2019 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars

Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Leo Coelho, Milford

Hockomock League All Stars

Michael Russo, Attleboro
Joshua Smith, Attleboro
William Keefe, Canton
Joseph Cusack, Foxboro
Dylan Barreira, Foxboro
William Morrison, Foxboro
Samuel Stowell, Franklin
Donald Tappin, Franklin
Jacob Cummings, Franklin
Matthew Clarke, King Philip
Evan McEvoy, King Philip
Evan Eames, Mansfield
Leo Coelho, Milford
Pedro Araujo, Milford
Jordan Borges, Milford
Daniel Santos, Milford
Anthony Salisbury, Mansfield
Kyle Briere, North Attleboro
James Sales, North Attleboro
Matthew Mordini, North Attleboro
Colin Milliken, Oliver Ames
Matthew Nikiciuk, Oliver Ames
Kevin Louhis, Oliver Ames
Isaiah Stessman, Sharon
Nolan Gerome, Stoughton
Nolan Melo, Taunton

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 11/08/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
D1 South

#2 Franklin, 28 vs. #3 Brockton, 14 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (B) Devonte Medley 10-yard pass to Ahmik Watterson, XP good; (F) Thomas Gasbarro 6-yard pass to Jack Nally, Parker Cheuvront XP good; (F) T. Gasbarro 4-yard rush, P. Cheuvront XP good; (F) Owen Palmieri 32-yard rush, P. Cheuvront XP good.
3rd Quarter: (B) Isaiah Laguerre 68-yard touchdown, XP good; (F) T. Gasbarro 62-yard pass to Cole Lakatos, P. Cheuvront XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

D2 South
#3 King Philip, 6 @ #2 Mansfield, 34 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Jack Moussette 9-yard pass to Cincere Gill, Michael DeBolt XP good; (M) J. Moussette 46-yard pass to C. Gill, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) J. Moussette 18-yard pass to Everett Knowlton, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) C. Gill 11-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (KP) Robert Jarest 19-yard pass to Andrew McKinney, XP failed; (M) J. Moussette 24-yard pass to C. Gill, 2pt rush failed.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

D3 South
#3 Stoughton, 12 @ #2 Duxbury, 38 – Final
1st Quarter: (S) Clayton Rahaman 72-yard pass to Jordan Emile, XP failed; (D) Will Prouty 5-yard rush, Brett Souza XP good.
2nd Quarter: (S) Oluwole Fabikun 23-yard fumble return, 2pt pass failed.
3rd Quarter: (D) B. Souza 24-yard field goal; (D) W. Prouty 1-yard rush, B. Souza XP good.
4th Quarter: (D) Tim Landolfi 1-yard rush, B. Souza XP good; (D) W. Prouty 25-yard pass to Brady Madigan, B. Souza XP good; (D) T. Landolfi 6-yard rush, B. Souza XP good.

D5 South
#4 Foxboro, 0 @ #1 Canton, 15 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (C) Safety; (C) Owen Lehane 22-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: O. Lehane 31-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 15-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.

Non-playoffs
Milford, 7 @ Hopkinton, 20 – Final

Taunton, 15 @ Weymouth, 14 – FinalTaunton scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to erase a 14-point deficit, winning on the final play of the game with a two-point conversion. Josh Lopes scored on a five-yard run and Collin Knorr drilled the extra point the half the Wildcats’ lead. After a penalty on Weymouth, the Tigers had one untimed play and Lopes plunged in from one-yard out to make it 14-13. The Tigers went for the two-point conversion and the win. Danny MacDougall took a jet sweep, escaped a swarm of tackles, and fired a pass back across the field to quarterback Trent Santos for the two-point conversion and the win.

Boys Soccer
D2 South

#12 North Attleboro, 1 @ #4 Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (OA wins, 5-4 on PKs)Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game.Not much could separate the Tigers and the Rocketeers on the pitch in a D2 South quarterfinal matchup. The teams were tied 1-1 after 80 minutes of play, and then played a pair of scoreless 10-minute overtime periods to send the game to penalty kicks.

“North was outstanding today on the defensive side of the ball,” said OA head coach John Barata. “Their goalie [Kyle Briere] was simply amazing. He must have saved close to 20 shots and some were from three to six yards out. No doubt that is one of the best performances by a goalie I’ve ever seen.”

Junior Kevin Louhis finished off a cross from sophomore Mathias Taylor in the 15th minute to put Oliver Ames ahead. North Attleboro leveled the match with five minutes to go when Andrew Tolfa buried a free kick chance.

“Our boys played well and with lots of poise and control today,” Barata said. “We maintained possession of the ball on all three thirds very well and broke the lines often. However, we did not capitalize on all our opportunities. We need to find the back of the net on a few of those close range opportunities.”

In the penalty kicks, both sides converted on their first three chances. North Attleboro missed on its fourth chance but Briere came up with a save to keep it tied, and both teams scored on their fifth chance to send the game to the sudden death round of pens. Barata inserted Brendan Cross in goal for the sixth chance and North was off the mark. Junior Anthony DaCosta buried his shot into the top right corner to clinch the win. Colin Milliken, Taylor, Dillon Cupples, and Louhis converted PKs for OA.

“We are very happy,” Barata said. “Before the season started our goal was to get into the state tournament, win the Hockomock Kelley Rex and win at least one game in the tourney. At this point everything is just a bonus. We have to prepare now for the top team in the state and one of the top teams in the country. We look forward to moving on.”

North Earns Another Clean Sheet, Advances to Quarters

North Attleboro boys soccer
Matt Mordini (7) celebrates his first half goal against Somerset-Berkley, which turned out to be the game-winner for North Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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SOMERSET, Mass. – North Attleboro allowed only 13 goals in 18 games during the regular season and that disciplined, organized defense was on full display again on Monday afternoon at Somerset-Berkley in the first round of the playoffs.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Rocketeers held the hosts to only two shots on goal, as North keeper Kyle Briere was largely untroubled in earning his ninth clean sheet of the season (and third in a row). With the defense in control, Matt Mordini’s first half strike turned out to be all North needed to beat the Raiders 1-0 and set up a quarterfinal against Hock rival Oliver Ames.

“I thought we played our brand of soccer and we had to possess a little more than we normally do and I thought we did a really nice job,” said North coach Geoff Burgess. “We’re still missing the timing of our runs forward to get in behind, but that’s always been a work in progress. We defended well. I think they had one legitimate chance where they go in behind us.”

The hosts started the game well, moving the ball around and keeping possession, but failed to generate any chances, whether it was a shot or just putting the ball into the penalty area. The North back line of Jeremy Folan, Donovan Carter, Justin Silva, and James Bush kept everything in front of them and bottled up the Somerset-Berkley forwards.

Defending began in the midfield, where the Rocketeers kept up the pressure and consistently stymied attacks high up the pitch.

Burgess explained, “That has come from our preparations for Milford. We know how good their midfield is so we worked really hard on our midfield defending. If we can hang with that midfield, there isn’t a midfield that is going to outrun us or outperform us.”

North’s offense was relying on quick transitions to get the ball to Mordini up top. It proved to be effective, as the Rocketeers had several chances to grab the lead in the opening 20 minutes.

Joey Coscarella played a ball into Andrew Tolfa in the center of the field and his pass to Matt Conley on the right wing caused confusion between the defender and goalie. Conley nearly pounced on the loose ball but the keeper was able to dive on it and cover. Two minutes later Mordini was played in behind the left back by an Alex Pfeffer flick, but his shot was sliced well wide.

In the 31st minute, North had a deserved lead. It came from a quick break out to Conley on the righthand side. He cut inside of the fullback and teed up Mordini on the edge of the box. The striker took a touch before finding the bottom corner.

“Mordini is a work in progress,” Burgess said. “He was playing outside left early on and we moved him to that striker position and kind of moved some pieces around. I think he’s a budding striker. He has good instincts and he’s got a pretty good shot.”

Somerset-Berkley closed the half with a flurry, registering its only two shots on goal. Briere had to be out quick to block a chance for the forward in the right channel and then was able to make a diving stop on a powerful header off a corner. The ball pinballed around in the box for a minute and the Raiders started to celebrate a goal only to have it wiped away for a foul.

North could have been excused for trying to lock things down in the second half and just hold onto its one-goal lead, but instead the Rocketeers dominated the ball and had numerous opportunities to double the advantage. Burgess admitted that it was nerve-wracking watching chance after chance go by without a second goal.

“You know how that goes, a missed opportunity down here turns into a set piece or something down there and what happens, you give up that lead you’ve had all game long,” Burgess joked. “I was proud of the boys.”

The first chance fell to Mordini, who rose highest to meet a Tolfa free kick, but his header flashed wide of the post. Three minutes later James Sales played a give-and-go with Coscarella on the edge of the box to create shooting space, but he dragged his shot inches wide. The duo combined again just minutes later with Sales forcing a save from the keeper.

Mordini ended up with North’s best chance of the second half when the Raiders defender and keeper allowed a ball to bounce between them. He nicked the ball away and had a wide open goal to aim for, but only found the side netting.

Coscarella took advantage of a poor goal kick to have a left-footed shot that was saved, Tolfa tried his luck from 30 yards and his dipping shot flew narrowly over the bar, and Conley got in behind the left back only to have two players run offsides as he tried to pass it across the goal.

It turned out the one goal was enough and North Attleboro (9-6-4) celebrated a playoff victory and the chance to take on the Kelley-Rex division champion Oliver Ames on Thursday night.

Burgess said, “I’m excited about Thursday because we play them tough and these guys are motivated.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

North Attleboro Denies Foxboro Postseason Berth

North Attleboro boys soccer
North Attleboro’s Joey Coscarella passes the ball past Foxboro’s Ronnie MacLellan. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The state tournament doesn’t start until next week, but the North Attleboro boys soccer team got a head start in its final week of the regular season.

The Rocketeers’ final two opponents — Foxboro and Mansfield — head into their season finale’s needing points to qualify for the state tournament. The Warriors, who visited Beaupre Field on Tuesday afternoon, needed one point (a draw or win) while Mansfield needs a win on Thursday afternoon.

North Attleboro passed its first test, scoring a goal in each half to secure a 2-0 win over Foxboro and deny the Warriors a postseason berth.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“You go down against them, how many goals have they’ve given up all year? Not many,” said Foxboro head coach Joe Franchino. “They stay compact and keep it tight. To be fair, they were the better team. Our passing was just a little bit off, I think our intensity from the start wasn’t there. So give credit to them, they came out and beat us today.”

The hosts, who entered the contest with a playoff berth secured via a second-place finish in the Davenport, learned a valuable lesson from their first matchup with Foxboro. Despite taking an early lead, North Attleboro saw the Warriors score back-to-back goals to earn a comeback win.

“We’ve had moments where we scored first, like we did against them last time, and fell asleep,” Burgess said. “So we’ve been really conscious about that. But when we [get a lead] and decide to park the bus, we’re pretty confident. We knew they were going to push because they had to, and as soon as we scored that just kind of fed right into the game plan.

“We saw on film where there were moments that [Foxboro] defended with two guys. I know [Matt] Mordini is faster than half of the defenders in the league, and I know [Matt] Conley is faster than all the defenders in the league. So that gives us a great chance to surprise people.”

This time around, the Warriors need to score played right into the game plan of the hosts. With a defense-first mentally, the Rocketeers’ counter-attack style led to a handful of breakout chances, mostly in the second half after taking a 2-0 lead.

Despite missing out on a golden chance three minutes into the game, the Rocketeers did jump in front on their second chance which came in the 24th minute. Goalie Kyle Briere launched a deep ball over the top of the Foxboro defense that Joey Coscarella made a run onto. The bounce eluded Coscarella, but the run drew a defender free of Matt Mordini, who was able to just get his shot off before the oncoming keeper, placing it into the top corner for a 1-0 lead.

Foxboro’s best chances of the opening half came off free kicks. Junior Dylan Barreira put a shot on goal from 20 yards out but Briere (eight saves) was in position for the stop. Joe Cusack set up the other chance in the 34th minute, putting a free kick into the area but Tim Behn’s bid was over the bar.

“It seemed like we were building out of the back in the first half and we just couldn’t find that final pass,” Franchino said. “They were putting a lot of pressure on our back four. I think we were off in completing passes, breaking lines in the middle third. We didn’t try to play direct, there was some space behind but we didn’t have the intensity. But give credit to North, they came and played well today.”

The game really opened up after North Attleboro doubled its lead just under four minutes into the second half. Mordini played a ball wide to Matt Conley, who got a touch to center the ball and Coscarella latched onto a half volley, finding the bottom right corner to make it 2-0.

From that point on, the Rocketeers had a handful of chances to add to its lead but couldn’t solve Foxboro keeper Dylan Tierney (10 saves). Foxboro had its share of chances but only came up with a pair of serious threats against Briere.

Just minutes after the second goal, another long ball from Briere found Mordini but Tierney made a big one-on-one stop and the rebound fell back into the keepers’ arms. Six minutes later, North senior Alex Pfeffer got a hold of a clearance that forced Tierney into a terrific diving save.

Foxboro junior Jeremy Neale kept the game at a two-goal deficit in the 55th minute by clearing a chance off the line. After Tierney made the initial stop on Coscarella, Mordini’s follow up chance was inches away from crossing the line until Neale intervened.

A change in formation led to more chances for Foxboro over the final 20 minutes. Cusack found Barreira at the back post on a free kick, but Barreira’s high touch was corralled by Briere. Two minutes later, Barreira had back-to-back free kick chances but the first was saved by Briere and the second just skipped wide at the post.

With Foxboro pushing, North’s counter-attack was on as Conley got in behind on a partial breakaway but Tierney came up with another big stop.

Barreira, who was almost always surrounded by a sea of red jerseys, had a shot blocked in the 67th and the loose ball fell to Will Morrison, but his blast went over the bar in the 67th minute. Max Beigel played a quick 1-2 with Barreira but his shot from atop the area was gobbled up in the 75th minute.

Briere put an exclamation point on the shutout with a terrific diving save in the 78th minute, robbing Barreira on a free kick from just outside the area.

“That was a big part coming in, we knew they’d come at us full boar cause they needed the game, they needed a point,” Burgess said. “Mansfield is in the same situation on Thursday so we have a chance to treat both of these games like playoff games. I think it’s great preparation going forward.

“We focused on taking Barreira out of the game, we moved [James] Sales to a different position, he was playing the six instead of the 10. Every set piece, he was always around Barreira, because he killed us last time as he probably he does a lot of teams.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

With Foxboro needing just a point entering the game, Franchino was asked if there was any thought about playing a similar defensive-first style that North plays, but the head coach noted the team was looking for a win to get in.

“That’s not the style we play, we could have had a draw to go through but for me, I was looking to not play the number one seed and get over [North Attleboro], that was my mentality, that’s always my mentality,” Franchino said. “We could have [sat back from the beginning], but I think we if set back, and with the intensity we didn’t have, we would have gotten bombarded. I want to win the game, want to be confident and try to instill that in my players.”

North Attleboro (8-5-3 Hockomock, 8-6-3 overall) will host Mansfield in both teams’ regular season finale on Thursday. The Hornets are unbeaten in seven straight with four straight wins and need a fifth straight in order to qualify for the state tournament. Foxboro finishes the season at 7-8-3.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/18/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 32 – Final

King Philip, 28 @ Taunton, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: (KP) Robert Jarest 29-yard rush, XP failed; (KP) R. Jarest 43-yard pass to Brian Wassersug, R. Jarest 2pt pass to Alex Behling.
2nd Quarter: (KP) R. Jarest 12-yard pass to A. Behling, XP good; (KP) R. Jarest 17-yard pass to Drew Danson, XP good.
3rd Quarter: (T) Trent Santos 2-yard pass to Nigel Choate, Collin Knorr XP good.
4th Quarter: (T) Bretton Heggs 2-yard rush, 2pt rush failed.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Mansfield, 36 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 62-yard rush, Michael DeBolt XP good; (OA) Nathan Cabral 3-yard rush, XP failed.
2nd Quarter: (M) Cincere Gill 12-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) M. DeBolt 8-yard rush, M DeBolt XP good; (M) Jack Moussette 61-yard pass to Danny Rapoza, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Nick Marciano 37-yard rush, N. Marciano 2pt rush.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalOliver Ames and Attleboro traded goals inside the first 20 minutes but the Tigers scored five unanswered to pick up the win. Junior Anthony DaCosta converted a feed from sophomore Mathias Taylor in the 18th minute before the hosts knotted the score two minutes later. OA jumped back ahead when junior Colin Milliken set up classmate Kevin Louhis in the 33rd minute. Taylor made it 3-1 in the 38th minute on a feed from junior Jimmy Keane. The Tigers scored three goals in the first 10 minutes of the second half to pull away. Keane, Milliken and Nicholas Farley each scored with Milliken, Louhis and Dillon Cupples recording assists. Matthew Nikiciuk, Ben Cohen, Harry Ahearn, Matt Nosalek, Jon Freeman all played terrific for OA.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 3 – FinalColby Ciffolillo, Caden Mirliani, and Jake McCabe scored to help the Bulldogs pick up a win over visiting Stoughton.

Milford, 6 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalMilford scored three goals in each half to secure a big win on the road at Foxboro. Senior Pedro Araujo scored four goals in the win to break the program’s single season point record, with 32 points so far this season. Araujo opened the scoring halfway through the first half on an assist from Nuno Mestre, and then grabbed his second eight minutes later on a penalty kick. Joao Pedro Da Silva made it 3-0 with Araujo recording the assist. Jordan Borges set up Araujo for his third goal with a beautiful through ball just a minute into the second half. Araujo grabbed his fourth in the 50th minute with Da Silva notching the assist. David Desa scored the final goal with Eduardo Castro getting the assist. Kevin Gomes had the shutout in net while both Borges and freshman Nick Ribeiro had strong showings in the midfield.

Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalMansfield freshman Aiden Steele scored a goal and had an assist to help the Hornets knock off Franklin to keep their postseason hopes alive. Steele set up Colin True in the 55th minute for the opener, and then scored his first career goal in the 68th minute off a corner from sophomore Matt Hyland. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan said his defense played great, adding Peter Oldow and Colin Caridi had phenomenal games in the midfield.

Taunton, 3 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip and Taunton traded goals back and forth throughout 80 minutes, with the hosts finding the equalizer in the final five minutes to earn a draw. The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute when junior Travis Nunes converted a pass from classmate Kevin Monteiro. Cam Lawrence (from Colin Wesley) tied the game for KP in the 23rd minute, and KP took its first lead when Alex Leon scored off an assist from Tadhg Keller in the 32nd minute. Taunton’s Hunter Cabral knotted things up five minutes later with Khalil Ba picking up the assist. Taunton went back ahead in the 55th minute when Cabral netted his second, assisted by Paiva. Lawrence brought the hosts level once again, this time finishing a pass from Owen Teixeira in the 76th minute.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro keeper Kyle Briere and Sharon goalie Matthew Baur both played well, each earning a shutout as the Rocketeers and Eagles split the points.




Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – FinalOliver Ames senior Erin Holmberg scored four goals to pace the hosts to a big win at home. Caroline Peper also scored in the while while Allison Evin had two assists. Lauren Sellmayer and Jenna Gilman each had one helper for the Tigers. Attleboro freshman Emily Dunlea scored her first career goal for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 1 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 9 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalKing Philip senior Chloe Layne scored twice in the first half and added two assists as the Warriors built a 4-0 lead by the break and never looked back. Layne finished with four assists while Avery Snead had four goals and one assist in the win. Maeve Lawlor, Ella Pisani, and Jenny Montville also scored while Taylor Butler had the shutout in goal.

Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – FinalSharon’s Cass Barbera and North Attleboro’s Regan Fein posted shutouts as the Eagles and Rocketeers took a point each. Lydia Hershey, Colette Petit, and Lily Adams all played well for North Attleboro.

Field Hockey
Milford, 2 vs. Bellingham, 1 – FinalMilford defended home turf with a 2-1 win over Bellingham. Kat Swineford scored once and added an assist for the Hawks, setting up a goal from Olyvia Whyte.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalOliver Ames took care of business on Friday evening, sweeping visiting Attleboro, 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-14). Junior Sarah Morley shined at the service line with 12 aces and a total of 24 service points. Allie Kemp added 19 assists, Alison Barth notched 20 digs, and Ryley McNeeley chipped in with five kills and five assists.

King Philip, 3 @ Walpole, 0 – FinalKing Philip earned a regular season sweep over non-league foe Walpole picking up a 3-0 (25-9, 25-13, 25-15) sweep. The Warriors had a strong showing from the service line as Emma Brooks had 20 service points with three aces and Lily Carlow added eight service points (three aces) and four digs. Nicole Coughlan (12 kills) and Catherine Waldeck (10 kills) pace KP’s offense at the net.

Milford, 2 vs. Nipmuc, 3 – Final

Golf
Canton, 160 @ Mansfield, 155 – FinalIn a battle of division champions, Mansfield earned bragging rights with a close win over Canton at Norton Country Club. Mansfield juniors Brian See and Joseph Gormley shared match medalist honors to lead the way, finishing at 38 for the day. See had birdies on both the sixth and seventh holes. Junior Ryan Dow added a 39 and junior Nate Morreale finished with a 40 for the Hornets. Canton’s James O’Keeffe had a team-low round of 39, Chris Lavoie and Mike Leonetti each shot 40, and Owen Donovan finished at 41.

Milford Slips Past North With Early Second Half Goal

Milford boys soccer Jordan Borges
Milford’s Jordan Borges winds up for a shot in the second half against North Attleboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It was a clash of styles on Wednesday evening at Beaupre Field as North Attleboro hosted Milford boys soccer in a battle of two of the top teams in the Davenport division.

The Hawks are one of the top offenses in the league with a handful of skilled players that can break down opposing defenses at will at times. On the flip side, the Rocketeers emphasize defense first with plenty of numbers behind the ball and then look to hit on the counter.

The game played out accordingly as Milford controlled the majority of possession but didn’t create a ton of chances against North’s strong defense. And the Rocketeers’ best chances came counter trying to get in behind the Hawks’ defense.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The difference came just moments into the second half as Milford capitalized on a North Attleboro miscue defensively to score the only goal and grab a 1-0 win on the road.

“Kudos to Geoff [Burgess], his team is so well-coached and so well organized, you have to be on your toes the entire game,” said Milford head coach Brian Edwards. “If you make one mistake, they will capitalize. We were fortunate they didn’t score on that header right before half, and if they do it’s 1-0 and we probably don’t win that game.

“They are a really tough team to move the ball against. They are athletic, they are disciplined, they don’t give you any good chances. They all communicate well and they all tackle well. That’s the best team we’ve seen all year easily.”

The best chance for each side in the opening half came in the final five minutes. Junior Leo Coelho connected with senior Pedro Araujo, and the Hawks’ striker played the ball wide for freshman Nick Ribeiro. Ribeiro got to the ball first, beating the keeper lower but his shot clanked off the near post and his rebound bid went over the bar.

North nearly struck in the 40th minute when senior Joey Coscarella whipped in a cross from the right sideline and classmate Matt Mordini elevated over his defender but his header was just off target to keep the game scoreless.

After a lack of real chances in the first half, Milford came out in the second half and had three real good chances. Milford capitalized on the first one, just seconds in, as Araujo pounced on an errant pass between North defenders, getting just enough on his shot to North keeper Kyle Briere and the ball trickled over the line for the lone goal.

“You know what they want to do, but we know what we are and we’re a team that’s best going forward,” Edwards said. “We trust our players to not make a mistake that will let them punish us. We weren’t going to change how we play because of their game, we just made some adjustments. They really force you to be focused the entire game.

“They give you some space and you want to take that extra touch, and you want to try and break them down, but sometimes it’s really difficult when you have that space because you fall into that trap. But I thought we did a good enough job today, even without getting many quality chances. They always have three or four guys behind the ball so its tough to create a lot.”

Milford’s offense got some life from the goal as Coelho was able to create some space and rip a left-footed blast that was just high, clanking off the football goal post and bouncing into the net. And in the 43rd minute, Lucas Da Silva took a pass from Coelho and blasted a shot from inside the area but it was wide at the far post.

North Attleboro coach Geoff Burgess called a timeout to relax his squad, and the break worked out as the Rocketeers returned to form, with a stingy defense and wing players streaking down the sideline on the counter.

Coscarella combined with classmate James Sales, playing Sales in behind the defense but Milford keeper Kevin Gomes was quick off his line to thwart the bid. The duo combined again five minutes later but the shot rolled wide.

“I thought after the start of the second half, I thought we upped our level of play,” Burgess said. “We had one mistake [defensively]. We had a couple of chances with through balls, with Sales and Coscarella linking up, and the offsides call was pretty close. Those were three great chances there. I don’t think too many teams are breaking down them like that because they have the four backs plus the holding [midfielder] in front.”

Briere did well to come off his line in the 65th minute to deny a connection from Coelho to Araujo, forcing the shot to go wide.

The Rocketeers thought they had the equalizer in the 66th minute as Matt Conley laid a pass off for Sales, who beat the keeper, but it was ruled Sales was in an offside position.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Our mantra is stay disciplined, keep the ball in front, intercept passes, and get out on the break,” Burgess said. “That was what we did tonight, and you saw, once we get rolling we can be pretty dangerous. We just have to put it in the back of the net.”

Both teams had chances in the final moments as Araujo flashed a header wide a the near post after a service from Gabe Alvarenga for Milford, Conley had his header go over the bar off a free kick from Andrew Tolfa, and North defender Jeremy Folan won a key challenge in the box in the final minute.

Milford boys soccer (5-0-1 Hockomock, 5-0-1 overall) travels to Taunton on Friday while North Attleboro (3-3-0, 3-3-0) visits Franklin the same day.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/19/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored once in the 10th minute and added two more goals in the second half to pick up a win over rival Attleboro. Matt Mordini finished off a cross from James Sales to give the visitors the lead in the first half. In the second, Sales buried a chance after a failed clearance after a cross from James Bush to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute. Mordini grabbed his second in the 61st minute off a feed from Alex Pfeffer. Kyle Briere earned his third shutout of the season.

King Philip, 1 @ Canton, 0 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalOliver Ames earned its fifth straight win to start the season, posting a 2-0 win on the road at Foxboro. Kevin Louhis scored and had an assist in the win. Anthony DaCosta scored the other goal for OA while Colin Milliken grabbed his fifth assist of the year. Drew Nickla earned his fourth shutout of the year.

Mansfield, 1 @ Milford, 4 – FinalAfter a scoreless first half, Milford exploded for four goals in the second half to earn a win over visiting Mansfield. Pedro Araujo put the Hawks ahead with a penalty kick in the 50th minute but Mansfield’s Colin True headed in a service from Colin Caridi minutes later to bring the Hornets level. Araujo grabbed his second after being playing in by Lucas Da Silva. Da Silva then scored a pair of his own, both from Araujo, as the Hawks pulled away for the win.

Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalSharon scored a pair of second half goals to pull away from visiting Taunton for the win. The Eagles went ahead in the 6th minute on a goal from Brian Higgins (from Andrew Jacobson) but Taunton knotted the score with a penalty kick from Alec Nunes in the 37th minute. Sharon jumped back ahead in the 55th minute when Michael Baur converted a penalty kick, and Jacobson linked up with Higgins again in the 73rd minute for an insurance tally.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalAttleboro took the lead on a first half goal by Meghan Panzer, but Olivia Wills scored for the second time this week to earn a point for the Rocketeers. Abi Slaney assisted on North’s goal. Attleboro nearly grabbed a late winner with a quick break but Summer Doherty made a big play to cut out the chance. Lydia Hershey, Jordan Sullivan, and Lily Cameron all played well in the North back line. Regan Fein made seven saves for North, while Attleboro keeper Ashley Macia made six stops.

Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – FinalKing Philip senior Chloe Layne registered three points to become the program’s all-time point leader, breaking a 21-year old record. Layne had a goal and two assists, scoring the game-winner in the 15th minute. Layne also set up Jenny Montville as KP opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game. Ally Stanton (assists) scored on a feed from Jenna Hitchen in the 50th minute, and Layne set up Kiera Lindmark for a strike in the 71st minute. KP coach Gary Pichel credited his back line with having a strong game, with freshman Grace Lawler have a particularly strong showing.

Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 6 – FinalFranklin took control of the game early on, jumping out to a 4-1 lead by halftime, and never looked back. Carly Alston led the way for the Panthers with two goals and two assists, while Anna Balkus added a goal and two assists. Sydney St. Marie and Anna Grasso added goals for Franklin and Erin Quaile had an assist. Brianna Buckley had a big day in goal for the Black Knights with 16 saves. Freshman Shayla Ford scored for Stoughton with an assist from Ashley Camilo.

Milford, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalKerrin Sears scored the opening goal for Mansfield in the first half, assisted by Bella Lennon, but Ashleigh Starks equalized for the Hawks from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining in the game.

Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final After trading first half goals, Taunton’s Emily O’Gara netted the game-winner in the 55th minute to give the Tigers the win over visiting Sharon. Taunton opened the scoring in the 17th minute as senior Paige Tolan finished off a corner kick from Emily Calderon. Sharon drew level in the 30th minute when Olivia Soby found the back of the net with a shot from outside the box. O’Gara picked out the top corner with a rocket in the 55th minute on an assist from Tolan. Junior Hannah McEntee made seven saves to earn the win while seniors Emma Silvia and Allison Calderon had strong games defensively for the Tigers.

Golf
Franklin, 152 @ Attleboro, 159 – Final

King Philip, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – FinalKing Philip’s Kayla Schuberth had a terrific day on the links, carding a two-under round of 34 to lead the Warriors past Stoughton. Nate Ihley added an even par 36, Mike Matheson shot a 39, and Jack Hastry chipped in with a 41 for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 171 @ Foxboro, 175 – FinalMansfield earned a close win on the road at Foxboro to stay unbeaten on the season. Nate Morreale led the Hornets with a low-round of 40 while Joseph Gormley added a 41, Jason See shot a 43, and Ryan Dow finished with a 47 for Mansfield.

Milford, 166 @ Canton, 149 – FinalCanton’s Chris Lavoie, Will Gefteas, and Conor Hunter shared medalist honors on the day, each shooting a 37 to help the Bulldogs win in their home opener. Mike Leonetti, Thomas Singleton, and Owen Donovan all shot 38 for the Bulldogs. Tyler Wetherbee led Milford with a low-round of 39.

North Attleboro, 179 @ Sharon, 165 – Final – Sharon defended its home course, knocking off visiting North Attleboro at the Cape Club of Sharon. Ethan Skelly earned match medalist honors for the Eagles, shooting a match-low round of 38, with Andrew Glaser adding a round of 40. Eric Carter (43) and Nathan Daley (44) also scored for Sharon. Jake Gaskin had a team-low round of 41 for the Rocketeers.

Oliver Ames, 170 @ Taunton, 187 – FinalTate Hadges led the way for the Tigers on the road, carding a round of 39 to earn medalist honors in Oliver Ames’ win. Brad Powers added a 41 in the win.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/10/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 1 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this game.Foxboro took the lead in the first half but Canton scored in the second half to split the points. PJ Frost played in Dylan Barreira, who finished on a tight angle to put the visitors ahead 1-0. Bulldogs senior Alejandro Correal, who played goalie for the majority of the game, tied the game with a terrific strike off the underside of the crossbar in the second half.

Milford, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – FinalMilford senior Pedro Araujo scored five goals as the Hawks cruised to a big win on the road. Araujo blocked a clearance in the opening minute and went in to score, finishing with four in the first half as Milford built a 4-1 lead by the break. Leo Coelho (three assists) and Lucas Da Silva (assist) each scored once while Joao Pedro Da Silva and Carlos Terrinha each recorded an assist in the win.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored twice in the first half and added a late insurance tally to pick up two points on the road at Stoughton. James Sales found Joey Coscarella on a through ball in the seventh minute and Coscarella finished to put the visitors up 1-0. Sales made it 2-0 in the 26th minute, heading in a corner kick from Dylan D’Ercole. Matt Mordini added the third goal in the 75th minute, heading in a cross from Coscarella. Kyle Briere made six saves to get the shutout for North while Andrew Tolfa and Alex Pfeffer had strong games in the midfield for the Rocketeers.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalOliver Ames junior Colin Milliken scored once and had an assist to lead the Tigers to a win on the road over Taunton. Matthew Nikiciuk opened his account for the season while Kevin Louhis added a goal in the win. Keanu Lakay and Josh LaBrosse each recorded an assist while Drew Nickla notched his second shutout of the year.

Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalOlivia Salisbury made three saves to secure the first clean sheet of her career and Mansfield got goals from Tarynn Smith and Kaylee Smith to earn its first win of the year. Bella Lennon and Kerrin Sears recorded the assists for the Hornets. Attleboro coach Steve Santos said his team played well in the first half and was unable to find transition opportunities and then the Hornets showed their tenacity to keep the Bombardiers off the board.

Foxboro, 6 @ Canton, 0 – FinalFoxboro exploded for four goals in the second half to notch a big win on the road over Canton. Jordyn Collins scored a hat trick to pace the offense while Kailee McCabe, Katelyn Mollica (assist) and Lizzy Davis each scored once for the Warriors. Kendra Wentling and Olivia Nicholson each had an assist in the win.

King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Sharon, 2 @ Milford, 3 – FinalJuliana France, Ashleigh Starks, and Isabella DeFronzo each scored to lead the Scarlet Hawks to a win at home over visiting Sharon.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 2 – FinalRegan Fein faced eight shots and three corners but came away with her second clean sheet of the fall, keeping the Rocketeers perfect on the young season. North got two goals in the second half. Abi Slaney scored the first, assisted by Lily Cameron, and Ari Rice opened her varsity account, assisted by Alex Moulson. Lydia Hershey, Jordan Sullivan, Taylor Ward and Colette Petit headlined the defensive effort for North and Olivia Wells was a constant two-way threat, according to North coach Bill Wallace.

Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – FinalOliver Ames sophomore Camryn O’Connor scored once and had two assists to lead the Tigers to a win at home over Taunton. Erin Holmberg, Allison Evin and Abby Hodges also scored in the win for Oliver Ames.




Volleyball
Sharon, 1 @ Norwood, 3 – Final

Cross Country
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 3:45
Taunton @ Milford, 4:00

Golf
Stoughton, 182 @ Milford, 183 – FinalStoughton sophomore Patrick Smith earned match medalist honors with a low round of 43 to help the Black Knights earn a win at Hopedale Country Club. Max Huminik added a round of 45 for the Black Knights. Ed Madden and Nick Wimette each shot 44 for Milford.

Attleboro, 182 @ Sharon, 183 – FinalJack Handy and Brian Houle both shot 44 to help Attleboro edge Sharon by a stroke on the road. Senior Ben Wood added a 46 for the Bombardiers. Sharon’s Eric Carter was the match medalist with a low score of 43, Andrew Glaser added a 44, and Nathan Daley shot a 45 for the Eagles.

Canton, 157 @ Taunton, 202 – FinalCanton’s James O’Keeffe, Chris Lavoie, and Will Gefteas all carded rounds under 40 as Canton picked up a win over Taunton. O’Keeffe was the match medalist with a round of 38, Lavoie and Gefteas both shot 39, and Thomas Singleton chipped in with a round of 41.

Foxboro, 203 @ North Attleboro, 204 – Final (5 cards)After being tied at 161 apiece through four cards, Foxboro prevailed with a one-stroke win on the fifth card. Noah Hicks led Foxboro with a team-low 39, carding six pars on the day. North Attleboro’s Jillian Barend was the match medalist with a low-round of 35, carding birdies on four, eight, and nine for the Rocketeers.

Mansfield, 146 @ King Philip, 153 – FinalMansfield junior Ryan Dow started the day two over par but finished with an eagle, par, and back-to-back birdies to shoot a 32, earning match medalist honors. Jason See, who shot a 35 for the day, also had an eagle, a pair of pars, and a birdie in the last five holes. Nate Morreale added a 38 and Joseph Gormley carded a round of 41 for the Hornets.

Oliver Ames, 167 @ Franklin, 161 – FinalFranklin junior Jack Paterson earned medalist honors, carding a low round of 38 to lead the Panthers to a tight win over Oliver Ames. Brian Sandham added a 40 and Sean Connolly shot a 41 for the Panthers. Tate Hadges led Oliver Ames with a team-low round of 40.

Boys Soccer: Ten Players to Watch in 2019

Hockomock Boys Soccer Players to Watch
North Attleboro goalie Kyle Briere makes a diving save against Foxboro in 2018. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Hockomock Boys Soccer Players to Watch

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Player are listed alphabetically

Dylan Barreira, Senior – Foxboro

Foxboro senior striker Dylan Barreira had a breakout campaign a season ago, pouring in 22 goals in the regular season to tie for the league lead. Just one of three players to have over 20 points last season, Barreira is the lone returner of that group and is poised to have a big final season for the Warriors. Barreira is a pure striker and exactly the type of player you want in or around the ball inside the area. He’s creative with the ball on his feet but it’s his finishing ability that really sets him apart from others. If you give him any space around the 18, Barreira isn’t shy about having a go and can finish from distance. Opposing defenses will have to pay extra attention to him which will free up teammates.

Jordan Borges, Senior – Milford

Milford has a good amount of talent back to try and defend its Davenport division title, and three-year starter Jordan Borges will be a main piece in the heart of the Hawks’ lineup. A four-year varsity player, Borges will be looking to cap his high school career with a second consecutive division crown. He will be tasked with pulling the strings in center midfield. He showed last year the ability to link the defense with the offense as the Hawks dominated possession in most games. With Milford looking to rebuild its defense, the Hawks will look to Borges to help smooth the transition and solidify the middle. And we’ve seen it before, and it’s already happened this preseason: Borges is lethal from distance. If defenses decide to sit back and give him space, he has no problem putting one on target from distance.

Kyle Briere, Senior – North Attleboro

North Attleboro senior Kyle Briere took over the starting position last season and emerged as one of the best keepers in the region, earning a HockomockSports.com Best XI selection. He was the anchor of the best defensive group in the Hockomock League, allowing just nine goals all regular season. He posted 12 shutouts last year, a big reason why North Attleboro was one of the toughest teams to score against. If teams were able to break the North defense down, Briere would often come up with big save after big save. He’s very strong in the air and takes away crosses and services into the box that other league teams are often so good at. With a year of varsity experience under his belt, Briere is poised for another big season and should certainly help the Rocketeers contend for a league title.

Leo Coelho, Junior – Milford

Milford junior Leo Coelho is one of the most versatile players in the league and that affords head coach Brian Edwards a lot of flexibility in the lineup. One of the most talented players on the ball, Coelho played all over the field last season to help the Hawks win their first Davenport title. That will likely be the case again this year as Edwards can slot Coelho wherever he needs him most. He can really control the game from the center midfield spot and he’s shown the ability to play a defensive role. But maybe the best fit for Coelho is in an attacking role on the wing as he possesses terrific skill with the ball on his foot, the ability to set teammates up, and can finish with the best of them. With more size and a year under his belt, look for Coelho to really emerge as one of the most dynamic players in the Hock.

Joe Cusack, Senior – Foxboro

There are a lot of terms and phrases that can describe how Foxboro senior Joe Cusack plays, but the one that really fits best is field general. Cusack has been a crucial player for the Warriors in the center midfield and is usually the catalyst for when they get forward. His ability to read the play and set teammates up has helped Foxboro be one of the most dangerous offensive teams the past two seasons (57 goals last season). On top of his offensive abilities, Cusack is terrific defensively. He has no problem matching up with players bigger than he is, and more often than not, comes away with the ball. He’s very calm on the ball and doesn’t force a lot of passes, helping Foxboro keep possession. The Davenport division is very talented this year and if the Warriors are in the mix at the end, Cusack will likely be a big reason for that.




Colin Milliken, Senior – Oliver Ames

Oliver Ames graduated a lot of talent following the 2017 season so head coach John Barata was in need of new players to step up last year. Colin Milliken became one of the most reliable options for the Tigers, patrolling the center midfield. His strong sophomore season earned him HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year last year. He’s a very confident player and very strong with the ball at his feet. Not only can he find teammates with nice through passes or balls over the top, but he can also go at defenders one-on-one and beat them. He showed off a strong shot last year and will be a dangerous option on set pieces for the Tigers again this season. He scored a team-high eight goals last year and finished the regular season with seven assists and will be on of OA’s top threats again this year.

Alec Nunes, Senior – Taunton

Taunton is looking to take the next step this season and make a push for the state tournament, and one reason the Tigers could make it is senior Alec Nunes. Nunes is a creative player that is very confident with the ball at his feet. Whether it’s taking a defender one-on-one or looking to spring a teammate free with a pass, Nunes is one of the top players in the league. Last season, Nunes showed flashes of his finishing ability inside the area, scoring three goals. He was also very strong in setting teammates up, recording six assists. If a teammate is making a run in behind the defense, Nunes has the vision to either put a ball over the top or find a gap to play a through ball.

Anthony Salisbury, Senior – Mansfield

Mansfield has had one of the toughest defenses to score against over the past couple of seasons, and that was true again last year. One big reason for that was the stellar play of goalie Anthony Salisbury. With help from the defenders in front of him, Salisbury tied the program record for individual shutouts and combined with teammate Cam Bovey to tie the program for shutouts in a season with 11. Salisbury came up with some highlight-reel saves throughout the year and dominated the area. His ability to come off the line and take away corners, free kicks, and services in the run of play made it very difficult to create any real chances in the area. Bovey is also a strong keeper and the competition between the two helps bring out the best on the pitch for the Hornets’ goalies.

Isaiah Stessman, Senior – Sharon

When it comes to versatility, Sharon senior Isaiah Stessman is right at the top of the list for players in the Hockomock League. We saw last year that he can play basically anywhere on the pitch and make a big impact. He spent time at sweeper last season and anchored the Eagles’ back line. With him as the last line of defense, teams were unable to get in behind because of his speed. When he’s on the wing, he can get up and down the sidelines and cause problems for opponents. And when he’s up top, he can really cause havoc against defenses. He has a good touch and can go at defenders one-on-one. When he’s around the area, he can finish with the best of them and that makes him an incredible weapon for the Eagles. Depending on what they need, Stessman can provide Sharon with skill at any spot.

Sam Stowell, Senior – Franklin

Franklin was one of the best teams down the stretch last season, making a late push in the league title picture and securing a spot in the state tournament. The Panthers were 7-1-1 in their final nine regular season games and allowed just five goals in that span. One big reason for their success was the strong defense and Sam Stowell was the leader of that defensive unit. One of the most experienced players in the league (2019 HockomockSports Best XI selection), Stowell will once again be the anchor of the Panthers’ back line. Stowell has a terrific soccer IQ and that’s obvious with his play on the pitch. He reads the play very well and keeps the back group organized, making it difficult to break Franklin down, especially in the run of play. Set pieces and restarts are a big part of the high school game and Stowell is an option offensively and does a nice job defending them as well.