Below is a release from the Hockomock League regarding the 2021 Scholar-Athletes as well as the event program with student photos.
The Hockomock League Principals and Athletic Directors are pleased to announce the 31st Annual Hockomock League Scholar Athlete Awards. The twenty-four athletes that are being honored have been selected by the Administration of their respective schools and represent the top student athletes in the Hockomock League based on academics, athletic participation, sportsmanship, leadership, and citizenship. They have all successfully balanced a demanding academic schedule along with participation in athletics as well as many extra-curricular activities during their high school career. To be selected for this award represents four years of dedication and commitment, and we are proud of all their accomplishments. We hope that these student-athletes will put all of their experiences over the past four years to good use and that those experiences will help guide them through the challenges ahead.
We congratulate the parents and guardians for your contributions and guidance as you have enabled your child to reach this level of excellence. We are certain that the foundation you have given them will carry them through future endeavors.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:
ATTLEBORO: Diana Blouin and Michael Strachan Jr.
CANTON: Stephanie Trendell and Jack Hernon
FOXBORO: Emma Dahl and Christian Cusack
FRANKLIN: Katelynn Taylor and Colman Flynn
KING PHILIP: Katarina Schneider and Cole Breen
MANSFIELD: Lindsay Devine and Jack Taylor
MILFORD: Eva Parson and Jack Jansons
NORTH ATTLEBORO: Olivia Etienvre and Andrew Faris
OLIVER AMES: Samantha Streton and Matthew Nikiciuk
SHARON: Brynne Aidlin-Perlman and Kiran Chandrasekaran
STOUGHTON: Emily Pham-Nguyen and Nikhil Khond
TAUNTON: Olivia Dias and Nolan Tavares
Football
Canton, 7 @ Stoughton, 41 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game. 1st Quarter: (S) Brady Conlin 12-yard pass to Christian Ais, Jonah Ly XP good; (S) B. Conlin 40-yard pass to Emmett Pearl, J. Ly XP good; (S) John Burke 19-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (S) Nivon Domoulin 5-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (S) Christian Georges 2-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (S) N. Domoulin 2-yard rush, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (C) Jack Albert 1-yard rush, Will Keefe XP good.
Sharon, 28 @ Westwood, 19 – Final – Click here to watch Sharon’s game-winning field goal. 1st Quarter: (S) Kiran Chandrasekaran 25-yard pass to PJ McManus, XP failed; (S) K. Chandrasekaran 40-yard pass to P. McManus, Molly McAlevey XP good.
2nd Quarter: (W) Westwood touchdown, XP good; (W) Westwood touchdown, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (S) K. Chandrasekaran 25-yard pass to P. McManus, XP failed; (W) Westwood touchdown, XP blocked; (S) M. McAlevey 28-yard field goal; (S) Ike Ogbonnanze fumble recovery return.
Milford, 42 @ Taunton, 14 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. 1st Quarter: (M) Carter Scudo 57-yard rush, Nick Araujo XP good; (M) Brady Olson 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) C. Scudo 9-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) B. Olson 7-yard pass to Jayden Archeval, N. Araujo XP good; (T) Danny MacDougall 13-yard pass to Trent Santos, Matt Abouzied XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) D. MacDougall 9-yard pass to Nathan Arieta, M. Abouzied XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) B. Olson 13-yard pass to Keithley Sutton, N. Araujo XP good; (M) B. Olson 15-yard pass to Matt Varteresian, N. Araujo XP good.
Canton celebrates Vincent O’Brien’s (9) first quarter touchdown that put the Bulldogs into an early lead against visiting Sharon. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – With leading rusher Cam Sanchez sidelined with an injury and facing a short week ahead of Thursday night’s visit from Sharon at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, Canton was searching for different ways of getting into the end zone.
For the first time this season, the Bulldogs found success in the passing game. Canton threw a pair of first half touchdowns, including one on a halfback pass by Jack Albert, and leaned on its defense during a scoreless second half to pull out a 17-6 win over the Eagles that moves the Bulldogs back to .500 on the season.
“We’re trying to find ways to replace Cam Sanchez, and it’s a difficult thing to do when you have someone that dynamic,” admitted Canton coach Anthony Fallon. “The guys are finding their way into different positions. Sometimes you give up some yards and then you can buckle down when you figure it out.”
Canton had good field position to start its opening drive and took advantage, going 59 yards in 10 plays to jump in front. The Bulldogs had good balance, with Colin Albert (15 carries, 59 yards), Jack Albert (nine carries, 65 yards), and quarterback Robert Botelho all getting positive yards on the ground.
After a false start on fourth and two back the Bulldogs up to the Sharon 33, Botelho (7-for-13, 77 yards) rolled out to his left and hit Vincent O’Brien in stride down the near sideline for the touchdown. It was Botelho’s first career touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs would started their third possession from their own 42 and again made the good field position count for points. Botelho found Jack Albert for a 23-yard gain down to the Eagles 26. Bahsor Mahn gained six on third and five down to the 15-yard-line, but the drive stalled there. Will Keefe made sure Canton didn’t leave empty-handed, kicking a 33-yard field goal.
Sharon needed a spark and found some life offensively on the ensuing possession. Kiran Chandrasekaran (11-for-20, 174 yards and 14 carries for 55 yards) rushed for 29 yards on a keeper to get the ball into Canton territory. On first down from the 20, Chandrasekaran fired a strike on the far sideline to PJ McManus. The extra point was blocked, but the Eagles cut the lead to 10-6.
It was Canton’s turn to answer and the Bulldogs needed only three plays to get back in front by double digits. Andrew Butler’s kickoff return out to the 44-yard-line set up the drive. Jack Albert took a toss for 11 yards to the left. Butler went around the right side for 13. Fallon called for a little trickery, as Albert took the toss to the left, pulled up, and lofted a perfect pass to Butler for a 32-yard score.
“A little jet pass from Mr. Albert,” said Fallon. “We ran that in practice and this afternoon I think he was all geared up and wanted to run it and we thought it was good time to do it. Senior night, you want the win but you also want them smiling and having fun and that was part of the fun tonight.”
The visitors had more than two minutes left in the half and tried for an instant response. A 40-yard pass to Owen Conway got them into Canton territory and a personal foul call added 15 more yards down to the 19. Carson Campbell made a big play to drop Ike Ogbannanze for a five-yard loss, on third down Ryan Richards sacked Chandrasekaran, and the Bulldogs forced a turnover on downs.
“Kiran had a great game,” said Sharon coach Dave Morse. “He helps us with both the run and the pass. The receivers did a great job with a couple of big catches. We’re moving it but then we’ve got to finish it off. It’s been the story of the last couple of years and the next three weeks we’ve got to figure out how to finish.”
Late in the third quarter, Canton went for it on fourth and three at the Sharon 41, but Albert was stripped of the ball and Jack Murphy jumped on the fumble for the Eagles. Nico Marrero picked up nine yards to convert a third and five and Chandrasekaran hit Ogbannanze for 13 on a fourth and six.
Sharon got as far as the Canton 24 but a Campbell sack on fourth down put an end to the drive.
“We really killed ourselves with penalties and field position, so that was the difficult part of moving the ball in the second half,” Fallon explained. “They had couple of sustained rives where we didn’t lock it down until they got deep into our territory.”
After a three-and-out by the Bulldogs, Sharon was on the move again. Chandrasekaran and McManus (four catches, 53 yards) combined for 24 to the Bulldogs 40 and then Conway made a grab down to the 27. A holding call backed the Eagles up but gains of seven, six, and eight yards brought up fourth and one from the 18. Chandrasekaran’s keeper was stuffed for a loss of one.
Penalties were an issue for the Bulldogs throughout the second half and a holding call pushed Canton back to its own eight. On third and 17, Butler came up with a huge play that effectively sealed the win, He took a sweep to the right, cut inside and broke a 22-yard run for a critical first down.
“He did a great job there,” Fallon said of Butler’s run. “He hit the seam really nice and covered up the ball when he had contact too.”
Morse added, “We had some guys up front, all did a great job and the linebackers were getting more aggressive. Defensively, I think we saw the progression we wanted. A couple mistakes and they bit us for it but I was very, very happy with the effort to the football.”
Canton (2-2) will host King Philip in a divisional crossover game next Friday afternoon. Sharon (0-4) will step outside the Hock and travel to Blue Hills.
Football
Sharon, 6 @ Canton, 17 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (C) Robert Botelho 33-yard pass to Vincent O’Brien, Will Keefe XP good.
2nd Quarter: (C) W. Keefe 33-yard field goal; (S) Kiran Chandrasekaran 20-yard pass to PJ McManus, XP blocked; (C) Jack Albert 32-yard pass to Andrew Butler, W. Keefe XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Foxboro, 40 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (OA) Collin Williamson 17-yard rush, 2pt rush failed.
2nd Quarter: (F) Cam Prescott 29-yard pass to Luis Sulham, Sam Carpenter XP good; (F) Dylan Gordon 10-yard rush, XP blocked; (F) C. Prescott 12-yard pass to L. Sulham, 2pt rush failed; (F) C. Prescott 57-yard pass to Tom Sharkey, S. Carpenter XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) Rashaad Way 92-yard kickoff return, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) Mike Norvish 2-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Volleyball
Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Franklin win two in a row to complete a 3-1 (25-18, 19-25, 25-18, 25-10) win over the visiting Hornets. Cailyn Mackintosh dished out 26 assists in the win while Ally Bonnet-Eymard (eight kills, 11 digs), Lindsey Tarantola (seven kills), and Emma Chase (six kills, two blocks, two aces) paced the attack for Franklin. Alina Nowakowski (nine kills, eight digs) led the charge offensively for Mansfield while Olivia McGrath (five kills, eight aces) and Julia Kelly each registered 18 digs apiece.
Outlook:
It’s a new era in Canton as Anthony Fallon takes over for longtime head coach Dave Bohane, who stepped down from his second stint in charge of the Bulldogs at the end of last season.
While it’s a new era, all of the players and coaches are hoping that the success from the past two seasons continues going forward. If that success is going to continue, it’s going to be by a host of new faces. The Bulldogs graduated a historic class that won back-to-back Davenport division titles and reached the D5 South Sectional final in 2019. While competing for the Davenport division title this year, Canton will lean heavily on its few returners while new players take advantage of the new opportunities.
Senior Matt Connolly is a force on both sides of the ball, protecting the quarterback on the offensive line and leading the way for the ground game with his blocking. And defensively, the 6-foot-2, 300-pound senior who is committed to play at Assumption College, is an absolute handful and requires a lot of attention. Cam Sanchez is another experienced player back for the Bulldogs and will be involved in the running game offensively and apart of the secondary defensively. Carson Campbell started all 11 games for Canton last year at right tackle and will add defensive line duties this season. Jack Albert should see an expanded role on both sides of the ball and will be one of the main targets in the receiving game.
“Our team has great speed in our secondary, we are big and strong upfront and our linebackers are tough and fast,” Fallon said. “We have a solid mix on our varsity of juniors and seniors. I am also excited with our numbers on the sub-varsity level with 30-plus players. With a tough-minded defense and a fast offense, I know we will compete in every game.”
Outlook:
There is a lot of optimism in Foxboro for the Fall II season, and with a strong group of returning starters in different spots all over the field, there is good reason for it.
The Warriors seem to be in the mix for the Davenport division title each season, coming in third in 2019 and 2017. With talent back in key spots, Foxboro could be a serious contender for their first crown since 2015. The offense starts with the line and Foxboro has some experience and size to work with. Senior Sean Ferguson is a towering presence at 6’5, 315-pounds and anchors the line from the center position and he will be joined by junior Dylan Kerrigan (6’0, 205) at tackle. Senior Cam Prescott will start under center and will have a bevy of options to work with including playmaker Luis Sulham and junior Rashaad Way. Look for Chris McNamara to pick up where he left off carrying the ball.
Foxboro has an equal amount of playmakers on the defensive side of the ball with the strength of the team coming from the linebackers and the secondary. Seniors Mike Norvish and James Stamatos return with plenty of varsity experience under their belts and will anchor the linebacker position while senior James Kraus will start at safety and will be accompanied in the secondary by Way and Tom Sharkey, both juniors. One player to keep an eye out for is senior Jon Moses, a 6’4 defensive end that really improved over the course of last season and could be a handful for opposing offenses to deal with.
“The heart and soul of team this year is the senior leadership and experience along with a strong and talented junior class,” said Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli.
Outlook:
North Attleboro was ravished by injuries during the 2019 season and the result was the program’s first sub-.500 season in 27 years. It speaks volumes to how consistent the Rocketeers are year in and year out that it had been that long but the Big Red are ready to turn the page and begin a new streak.
The Rocketeers are getting a lot of players back that missed time last year and also have a bunch of players back that were thrown into the fire last year and now have varsity experience. With that combination, North Attleboro is hoping the end result is the Davenport division title. Junior Tyler DeMattio is back under center for his second year as the starter after making a big splash on Thanksgiving his freshman season. DeMattio can get it done with both his arm and his legs (and his foot in the kicking game). He has a lot of weapons at his disposal this year with Jared Penta and Alex McCoy in the slots, Coby Feid and Matt Penta at split end, and 6-foot-5 Endicott-commit Robbie Donovan at tight end. Jacob Silva returns at tailback and will be complemented by senior Tommy Whalen while sophomores Nathan Shultz and Greg Berthiaume could be in the mix as well. Harry Bullock will anchor the offensive line alongside classmates Danny Hayes and Justin Vecchiarelli and juniors Jared Vacher and Keysun Wise.
On top of the eight returning starters on offense, the Rocketeers boast eight returners on the defensive side of the ball as well. North Attleboro has a lot of depth at the linebacker position with Silva, a team captain, being a key part of the group. He’ll be joined by Berthiaume, Vecchiarelli, Whalen, senior Dylan Eberle, and junior Tyler Bannon. Jared and Matt Penta are both very experienced safeties while McCoy and Feid return at corner, so the secondary will certainly be a strength for the Big Red. The Rocketeers don’t have the biggest defensive line but the likes of Donovan, Vacher, and Bullock provide speed from the edge.
“The extended off season has provided extra time for tremendous growth in the weight room,” said North Attleboro head coach Don Johnson. “The depth at the skill positions on both sides of the ball will be the strength of this team. The key will be how quickly and effectively we can put together our offensive and defensive lines.”
Outlook:
Oliver Ames is back in the Davenport division and is looking to make a splash in its first season back.
The Tigers had a lot of success when the league first split into two divisions, winning the Davenport title in 2011 and 2013 before making the jump up to the Kelley-Rex. With a strong group of players back, OA is looking to take the next step forward during the Fall II 2020 season. Senior captain Gavin Morrison is a two-way lineman and will anchor the offensive group from the center spot. He’ll be joined by senior Dante Cocivera and Max Tower, both returning players from last season. Junior Collin Williamson burst onto the scene last year and should see an expanded role in the backfield during this abbreviated season while sophomore Chad Silva should be in the mix as well.
Speed will be a strength on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers, who boast a lot of the same faces on the defensive line as their offensive line. Tower anchors the linebackers and will be one to keep an eye on, using his speed and strength to make plays, and he’ll be joined by the sophomore Silva. Senior captain Jaden Ricci is one of the best defensive players on the team, a fast, physical player with a nose for the ball that will start at corner. He’ll be joined by senior Jaden Krowski in the secondary.
2020 (Fall II) Davenport Division Preview
“We are excited about where our program is heading and are really ecstatic and thankful to get an opportunity to play this season,” said head coach Ed DeWitt.
Outlook:
Sharon had a very young squad a season ago and went through plenty of growing pains. The Eagles are hoping to turn some of that experience into success on the field this season.
Not only do the Eagles have their quarterback and top receivers back, but they are also getting a big boost with a return from injury. Senior Kiran Chandrasekaran returns under center and has weapons in PJ McManus, Owen Conway, and Conor McLaughlin in the passing game. Nico Marrero, who showed flashes of great play as a sophomore, had to miss all of last year due to injury but is back this year and will be a key two-way player for the Eagles. Marrero is a powerful runner that will look to find space created by an improved offensive line. The Eagles’ offensive line is anchored by senior center Shea Letendre while junior Jack Murphy and sophomores Miles Clay and Daniel Davis help round out Sharon’s line.
Defensive the Eagles are always a competitive group, the challenge will be doing so for four quarters against some top offenses in the Davenport. Ike Ogbonnanze, who is also a big receiving target on offense, will start at linebacker alongside Marrero and Letendre, giving the Eagles a very experienced group in the heart of the defense. McManus and Conway will play on both sides of the ball, starting in the secondary defensively.
“Our kids know our numbers are not strong but they have a great attitude and are playing like their backs are against the wall,” said Sharon head coach Dave Morse.
Outlook:
Stoughton head coach Greg Burke always leans heavily on his senior class and he has a real talented group this year.
The Black Knights have a handful of very talented and experienced seniors that have played a lot of snaps over the past two seasons and that has Stoughton primed for a run a the Davenport division title. Senior John Burke is back under center at quarterback for the Knights and it’s likely we’ll see Brady Conlin take some snaps similar to how Burke split with Clayton Rahaman last season. Both quarterbacks will have plenty of options to work with, especially on the ground. The Knights have a “home run” type offense with any given handoff capable to break off a big run. Senior brothers Christopher and Christian Ais recently committed to the University of New Haven and both bring speed and power when running the ball. Christian Georges is another workhorse out of the backfield while juniors Anthony Girolamo and Jonah Ly could see some carries as well. What makes Stoughton’s run game so dangerous is all of the backs do a great job of blocking when they don’t get carries. Jake Queeney will be the main target in the passing game for the Knights. Sproul Derolus is one of the few returners on the offensive line so Stoughton will need some players to step up there.
Defense is always a staple for the Knights and that looks to be the case again this year. A lot of the same faces that make plays on the offensive side will be the ones making plays on the defensive side. Georges is an absolute monster coming off the edge and uses his speed and strength to cause havoc in the backfield. Christopher Ais will be joined by Ly and Girolamo at linebacker while Christian Ais, Queeney, and Burke are all returners in the secondary for the Knights.
“Hopefully without a ton of injuries we can have a good year,” Burke said. “We have some experience and the kids have worked hard in the clubs for weight training. We need the juniors to step up and contribute fast while still learning varsity speed. The league is always tough and hopefully, we can survive tough crossover games.”
Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 62 @ Sharon, 71 – Final – Sharon senior Matt Baskin connected on eight three-pointers, tying a career-high with 27 points to help the Eagles earn an upset win over North Attleboro. Baskin hit three triples in each the first and second quarters while Kiran Chandrasekaran (10 points) and Sam Cohen each added first half threes to help the Eagles build a 34-21 lead. The Rocketeers battled to make it a game as Brody Rosenberg (15 points) and George Ladd (23 points) each scored 10 third quarter points, getting the visitors within two points. Sophomore Matt Baur (eight points) hit a timely three for the Eagles and senior Jordan Barboza came off the bench to score eight points to keep the Eagles ahead. Casey Poirier added 15 points for North Attleboro.
Boys Hockey
Mansfield, 8 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final
Girls Hockey
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 5 @ King Philip, 1 – Final
Stoughton’s Waseem Sablon goes up for a layup in the second half against Sharon. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
STOUGHTON, Mass. – On Monday evening, the Stoughton boys basketball team went into Sharon, controlled the tempo, and put up its best offensive performance of the season in a comfortable win over the Eagles.
On Tuesday night, the Black Knights did it again.
Stoughton boys basketball
From senior Colby Andrews’ first basket just 10 seconds into the contest up until sophomore Rayan Sablon’s three-pointer in the final minute, Stoughton had its foot on the gas from start to finish to earn a 74-56 win over the visiting Eagles.
It marked Stoughton’s best offensive output of the season and the most points scored by any Davenport division team so far this season.
“That’s the pace we want, we want to pick it up and we want to get shots up,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Evan Taylor. “I think it’s just been about getting more comfortable with the offense, just being together more as a team. We’re playing together as a team more, everyone is touching the ball and getting more involved.
“We’ve really started to pick up the pace a lot more, which is the tempo we want to play at. Obviously, it helps when shots start falling that weren’t following to start the season. We’ve always had the confidence in the shots, now we’re starting to see them fall.”
The Black Knights were coming off a 72-point performance just 24 hours earlier on the road at Sharon. They followed a similar blueprint on their home court. Stoughton’s offense was off and running from the beginning, laughing up 23 field goal attempts — with seven makes — over the first eight minutes with just one turnover.
That resulted in a 16-13 lead for the hosts, which could have been more if not for a terrific individual effort from Sharon sophomore Matt Baur (18 points, five rebounds), who hit five of the Eagles’ six shots from the floor and had 11 points to keep the visitors close.
Christian Georges converted a putback attempt to push Stoughton’s lead to eight just over two minutes into the second but the Eagles continued to keep up with the Black Knights’ torrid pace. Sam Cohen hit a jumper, Owen Conway drove to the basket for two, and Baur drained a triple. Kiran Chandrasekaran sank a pair of free throws to get the visitors within four, 28-24, with three minutes to go in the first half.
That’s when Stoughton showed just how quickly and deadly its offense can be when it gets going. Junior Connor Andrews drained a three after an offensive rebound and pass from junior KC Ugwuakazi (17 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks). Andrews came up with a turnover on the ensuing inbounds and found senior Jake Queeney (15 points) for a triple, and after two straight Eagles’ turnovers, Ugwuakazi cleaned up his own miss.
Stoughton continued to crash the offensive glass (23 offensive rebounds), this time Cashmere Mathurin grabbed a board and put it back up for two to complete a 10-0 run in less than two minutes.
Even though Sharon broke the run out of a timeout when Ryan Zunenshine converted an offensive rebound into two points, the Black Knights added seven more points over the final minute. Brett Pendenza made a pair of free throws, Sablon drained a three, and Mathurin beat the buzzer with a hard banked-in shot to give Stoughton a 45-28 halftime lead.
Stoughton boys basketball
“That’s not the pace we want to play at,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson, his side committing 10 of its 14 turnovers in the opening half. “The same thing happened last night. They sped us up, they played at the pace they wanted to and that’s a credit to them. We stressed trying to play slower, execute our offense, run our screens, slips, back doors, and we didn’t do it. It was too much one on one, too much first pass shot. It’s disappointing because we had been playing well. We needed to slow it down in this game but we couldn’t play at the pace we wanted.
“We let our bad defensive possessions affect our offense, and we let our bad offensive possessions affect our defensive possessions, it’s a snowball. We weren’t communicating enough defensively, we were helping off the wrong spots, and then we were just selfish on offense.”
A switch to a zone defense by the Eagles helped some but was merely a speed bump for the Black Knights. Brady Conlin knocked down a three against the zone early, and after Stoughton’s longest scoreless stretch of the game of nearly three minutes, Pendenza and Queeney delivered back-to-back triples to help Stoughton push its lead to 54-35 just past the midway point of the third.
Queeney’s isolation step-back triple extended Stoughton’s advantage to 59-37 with two minutes to go in the third but Sharon made a final push to get back into it. Matt Baskin (nine points, 10 rebounds) went coast-to-coast for two and then sank a triple after a Stoughton turnover. Zunenshine used a crafty finish for two and Ryan Baker’s contested heave from deep three-point territory beat the buzzer as the Eagles got back into the game, down 59-47 going into the fourth.
Zunenshine opened with two more to make it a 10-point game but that would be the closest the Eagles would get the rest of the way. Ugwuakazi scored four straight points, had a big block on the defensive end, and Queeney converted another offensive rebound into points as Stoughton restored a comfortable lead at 65-49.
“In the beginning of the season, they’re probably going the other way,” Taylor said of the close game situations in the second and fourth quarters. “There’s been some mental growth. It’s been a growing season for all of them, and with just two returners back from last year, we knew it would be. Everybody is getting experience now, and everyone is learning together. We’ve been watching film, just trying to get better as a team each day.”
Stoughton (4-5 Davenport, 4-5 overall) travels to Mansfield on Thursday for its first of three straight games against Kelley-Rex opponents. Sharon (3-4, 3-5) returns home on Friday night against rival Oliver Ames.
Boys Basketball
Canton, 32 @ Oliver Ames, 34 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Trey Buggs pulled down an offensive rebound and converted a layup all in one motion just before time expired to give the Tigers a win at home over visiting Canton. Canton junior Lanse Dorcelus tied the game at 32-32 with a pair of free throws with 12 seconds to play. OA’s first attempt at the game-winner from three-point range was short of the rim but Buggs crashed hard, catching the shot and putting it up and in off the glass for the win. Drew Baxter scored nine of his team-high 13 points in the third quarter for the Tigers, who turned a 19-15 halftime deficit into a 28-25 lead going into the fourth. Ryan Connerney scored a team-high 10 points for the Bulldogs.
Sharon, 53 @ North Attleboro, 59 – Final – North Attleboro raced out to an early lead and held onto it the rest of the way in a win on the road over Sharon. A 9-0 start helped the Rocketeers create the separation it needed for the rest of the way. North’s Casey Poirier hit a pair of threes in the opening quarter as the Big Red claimed a 12-9 lead after one, and senior George Ladd scored 12 of his team-high 18 points by the end of the second quarter for a 22-19 advantage at halftime. Six Rocketeers scored in the third quarter, including threes from Poirier and Brody Rosenberg (10 points). Gavin Wells scored all nine of his points in the fourth to help North seal the win. Sophomore Matt Baur paced the Eagles with 16 points and eight rebounds, senior Matt Baskin added 14 points, and senior Kiran Chandrasekaran chipped in with 11 points and six rebounds.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in a win over Oliver Ames. OA freshman Matt Lawson scored for the Tigers while senior Ross Carroll played well. Freshman Nolan Gemmiti made 38 saves in net for OA.
Mansfield, 5 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Mansfield senior Cam Hussey and junior Ryan Doherty each scored their first career goals to help the Hornets notch a win over North Attleboro. Hussey finished with two goals for the Hornets.
Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Stoughton rallied for the tying goal with the goalie pulled and under a minute to play to earn a tie with Taunton. With 25 seconds to go, Colin Alessi buried the rebound off a shot from Charlie Caputo to make it 2-2. Ryan Flannery scored the first goal for Stoughton/Brockton. Jason Frates had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 1 @ St. Mary’s (Lynn), 7 – Final – Freshman Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal of the game for the Warriors with Ally Donovan and Jen Daniels recording assists.
Gymnastics
Franklin, 144.30 @ King Philip, 132.10 – Final
Taunton @ Sharon, 6:15
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 71 @ King Philip, 58 – Final – Attleboro’s Justin Daniels hit a contested short from halfcourt to beat the buzzer a the end of the third quarter, giving the Bombarders a nine-point lead and a boost going into the fourth. Attleboro had its best offensive quarter of the game with 25 points in the final quarter to pull away from the hosts for the win. Daniels finished with a team-high 19 points while junior Evan Houle added 16 points and Alvin Harrison chipped in with 12 points for Attleboro, who led 35-29 at halftime and 46-37 at the end of the third. Sophomore Will Laplante led the Warriors with 21 points, Jake Silveria added 14 points, and Danny Clancy finished with 12 points for KP.
Sharon, 60 @ Mansfield, 77 – Final – Mansfield exploded for 29 points in the first quarter and added 20 more points in the second to pull away from Sharon in a non-league contest. Senior Matt Boen netted a career-high 38 points, hitting six threes and going 8-for-8 from the line to go along with nine rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Senior Brendan Foley added 11 points and junior Chris Hill finished with 10 points. For Sharon, junior Sam Cohen hit six threes for a career-high 24 points while both Kiran Chandrasekaran and Matt Baskin chipped in with 13 points apiece.
Boys Basketball
Milford, 38 @ Attleboro, 47 – Final – Attleboro staked a lead through a quarter of action and overcame a poor free throw shooting night (10/24) to earn a win. Senior Justin Daniels netted nine of his team-high 14 points in the opening quarter to help the Bombardiers get off to a strong start. The Bombardiers got key three-pointers in each quarter to help key the Hawks at bay. Sophomore Trevor White (10 points) in the second, Evan Houle (eight points) and Alec Eaton (six points) in the third, and Houle again in the fourth. White added six points in the final frame for Attleboro, who led 21-16 at halftime and 32-24 after three quarters. Milford senior Ben Blanchard scored all of his team-high eight points in the first half.
Sharon, 50 @ Canton, 49 – Final – Sharon junior Will Hippler stepped in and drew a charge with 0.3 seconds left to secure a win on the road for the Eagles. Senior Matt Baskin sank a pair of free throws with 7.5 seconds left to put Sharon ahead. Canton had to go the length of the court but Hippler helped off his man, got into position and drew the charge to win the game. The Eagles built a double-digit lead by halftime (22-11) but Canton had a big third quarter, sparked by eight points from Lanse Dorcelus (11 points) and seven points from Steve Burbank (11 points) to get within three, 38-35, going into the fourth. Eric Mischler scored six of his team-high 15 points in the fourth to help Canton seize a lead, going up 48-45 late after a pair of free throws. Hippler also hit a key three in the fourth quarter while Baskin finished with a season-high 20 points, including 13 in the second half. Kiran Chandrasekaran chipped in with 11 points for the Eagles.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 55 @ Milford, 33 – Final – The Bombardiers pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Milford 19-9 in the frame, to secure a second straight win over the Hawks to open the season. Meghan Gordon followed up her career-high on Tuesday with 19 points to pace Attleboro. Gabby Bosh also hit double digits, scoring 11, and Emma Reilly added nine points. Kayla Goldrick chipped in with eight. Attleboro coach Marty Crowley said, “It was great to go on the road and pick up a win.” Emma Lawrence led Milford with eight points and Brooke Ferreira and Emily Croteau each had six for Milford, which kept the game close through three quarter on senior night.
Canton, 62 @ Sharon, 19 – Final – The Bulldogs jumped out to a 20-1 lead after one quarter and extended the lead to 27 by halftime, rolling to a third win of the season behind a strong defensive performance. Kiara Cerruti powered Canton to its early lead, scoring 11 of her game-high 19 points and knocking down three of her five three-pointers in the first. Sydney Gallery scored 13 and Fay Gallery added 10. Tayla DeGraw chipped in with eight points for the Bulldogs. Sharon was led by Trinity Payne’s seven points.
King Philip, 31 @ Franklin, 66 – Final – Franklin picked up a big win over one of the contenders for the Kelley-Rex crown. Olivia Quinn scored in double digits for the third straight game, finishing with a game-high 18. Kayleigh Houlihan and Brigid Earley each had a dozen points in the win. Jackie Bonner scored 10 points and Cat Spellman added eight points for KP.
North Attleboro, 50 @ Stoughton, 17 – Final – For the second night in a row North got off to a great start and earned a sweep of Stoughto. After scoring the first 23 points on Wednesday, the Rocketeers went into halftime on Thursday leading 28-3 thanks to its high pressure defense. Eleven players scored for North. Amanda Kaiser and Summer Doherty both scored 14 points and Kaiser added 11 rebounds. Taylor McMath had a solid game on the block, scoring six points and grabbing eight boards.
