Handy will be the team leader, providing guidance for the younger players. Fellow senior Ben Wood is a steadying influence and classmate Brian Houle is a consistent player that the team can rely on. Sophomore Brendan Raymond is also back after a solid rookie season and has improved his short game from last year. New to the team this season are senior Joseph Castelli and sophomore Parker Sackett, who is still showing the same consistency but with the potential to shoot lower scores this year.

Attleboro coach Jon Burre said, “One strength as a team is that we play really well at our home course which is unique in that it’s a very get-able course if you know what to hit and where to hit it. Another strength for us is our positive attitude and commitment to the game and our community.”

Canton

2018 Record: 11-2 (Davenport Division Champions)
2018 Hock Championships: 6th Place
Coach: Mike Barucci
The Bulldogs have won back-to-back Davenport division titles, their first league titles since 2002, and Canton has the potential to make it a three-peat thanks to a number of returning players and overall depth.

Senior Chris Lavoie will start the season as the team’s No. 1. He is a three-year player coming off a medalist round at the South sectional in 2018. Junior Thomas Singleton is also a three-year player for the Bulldogs and will take one of the top pairings. The sophomore class will provide the depth for the roster, many of them returning after strong rookie seasons. Mike Leonetti, Will Gefteas, and Conor Hunter are all back and their experience as freshmen will make them valuable on the less familiar road courses. Sophomores Nate MacDonald and Andrew Middleton could crack the top eight and junior Owen Donovan has shown great improvement and should see playing time this fall.

“We have a tough start to the season with four of our first five matches on the road, but with five of our eight starters returning from last season we should have the experience to compete at any course,” said Canton coach Mike Barucci.

Foxboro

2018 Record: 7-9
2018 Hock Championships: 4th Place
Coach: Jared Tise
Foxboro narrowly missed out on the postseason last year, but the Warriors bring back and experienced corps and a group of promising younger players that are determined to get into the state tournament picture this fall.

Seniors Noah Hicks and Matt Lathrop will be the team leaders and both are captains for the second year in a row. Hicks keeps the ball in play off the tee and with his irons, allowing him to score low, while Lathrop is great around the green and both with be looking to average sub-40 this season. Junior Dylan Quinn will be the No. 3 player for Foxboro and has the experience to help the promising underclassmen. Junior Luke Davies has shown the potential to be a top-five player this season and sophomore Jack Rounds is making the switch from the gridiron to the links but already looks capable of making an impact for the Warriors.

“As a team, this is the most depth I have had in my five years of coaching,” said Foxboro coach Jared Tise. “They have worked hard over the summer and it has showed in tryouts and the first few practices. We play a very difficult course which works in our favor and most of our team has worked hard on their course management to play it the right way especially in matches.”

Franklin

2018 Record: 13-5 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
2018 Hock Championships: 3rd Place
Coach: Dustin Piccolo
Franklin shared the league title with Oliver Ames last season, earning its first title since 2013 and ending the Tigers’ run of two straight outright Kelley-Rex division crowns. The Panthers are counting on a deep lineup and the development of talented young players to challenge for a second straight championship.

League MVP Matt D’Errico has graduated but there is still a lot of experienced players to count on for the title defense. Junior Jack Peterson averaged a 42 last season as a sophomore and could go even lower this fall, while senior Jake Blaney will give the young roster leadership at the top. Senior Quinten Faro posted a 43 last year after making the cross-country switch from Northern California to Franklin and junior Nolan Norton will be expected to contribute as the Panthers go in search of another title. Sophomore Caroline Woelfel could be poised for a breakout season after featuring in five matches as a freshman.

“In addition to most of our core returning next year, we are excited about the prospects of our practice group from last year,” said Franklin coach Dustin Picillo. “After splitting the Kelley Rex Division we are hopeful that we can put in a solid title defense.”

King Philip

2018 Record: 9-5
2018 Hock Championships: 11th Place
Coach: Myles McHugh
The Warriors have strength in numbers, with 18 players on the roster for the season, and they showed that there is plenty of potential in the side with a season-opening win over an Oliver Ames side that has won six straight league titles.

Seniors Jack Hastry, Kayla Schuberth, Ray Mullin, and Nate Ihley will be the team leaders, providing the necessary guidance and consistency to keep the underclassmen heading in the right direction. Sophomores Mike Matheson, Jarred Curran and Patrick Reardon are all expected to play big roles this season and juniors Kevin Birenbaum and Aidan Gillis will be keeping the pressure on the top eight. Newcomers Timmy Hartwell and Gavin Croke are also going to be in the mix as the Warriors go in search of a first league title since 2011.

“The Hock is a very competitive league so wins won’t come easy, however, this team has depth,” said KP coach Myles McHugh. “At any given match there are seven players that can be the top four scorers and when going to the fifth card, I think we have the advantage. The team and its captains have high hopes and expectations for the season.

Mansfield

2018 Record: 9-7
2018 Hock Championships: 1st Place
Coach: Chris Hall
Mansfield finished two games back of league leaders Oliver Ames and Franklin last year, but the Hornets have their sights set on getting back to the top of the Kelley-Rex division standings this fall thanks to a deep group of experienced golfers.

Seniors Will Stratton and Michael O’Neil will set the tone for the team and lead a very talented group of juniors, including Jason See, Nate Morreale, and Ryan Dow, who combined to win the league championship meet last year. Morreale had the medalist round at that meet. Junior Brian See is also returning this fall. He led the team in scoring average his freshman year but was sidelined all of last year with a back injury. Juniors Ava Haggis and Joe Gormley can add a spark for the Hornets after two years of contributing low scores.

“The Hornets thrive off competition and bring high intensity to every match and practice,” said Mansfield coach Chris Hall, whose team opened the season with a win against defending league champ Franklin. “This group truly embraces their role on the team and push each other to improve every day.”

Milford

2018 Record: 4-12
2018 Hock Championships: 7th Place
Coach: Jason Potty

Milford head coach Jason Potty will be looking for some new faces to step up into the starting lineup this season.

The Hawks lost the majority of their scorers from last season so Potty will lean heavily on senior captains Ed Madden and Nick Wemette to lead the way. Madden is the most experienced of the group, factoring into the scoring last year more than any other returning Hawk. Tyler Weatherbee and Jason Luchini, both seniors, also saw time in matches last season and will be important pieces of the puzzle for Milford this season. Sophomore Ronan Fleming has had an impressive preseason so far and should be competing for time in the starting lineup.

“We lost some good golfers from last season and we have a lot of new faces that haven’t seen any of the away courses, which makes it tough,” Potty said. “The kids are doing the best they can and we’re going to figure it out as we go this season.”

North Attleboro

2018 Record: 10-6
2018 Hock Championships: 5th Place
Coach: Steve Nelson
The Rocketeers have eight golfers, including four regular starters coming back from last year’s team that reached the postseason and finished a couple of games behind league champion Canton. This year Big Red will be aiming for a Davenport crown.

Seniors Jillian Barend, Justin Strom, Brett Dusel, and junior Aidan Weir are the four returning starters for North. Barend played in and had her score used in all 16 matches last season and she was the medalist at a match six times. Weir also played all 16 matches last year as a sophomore and that experience will be important this fall. Junior Sam Gallagher and freshman Jake Gaskin are likely to add to the starters in most matches and there is stiff competition to get into the final two spots.

“I expect the team to be very competitive in the Davenport Division of the Hockomock League,” said North coach Steve Nelson.

Oliver Ames

2018 Record: 13-2 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
2018 Hock Championships: 2nd Place
Coach: Ryan Riley
Expectations are always high at Easton Country Club, as the Tigers come into 2019 on the back of seven straight league titles, including four in the Davenport and the last three in the Kelley-Rex. Despite a season-opening loss to King Philip and the loss of six seniors from last year’s squad, Oliver Ames is still among the favorites for another league crown.

Senior captains Tate Hadges and Brad Powers are the two key returning golfers for the Tigers. Hadges competed in match play in the women’s amateur and recently won the Tarlow Invitational and that competitive golf experience will be crucial for winning the league. Powers is a steady golfer who limits mistakes and puts the pressure on his opponents. Senior Justin Shapiro and sophomore Jo Jo Gaultier should also step in this year to help add depth to the lineup.

“Oliver Ames is looking to utilize its depth in 2019,” said OA coach Ryan Riley. ”I expect 12-plus members to get an opportunity to play in varsity matches.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 10-3
2018 Hock Championships: 8th Place
Coach: Thor Van Vaerenewyck
Four starters are back for Sharon this season trying to help the Eagles claim their first league title since 2012. Sharon finished just one game back of Canton in last year’s Davenport title race and the year of experience will be invaluable to try and overcome the Bulldogs this fall.

Senior Andrew Glaser, junior Ethan Skelly, and sophomores Nathan Daley and Eric Carter are the four returning players who will be asked to carry a heavy load for the Eagles this season. Skelly was the team’s low scorer last year, averaging a 37, and he finished tied for 10th in the Div. 2 state tournament. Daley and Carter played in the majority of the matches last year as freshmen and that experience has helped them develop their games and made them invaluable pieces to this year’s lineup.

Stoughton

2018 Record: 0-16
2018 Hock Championships: 12th Place
Coach: Brett Boyd
It was a tough 2018 season for the Black Knights, but with four returning starters and no seniors, Stoughton is looking at a potentially brighter future.

Juniors Max Huminik and Jake Curtis will be the captains this year and both have been regulars on the team for the past two seasons. Huminik will be the team’s No. 1 and is expected to be a leader on and off the course. Sophomore Patrick Smith and Anthony Hearn are both back after contributing as freshmen and they have exciting potential that was shown during the summer months. Freshman Joseph Rush and junior Jonah Hochberg also have the potential of mixing into the lineup this season.

Stoughton coach Brett Boyd said, “With this young nucleus of players, I am really looking forward to what we can produce over the next couple of years!”

Taunton

2018 Record: 6-11
2018 Hock Championships: 9th Place
Coach: Brad Koneski
The Tigers struggled for consistency at times last year, winning just two of its games against fellow Kelley-Rex division teams, but there is potential in the lineup, including the four returning players.

Senior Sean Bunker will provide the leadership for a relatively young crew. Juniors Kyle Robinson and Spencer Andrews will be important contributors entering the season and sophomore Loran Corcoran is coming off a solid rookie campaign and will be expected to add depth to the squad. Taunton will be hoping this combination can get right into the swing of things against the ultra-competitive division foes that it will see all season.

“We are hoping to improve on our play from last year, and stay competitive in our matches,” said Taunton coach Brad Koneski.