Franklin junior Lily Deforge has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for May 15 through May 21. Deforge is the 29th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2022-23 school year and seventh in the spring season.
In miserable conditions this Saturday at the annual Hockomock Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sam Berns Community Field, Deforge continued her impressive career as one of the league’s top throwers. She took won the title in the discus and finished third in the shot put, helping the Panthers add to their Kelley-Rex crown by winning the team title at the league meet. Franklin finished with 155 points, which was more than 60 points higher than second place Oliver Ames.
Lily has been the leader of our throwers since her sophomore year,” said Franklin coach Mark Rudolph. “Her dedication to her team and her competitiveness shined through at Hocks this year. She competed with a badly sprained ankle which limited her preparing this week and then had to deal with the bad weather, but she delivered by repeating as Hock Champion in the discus and taking third in the shot put. She’s already qualified for Divisionals, the MA meet of champions, New Englands, and Nationals, so she still has a lot of throwing left this season.”
The athletes had to put up with rain and wind on Saturday. During the girls’ discus finals, competitors were wiping down the throwing circle before each attempt. Once it was time for the shot put final, they were pushing the water away with brooms. Deforge and the other throwers were able to overcome the conditions. She retained her title in the discus with a throw of 111’-10”, more than nine feet further than teammate Liz Hopkins and just a few inches shorter than her first place throw from 2022. In the shot put, Deforge’s throw of 33’-05.00” was good for third, behind Stoughton’s Simarah McPherson (36’-01.00”) and Hopkins (33’-07.75”).
The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.
Lily Deforge
Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision. Lily Deforge The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.
Girls Basketball
Sharon, 39 vs. Leominster, 56 – Final
Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Stoughton, 56 – Final – Stoughton swept the long jump and the 55M dash as well as taking both relays to pick up an impressive win over Oliver Ames, securing a second-place finish in the Davenport division. Matt Singletary’s leap of 20-04.00 took first (second best in the Hock) with Alex Huynh and Tito Nwosu rounding out the sweep for the Black Knights, while Zachary Feist (7.00) won the 55M dash followed by Matt-Andy Beauchamps and Tyler Noel. Singletary also won the high jump (6-02.00), Thomas Laz won the shot put with a throw of 40-10.50, and William Tinkham won both the 55M hurdles (7.99) and the 300M (38.18). Tinkham also anchored Stoughton’s 4×200 relay team along with Beauchamps, Feist, and Noel, setting a new school record in 1:34.12. Oliver Ames swept four events on the night: the 2 Mile (Brody Lake, Oscar Feodoroff, Jonah Sobieraj), the 1000M (Aidan Dupill, Ryan Sarney, Brendan Tomas), the 600M (Sarney, Dupill, Thomas), and the 1 Mile (Alexander Pierce, Ethan Mahoney, Landon Sarney).
Canton, 41 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Foxboro finished first in eight races, and took second in the other two as they earned a win over Canton. Daniel O’Malley earned 15 points with three first place finishes, winning the high jump (6-00.00), the 55M hurdles (8.56), and the 300M (37.39). Other first place finishes for the Warriors were Edosa Omeumu (long jump, 17-06.25), Joe Flanagan (league-best shot put throw of 47-03.50), Brooks Stone (1000M, 2:45.85), Stephen Haney (600M, 1:27.37), and Chris Proulx (1 Mile, 4:53.92). Trevor Palmer and Johnny Ahearn earned four points with a second-third finish in the 2 Mile, and Jaiden Jean and Ishmel Sillah did the same in the 55M dash for Foxboro. Canton’s Luke Darling won the 2 Mile (11:03.65) and Christian Hanlon took first in the 5MM dash (7.13). Canton won both relays with the 4×400 team (Dan Glemaud, Sam Vail, Austin DiBiasio, Mohith Arugollu) clocking in at 4:06.38, and the 4×200 team (Hanlon, Joshua Richards, Charlie Zack, Alex Kraslynkov) finishing in 1:40.33.
Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 25 – Final – Mansfield completed an undefeated dual meet season with a win over Sharon anchored by sweeps in the shot put and the 55M dash, first place finishes in six more events, and wins in both relays. The Davenport division champs picked up all nine points in the shot put led by Ayden Agbasi’s throw of 44-10.75 with Billy Gardner and Daniel Mintz rounding out the top three. Myles Brown earned first in the 55M dash in 6.76 followed closely in second by Nate Kablik (6.88) and third by Sirius Li (6.96). Talon Johnson had a league-best time in the 1000M, clocking in at 2:40.46 for first, Evan Thevenot took first in the long jump (19-11.50), freshman Joey Federline Jr. won the 2 Mile by breaking 11 minutes for the first time (10:58.15), Troy Penney won the 600M (1:29.04) by less than a second over Sharon’s Karthik Pisupati (1:29.77) with Kyle Dickinson’s PR time of 1:32.37 good for third, Colby Quersher took the 1 Mile in 4:54.12, and Grady Sullivan (37.26) and Matthew Breitenstein went 1-2 in the 300M, both setting new PRs. For Sharon, Naeem Prempin won the high jump (5-04.00) and Alexander Gong clocked in at 8.12 to win the 55M hurdles.
Attleboro, 52 @ Franklin, 48 – Final – Attleboro won both relays, setting a new school record in the 4×200 in the process, to rally for a win over Franklin and clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. Trailing by one going into the final relay, the Bombardiers 2×400 relay team of Peter DelPozzo, Michael Huntington, Jordan Rivera-Silva, and Adrian Rivera registered the best time in school history at 1:33.08 to win the relay and the dual meet. Attleboro’s 4×400 relay team of Austin Bowie, Nicolas Graber, Sean Kaswale, and Camden Martin won in 3:33.62, less than a second ahead of Franklin. Sean O’Hara-Ouellette won the high jump (6-00.00), Adrian Rivera and Jordan Rivera-Silva went 1-2 in the long jump, DelPozzo clocked in first in the 55M hurdles (8.47), and Rivera-Silva took first in the 300M. Luke Hagopian (1000M), Kamron marsh (shot put), and Graber (600M) each had key second place finishes to secure key points. Franklin picked up wins from Jacob Bowser (shot put), Tyler Apicella (2 Mile), Luke Sidwell (55M dash), Jack Halter (1000M), Jake Vaccarezza (600M), and swept the 1 Mile (Jonathan Pink, Will Boozang, Bradford Morin).
King Philip, 42 @ Taunton, 58 – Final – Taunton won both relays, picked up nine points in each the 55M dash and the 300M, and had three more first place finishes in a win over KP. Dmitrius Shearrion anchored both sweeps for the Tigers and was apart of the winning 4×200 relay. Shearrion won the 55M dash in 6.75 followed by Jonathan Trinh and Xavier Spencer, while his win in the 300M (35.30) anchored the sweep along with Jared Spencer and Chris Wallace. Sam Denis added a win in the 2 Mile (10:34.45), Andrew Cali clocked in first in the 1000M (2:50.25), and Cam Door won the 600M in 1:33.23. Degen Granese won a pair of events for the Warriors, taking first in both the long jump (19-04.75) and the shot put (41-09.00), Keagan Fletcher won the high jump at 6-00.00, Kevin Smith’s time of 8.45 won the 55M hurdles, and Nathan Sylven crossed the finish line at 4:43.44 to win the 1 Mile race.
North Attleboro, 66.5 @ Milford, 33.5 – Final – North Attleboro’s Nathan Shultz continued his dominance this season, taking three wins — all three with league-best finishes — to lead the Rocketeers to a win over Milford. Shultz was the fastest in the 55M dash, recording a league-best time of 6.69 and then posted a league-best jump of 6-06.00 to win the high jump and a Hock-best leap of 22-05.75 to win the long jump. Connor Peterson anchored a sweep in the 2 Mile with a time of 11:01.51 followed by William Atwood and Brendan Simpson. North also got 1-2 finishes in the long jump (Kyle Conroy), the 55M dash (Abraham Guir), the 1000M (Brady King, Yousef Abdalla), and the 300M (Sam Bush, Guir). Milford’s Christopher Benson won the shot put with a throw of 35-04.00 and Ben Parson took first in the 600M (1:29.99).
Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Stoughton, 43 – Final – Oliver Ames completed its second straight undefeated dual meet season to claim another Davenport division title, their seventh overall. The Tigers swept a pair of events with Katie Sobieraj anchoring both of them. Sobieraj had a Hock-best time of 3:00.38 in the 300M and was followed by teammates Molly Capece and Erin Reilly while also winning the 2 Mile in 12:39.50 with Iole Apostoli and Brynn Cushing rounding out the top three. Jenna Gilman added a win in the 600M (1:41.67), Catie Wilson took another win in the shot put (28-03.00), and Taegan Hodges and Hailey Goldman went 1-2 in the 1 Mile race. Stoughton’s Gabriele Julien won both the high jump (4-10.00) and the long jump (15-08.50), Shayla Ford was also a double-winner by taking the 55M dash (7.56) and the 300M (42.78), and Belleya Franck added a first place finish in the 55M hurdles (9.73).
Canton, 77 @ Foxboro, 23 – Final – Canton collected key points by sweeping both the shot put and the 1000M in a win over Foxboro to conclude the dual meet season. Emma Massih anchored the sweep in the shot put along with Allie Wong and Jess Brathwaite while Tahlia Weaver led the charge in the 1000M with Daphne Golden and Sarah Dempster rounding out the top three. Katie Oliver was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the 55M hurdles and the long jump, Maggie McCready had a 10-second personal best time while taking first in the 1 Mile, and Lexi Piazza won the 600M race, setting a new PR by seven seconds.
Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 24 – Final – Mansfield took first in 10 events plus one relay to claim a big win over Sharon. The Hornets swept the shot put (Caitlin Garrahy, Juliana Machado, Joselyn Saba), the 55M dash (Abigail Scott, Chloe Guthrie, Meghan Driscoll), and the 300M (Olivia Barry, Brooke Penney, Alexandra Leman) for a total of 27 points. Guthrie also won the long jump (15-10.00), Elyssa Buchanan won two events, taking first in the 55M hurdles (9.47) and the high jump (4-08.00), Anna Moore won the 2 Mile in 12:10.00, Norah Puleo took first in the 1000M (3:23.01), Avery Hawthorne added five points by winning the 600M (1:50.11), and Alexandra Petrova clocked in at 6:09.78 to win the 1 Mile. Olivia Nau had six points for the Eagles, taking second in both the long jump and the 55M hurdles.
Attleboro, 9 @ Franklin, 90 – Final – Franklin swept eight events in a dominant showing, finishing off a 5-0 season to clinch the Kelley-Rex division crown for the first time since 2018. The Panthers swept the high jump (Abigail Griffith, Sarah Dumas, Vera Hansen), the long jump (Dumas, Barra Pfluke, Cailyn Bruno), the shot put (Lily DeForge, Elizabeth Hopkins, Darby Nicholson), the 55M hurdles (Ella Chandaria, Hansen, Bruno), the 55M dash (Dumas, Chandaria, Sophia Cuneo), the 1000M (Gwenyth Holland, Allison Powderly, Katie Barrow), the 600M (Bruno, Anna Cliff, Ella McLaughlin), and the 300M (Cuneo, Olivia Costa, Cassidy Carmignani). Mackenzie Mann added a win in the 2 Mile, clocking in at 13:43.88. Attleboro’a Emilia Smith won the 1 Mile in 5:39.10.
King Philip, 54 @ Taunton, 45 – Final – King Philip won the 4×200 relay by less than two seconds to secure a win over Taunton in a close battle. The Tigers won the 4×800 relay in 4:25.63 (the team of Phylicia Dias, Braelyn Nichols, Sydney Martin, Caelyn O’Leary) to have a shot at the win but KP’s 4×200 relay team of Sarah Glaser, Madeline Hill, Ali Gill, and Alex D’Amadio finished in 1:52.79 to secure the win. D’Amadio collected six points from a first place finish in the 300M (43.25) and a third place in the 600M (1:51.23), Gill and Glaser finished 1-2 in the 55M dash, and Hill added 10 more points by winning both the long jump (15-05.00) and the 55M hurdles (9.74). Katherine O’Neil added a win in the shot put (32-00.50) and Cheyanne Kelley won the 1000M in 3:34.06. Taunton’s Colby Dunham won the 2 Mile in 13:09.23, Emersyn DePonte and Sarah Mendonca went 1-2 in the 1 Mile, and Dias and Martin finished first and second in the 600M.
North Attleboro, 50 @ Milford, 50 – Final – Milford and North Attleboro entered the relays tied, and after splitting the relays, finished that way in a 50-50 tie. There was no separation between the Hawks and the Rocketeers, who had 45 points apiece before the relays. Milford won six of the 10 events but North had key depth by getting points from second and third place finishes. Kiyanna Simas won both the long jump (17-04.00) and the 55M dash (7.43), both were league best finishes on the night. The Hawks also got wins from Kay Wheelock (55M hurdles, 10.16), Carly Haley (1000M, 3:30.71), Sydney Kalil (1 Mile, 5:40.35), and swept the 300M (Gabby Peniche, Kaylee Whitney, Wheelock). North picked up wins from Sydney O’Connor in the high jump (4-08.00) with Caroline Folan and Megan Ladd rounding out a sweep, Sienna Newth in the shot put (32-06.50), Ellie Fournier in the 2 Mile (13:34.87), and Faith Wilder in the 600M (2:06.43).
Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 52 @ Canton, 48 – Final – Oliver Ames took the top two spots in four events to secure a tight win over upset-minded Canton. Ryan Sarney picked up right where he left off from a dominating cross country season to take first overall in the 1000M, clocking in at a league-best 2:45.32 while Alex Callanan took second in 3:06.71. OA also went 1-2 in the 1 Mile (Aidan Dupill, 5:11.64 and Brendan Thomas, 5:11.71), the high jump (Nolan Querzoli, 5’2″ and William Sobieraj, 5’2″), and the shot put (Peter Andromalos, 37’5.5″ and Frederick Hakimdin 33’1.5″). Sobieraj also won the 55M hurdles in 9.92. For Canton, Luke Darling won the 600M in his indoor track debut, clocking in at 1:35.57 while Christian Hanlon took first in the 55M dash in 7.28.
Stoughton, 29 @ Mansfield, 71 – Final – Mansfield made a big statement in its first meet as a member of the Davenport division, sweeping three events and both relays while taking the top team in the league in two more events in a win over Stoughton. The Hornets took the top three spots in the 1 Mile, won by Marco Geminiani (5:00.84) followed by Sam Taylor and Collin Fine, swept the 1000M with Talon Johnson (2:54.11), Colby Quersher, and Sean Higgins going 1-2-3, respectively, and also swept the 2 Mile run as John Sylvain (11:23.60) led the pack, followed by Ben Dury and Sean Whittaker. Junior Evan Thevenot won the long jump with a league-best leap of 19’9.75″ while senior captain Grady Sullivan had the fastest time of all runners in the 300M at 1:28.16. Ayden Agbasi and Billy Gardner went 1-2 in the shot put for the Hornets. Mansfield also swept the relays with the 4×200 (Myles Brown, Evan Rawlings, Nolan Clark, Thevenot) finishing in 1:38 and the 4×400 (Tommy Giudicianni, Troy Penney, Johnson, Sullivan) recorded a league-best time of 3:41. Stoughton’s William Tinkham won the 55M hurdles with a league-best time of 8.27 and Matt Singletary won the high jump (5’10”).
Foxboro, 54 @ Sharon, 40 – Final – Anchored by a sweep in the shot put and wins in six other events, Foxboro got the season started with a win over Sharon. Joe Flanagan had the second best throw in the league in the shot put, leading a sweep with a toss of 44’7″ followed by teammates Harrison Keen and Nicholas Higgins. Daniel O’Malley was a double winner for the Warriors (high jump, 5’8″ and 300M, 37.60) while Chris Proulx (2 Mile, 10:56.94), Brayden Pace (1000M, 3:16.02), Stephen Haney (600M, 1:33.71), and Brooks Stone (1 Mile, 5:05.94) also had first place finishes for the Warriors. Sharon swept both relays and got a pair of wins from Elijah Wisdom (long jump, 18’11.5″ and 55M dash, 6.96) and one win from Alexander Gong (55M hurdles, 8.76).
Taunton, 31 @ Attleboro, 64 – Final – Attleboro swept the 55M hurdles, the 600M, and the long jump on its way to a win over Taunton. Adrian Rivera, who also won the 55M dash for the Bombardiers, led the sweep of the long jump (19’7.75″) followed by Joshua Codella and Jordan Rivera-Silva. Peter DelPozzo won the 55M hurdles (8.68) with Sean O’Hara-Ouellette and Ian Miller rounding out the top three, and Jacob Blazek won the 600M (1:31.67) followed by Sean Kaswale and Austin Bowie. O’Hara-Ouellette and Jake Stromfors also tied for first in the high jump for the Bombardiers. Taunton’s Brayden Cali won both the 1 Mile (5:09.19) and the high jump (5’6″), Sam Denis took first in the 2 Mile (10:48.65), Peter Moor won the shot put (40-02.50), and Andrew Cali clocked in at 2:54.08 for first in the 1000M.
North Attleboro, 36 @ Franklin, 64 – Final – Franklin’s depth proved to be key as the Panthers took two of the top three spots in eight individual events, including sweeps in the 2 Mile and the 600M, to take down North Attleboro. Jonathan Pink clocked in at 11:13.06 to win the 2 Mile, followed by Luke Paragona and Sean Giuliano, while Jake Vaccarezza won the 600M in 1:33.84 with Fraser Baird and Jake Lorenzo rounding out the top three. Franklin also got wins from Harry Gurney (55M hurdles, 9.24), Luke Sidwell (300M, 37.74), and Will Boozang (1 Mile, 5:01.03). North Attleboro’s Nathan Shultz continued his dominance in the winter, taking first in a pair of events: the high jump in a league-best 6-06.00 and the 55M dash in 6.76. The Rocketeers also got wins from Kyle Conroy (long jump, 18-04.75), Mark Etienvre (shot put, 50-04.00), and Connor Peterson (1000M, 2:48.29).
Milford, 36 @ King Philip, 59 – Final – Buoyed by a sweep in both the 55M hurdles and the high jump, along with six more individual wins, King Philip took care of business with a win over Milford. Luca Giardini (8.72) Kevin Smith, and Jack McKenna swept the 55M hurdles while Dylan Woods (5-10.00), Degen Granese, and Keagan Fletcher took the top three spots in the high jump for KP. Granese added two wins of his own in the long jump (19-09.25) and the shot put (36-11.50), Giardini added another win in the 1000M (3.01.38) while Pranav Srinivasan (600M, 1:41.68), Nathan Gebhard (300M, 38.99), and Noah Lerner (1 Mile, 5:19.37) each won. Milford’s Andrew Fletcher (2 Mile, 11:16.17) and Jarret Brown (55M dash, 7.06) each won for Milford.
Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 54 @ Canton, 38 – Final – Julia Maclaine won a pair of individual events and was apart of the winning 4×200 relay team to lead Oliver Ames to a win in the season opener. Maclaine clocked in at 45.03 to take first in the 300M and won the high jump at 4’8″, and then teamed up with Grace Okocha, Aubrey Thibault, and Catie Wilson to take the relay in 1:56.12. Okocha also won the 55M dash for the Tigers (7.88), Thibault won the long jump (15’7.5″), and Oliver Ames swept the 600M with Deanna Flaherty (2:00.16), Kensie Graham, Erin Reilly, and Brynn Cushing taking the top four spots. For Canton, Jayda Proffit (10.59) and Katherine Oliver went 1-2 in the 55M hurdles, Emma Massih won the shot put (28’2″) with Allie Wong taking third, and the Bulldogs’ 4×400 relay team of won by .27 seconds.
Stoughton, 45 @ Mansfield, 51 – Final – Trailing by four points going into the the relays, Mansfield won the 4×200 by less than a second and then the 4×800 by less than six tenths of a second to earn 10 points and pull out the win over Stoughton in a terrific back-and-forth battle. Rosie McIntyre, Taylor Palinski, Avery Hawthorne, and Brooke Penney clocked in at 4:37.59 — just ahead of Stoughton’s 4:38.57 — while the Hornets’ 4×400 relay team of Abigail Scott, Meghan Driscoll, Olivia Barry, and Chloe Guthrie won in a time of 1:52.39, just ahead of the Black Knights at 1:52.95. Guthrie also won the long jump (31-09.00), Anna Moore was first in the 2 Mile (12:50.02), and Elyssa Buchanan won the 55M hurdles (9.34). Stoughton’s Shayla Ford won a pair of events, first in both the 300M (44.84) and the 55M dash (7.78), Julie Richardson had a dominate win in the 600M (1:51.6), Gabriele Julien won the high jump (4-10.00), Elaine McCarty won the 1000M (3:40.17), and Lily Branco crossed first in the 1 Mile (6:41.84).
Foxboro, 62 @ Sharon, 35 – Final – Foxboro won both relays and took first in seven more events to open the season with a big win over Sharon. The Warriors picked up wins from Chloe Davies (high jump, 4-10.00), Dalia Fitzgerald (long jump, 14-06.50), Erin Haney (shot put, 22-11.50), Aine Fitzpatrick (2 Mile, 13:36.40), Casey Dahl (1000M, 3:35.75), Ella Campbell (300M, 46.77) and Brooke Davies (1 Mile, 6:20.62). Sharon’s Maude Kilmer won two events, taking first in the 55M hurdles (9.20) and the 55M dash (7.60), while Eva Olszewski won the 600M in 1:53.91 for the Eagles.
Taunton, 46 @ Attleboro, 54 – Final – Down to the relays, Attleboro secured the win by taking the 4×200 relay in 2:00.19 to finish off a win over Taunton. The team of Zenda Gjoni, Gabriela Sprovieri, Lindsey Anastasia, and Jessica Jennison were the winning relay team for the Bombardiers. The Bombardiers also got key points from a sweep in the shot put, led by Kimberley Packard-Flores’ winning throw of 26-02.00 with Arianna Amaral and Ella Blaisdell taking second and third, respectively. Gjoni added a win in the 55M hurdles (10.64), Anastasia took first in the 55M dash (8.08), Rebecca Rainey won the high jump (4-08.00), Emilia Smith took first in the 2 Mile (12:56.10), and Alexis Cincotta crossed first in the 600M (1:57.74). Taunton picked up wins from Isabella Leiete (long jump, 13-10.75), Braelyn Nichols (1000M, 3:40.96), Ava Uhl (300M, 46.64), and Emersym DePonte (1 Mile, 5:46.44).
North Attleboro, 22 @ Franklin, 77 – Final – Franklin opened the season with a dominant showing, winning eight events, sweeping two of them and scoring in all of them, while taking both relays to beat North Attleboro. Lily DeForge, who set the school record in the shot put, won the event in 35-01.50 followed by Elizabeth Hopkins and Darby Nicholson while Sarah Dumas (9.01, Barra Pfluke, and Cailyn Bruno swept the 55M hurdles. Dumas also won the 55M hurdles (9.01) and other winners for the Panthers were Abigail Griffith (high jump, 5-00.00), Mackenzie Mann (2 Mile, 14:04.79), Sophia Cuneo (55M dash, 7.94 and 300M, 45.50), and Ella McLaughlin (600M, 1:54.14). North’s Julia Simpson (1000M, 3:34.51) and Katie Galcoczy (1 Mile, 6:07.87) each won for the Rocketeers.
Milford, 41 @ King Philip, 59 – Final – King Philip swept both the long jump and the 1000M race to collect key points to earn a win over Milford in the season opener. Alex D’Amadio (15-11.50), Ali Gill, and Madeline Hill were the top three finishers for the Warriors in the long jump while Olivia Archambault (3:42.35), Ella Lussier, and Cheyanne Kelley went 1-2-3 in the 1000M. KP also picked up wins from Gill in the 300M (43.65), D’Amadio in the high jump (5-10.00), Katherine O’Neil in the shot put (32-02.00), and Madeline Hill in the 55M hurdles (9.98). Milford had four individual winners: Sydney Kalil (2 Mile, 12:01.83), Kiyanni Simas (55M dash, 7.48), Kay Wheelock (600M, 2:02.09), and Carly Haley (1 Mile, 6:24.46).
Franklin junior Anya Zub celebrates after completing her hat trick in the second half against Belmont. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. — Behind a pair of goals in each half and a strong 80-minute performance, Franklin’s postseason run got off to a great start.
Junior Anya Zub scored a hat trick and sophomore Kelly O’Connor added another as the 8th-seeded Panthers quelled the excitement of the visiting 25th-seeded Marauders of Belmont with a convincing 4-0 decision in a Division 1 Round of 32 matchup.
“We had a problem early in the year not coming out strong enough so we’ve been pushing and pushing the idea of coming out hard and ready to play,” said Franklin head coach Tom Geysen, “They came out hard tonight and at halftime, we just talked about it being an 80-minute game. The first 40 was yours, you have to make the second 40 yours too. They came out and did exactly that.”
Belmont was fresh off a 3-1 win over Brockton in the preliminary round and entered Monday’s clash with a high excitement and intensity level. But it took just minutes for Franklin to register its first serious scoring chance and the Panthers’ back four of Alli Powderly, Lily Deforge, Norah Anderson, and Katie Ewald denied the visitors of any dangerous scoring chances all game.
It took just five minutes for Franklin to start knocking on the door defensively. O’Connor flicked on a ball from Deforge to herself in behind the defense and was in alone on goal but forced the keeper to a big save off the line.
Less than 10 minutes later, O’Connor snuck in behind the defense on a service and beat the keeper to the ball, but her bid was just wide at the far post.
O’Connor and the Panthers finally cashed in in the 18th minute on a set piece. Anderson delivered a ball into the area that the keeper came off the line to try and get, but only managed to get one hand to it. The ball fell in behind and O’Connor was there to smash it home from inches out to make sure it crossed the line.
The Marauders didn’t have a ton of chances, but their two best came minutes after Franklin’s first half strikes. In the 21st minute, Belmont got a look on goal with a shot just outside the 18 but Rachel Welch was easily able to collect.
Franklin doubled its lead just minutes before the halftime break. Powderly’s quick throw found Tori Carmignani, and her ball was deflected by a defender to O’Connor. The defense was able to recover to prevent a shot from the sophomore, but Zub made a nice overlapping run around and O’Connor laid it off. Zub blasted a low left-footed shot that got through the keeper and in to make it 2-0 in the 24th minute.
It was more of the same for the Panthers in the second half. After 10 minutes had expired, Franklin junior Olivia Costa nearly added to the hosts’ lead but was denied by the post. Senior Avery Greco looped a ball in to O’Connor, who cut back and sent a cross to the far post. Costa ran onto it and, despite a tough bounce, got her foot to it but it hit off the near post and stayed out.
Greco and Costa linked up a minute later, the former dropping a pass off for senior Bridget Leo’s blast from distance but it went just wide.
Franklin’s pressure up top paid off again as Zub got her second in the 60th minute. Deforge launched a ball from her own half over the defense that Zub was able to get to first, using her left foot to get into space and then using her right to lift over the oncoming keeper for a 3-0 advantage.
Ewald won a challenge on the left side to freshman Mia Eglintine, who connected with O’Connor. O’Connor battled her way into some space before finding Carmignani in the middle of the pitch. Carmignani carried at the defense before slotting a perfect through ball to Zub, who finished on her left to complete the hat trick in the 34th minute.
“Anya and Kelly, the two of them, plus Olivia Costa, she’s the same way, they just go forever,” Geysen said of the constant pressure. “So you have those three running up front, they are putting a lot of pressure on the ball and on the defense.”
Franklin girls soccer (15-3-1) will host #9 Wellesley (9-1-6), who took down Marshfield 2-0. The game is currently scheduled for Thursday at 4:00.
For the second time in a week, Canton rallied from a goal down in the second half and sealed a win thanks to a Mekhala Costello goal, this time beating Franklin 2-1. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Over the weekend, Canton played a tough, physical game against division rival Oliver Ames. It was Canton’s first loss of the season. Just a few days later, on Wednesday night at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, the Bulldogs had another competitive, physical encounter against division-leading Franklin.
This time, the Bulldogs started the game without leading scorer Emily McCabe. The senior forward was nursing an injury and would likely only be able to play a half, so head coach Idris Senyonjo left her out of the starting lineup. Canton struggled without the focal point of its attack, but McCabe emerged in the second half and sparked a massive turnaround.
With McCabe up front for the final 40 minutes, Canton put the pressure on the Panthers, rallying from a goal down for the second time in a week and pulling out a 2-1 victory.
“She hasn’t trained all week, so I was going to either play her first half or second half,” Senyonjo explained. “Bringing her on in the second half would give them something different to think about. Em gives them a whole different dimension of what they’re going to have to worry about.”
It didn’t take long for McCabe to make her presence felt. She immediately charged at the Franklin back line and pressed center backs Norah Anderson and Lily Deforge (who was playing in the middle in place of injured junior Maddie Horton). McCabe added a different dimension to the attack, drawing attention and freeing up space on the wings, as both Emma Cahill and Caira McKinney looked dangerous after the break.
Twelve minutes into the second half, it was McCabe that would get the equalizer. She clipped a ball up over the defense from just outside the penalty area and then burst through a pair of defenders to get clean through on goal. She was just able to get a toe on the loose ball and poke it past onrushing Franklin keeper Rachel Welch.
“We knew it was going to be an aggressive game and we had to stick to the game plan,” Senyonjo said. “The idea was, if we could put their defense under pressure, we’re going to force them to make mistakes.”
Not only had Canton stemmed the tide of Franklin attacks, which was the story of the opening 40 minutes, but now the Bulldogs were taking control of the action in the midfield through Paige Sullivan and Mekhala Costello.
McCabe nearly created the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute. She slipped a pass into the path of Cahill, who was tripped up on the edge of the box. Canton cried out for a penalty but the official spotted the ball just outside. Costello’s free kick was on target, but right at Welch.
Ten minutes later, Costello would score the winner. Welch came out of the box to clear a ball over the top. Her clearance was in the middle of the field and Costello pulled it down about 40 yards from goal. The junior took a look, saw the keeper racing back to her line, and fired a shot into the unguarded net. It was her second game-winner in the past three games.
“I just feel bad for Rachel,” Franklin coach Tom Geysen explained. “She got caught too far out and there was nobody back there to help her, nobody. She feels like crap because the goal was scored on her, but where were her defenders? And that’s something I’ll make sure she understands.”
Franklin didn’t give up and battled right to the final whistle. The Panthers wrested some control back in the midfield down the stretch and had a series of free kick opportunities for Anderson, Deforge, and midfielder Bridget Leo to put the ball into the box.
With two minutes to play, the Panthers nearly snatched a point. Leo sent an angled ball to the edge of the area and Kelly O’Connor rose well to head the ball down across the penalty area. Right winger Olivia Costa raced in at the far post and appeared to get a touch to it, but Canton keeper Marissa Staffiere was off her line quickly and smothered the chance, saving the win.
Senyonjo loved the way his team was able to bounce back from the loss to OA, and that his team gave him a nice present for his birthday on Thursday.
“It’s huge,” he said. “Saturday was an emotional game. The girls were disappointed but super motivated to come and play today and it’s a huge win, at home against probably the top team in the other division right now.”
The game was physical throughout with neither team giving an inch, but in the first 40 minutes the chances almost all fell to the Panthers. Only three minutes in, striker Anya Zub found space running down the left channel and forced Staffiere into a save at the near post.
O’Connor was a constant menace on the left wing. She was able to turn away from her marker and chipped a pass for Zub to race onto, the forward’s clever outside of the foot chip again forcing Staffiere to make the stop. Three minutes later, the duo combined again with O’Connor getting a chance to test the keeper.
In the 22nd minute, Franklin’s pressure finally paid off. Leo’s outswinging corner dropped to the foot of Selene Hammad about eight yards from goal. She scuffed her first attempt at a shot but on her second attempt lashed the ball inside the post, giving Staffiere no chance.
Chances kept coming for the Panthers. This time it was a Katie Ewald corner that was headed clear by Sullivan. The ball dropped for Leo on the half-volley but her shot went over the bar. After a turnover at the back, O’Connor played a near-perfect angled, low cross to Costa at the back post, but Staffiere read it well and dove out to stop the pass hitting its target.
“We just ran out of gas,” Geysen said. “That’s the best effort we’ve had this season. They really worked their butts off tonight. I said, if you keep playing the way you played tonight, you’re going to win a lot of games. You got unlucky tonight, the soccer gods weren’t looking your way.”
Canton (6-1-1) won’t have much time to celebrate the win, as the Bulldogs will be on the road on Friday against Foxboro. Franklin (5-2-0) can expect another physical encounter on Friday when it travels to Attleboro.
2021 Record: 10-8-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Steve Santos
Attleboro ended its long wait for a return to the postseason in 2021 and head coach Steve Santos is hoping that success will breed more winning for the program. The Bombardiers will have a strong foundation this season because of a big senior class and experience across the pitch. If Attleboro can overcome some early season injuries and illnesses, they could be in the mix for another postseason spot.
With 34 goals as a team last year, Attleboro wasn’t one of the league’s most prolific attacking groups, but the Bombardiers have talented players who can make an impact in the final third. Junior Jamie Davies had a breakout sophomore year with nine goals and two assists and will be expected to lead the line this fall. Senior midfielder Kahlan Gray, who is dealing with an injury, can add to the attack either in the center of the field or out on the wing and freshman Tatum O’Brien is a newcomer to the lineup that has a good soccer IQ and will provide playmaking from the center of the pitch. Sophomore Tatum Leahy will give the team a boost after a year on JV.
The Bombardiers are going to be experimenting with defensive groups early in the season. Senior Emily Dunlea is a versatile player who can impact play no matter where she slots in and could be used in the defense at the start. Senior Ella Stromfors is battling illness but will give the team good experience and aggressiveness in the back line and junior Bethany Alves had an impressive sophomore season at the back and can also step into midfield. Junior Presley Biller will also add depth in the defensive unit. Senior Alexis Campbell is back in goal and her composure and vocal leadership will be important to keep things organized while the team gets healthy.
“We’ve had a good preseason,” Santos said. “We have a lot of seniors who are a good group of friends who all look out for each other. We had a good season and now they expect more this year. We want to not just get into the tournament, but win a couple of games.”
2021 Record: 6-7-5 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Idris Senyonjo
Canton battled through injuries for much of last season, but the Bulldogs were able to rally and made a playoff push. Entering his third season as coach, Idris Senyonjo has a roster filled with players that understand his style of play and he believes that the Bulldogs will be ready to push on and challenge the top teams in the division.
Senior midfielder Emily McCabe had a breakout season in 2021, becoming the team’s leading scorer and playmaker, and her leadership will be a key to the team’s success this fall. Senior Han Hong and sophomore Paige Sullivan add more experience in the center of the pitch. Up front, sophomores Emma Cahill and Caira McKinney (who missed last season with an injury) will be the top forward options.
Defensively, the Bulldogs graduated several starters, but seniors Kristine Keefe and Sarah Dempster are back and will provide the foundation for the back line. Junior Ava Gilmore is a versatile player who can help out in the midfield or drop into the defense, giving the Bulldogs options in the lineup. Junior Mekhala Costello took a year off to shine on the golf course, but she is back on the pitch this fall and is another dynamic player who can line up in multiple spots.
“Yes we have had multiple players graduate over the past couple of years but this is the first time in my tenure that most of the players from last year will be returning and my hope is that it brings a sense of continuity going into this season,” said Senyonjo. “The best we can do now is prepare to the best of our ability and we will be taking it game by game.”
2021 Record: 16-2-4 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Final Four Coach: Jen Lippolis
Despite an injury to All-American Kailee McCabe, Foxboro made a historic run to the Div. 3 state semifinal last fall, and the Warriors will try to use that experience to put together another tournament run this season. In addition to the graduation of McCabe, who set a program record with 32 goals in 2021, the Warriors will also be making a change on the sideline with assistant Jen Lippolis taking over for Katie Stalcup.
Foxboro will be young this season but many of those players got valuable experience last fall. Seniors Lauren Miley and Jaclyn Vecchione will be back in the middle of the pitch this season, as junior Erin Foley will be moved further forward to try and bolster the attack. Sophomore Neve Taylor had a strong rookie campaign and will step into a bigger midfield role this year, while senior Grace Riley will give the Warriors a boost when she returns from a preseason injury.
The Warriors were known as an attack-minded team last season, but the defense was excellent, allowing only 20 goals in 22 games and recording three clean sheets in the tournament. Junior sweeper Lindsey Resnick will be back in the heart of the defense and sophomore Sophia Auclair is coming off an impressive freshman season. Sophomore Maddy Luck is another young defender who should be ready for a big step up in responsibility this season. Foxboro should be strong in goal with senior Maddie Maher joined by junior Allie Sougaris, fresh off her playoff heroics.
“We’re excited to be back on the soccer field,” Lippolis said. “We are a young team this year. With the leadership of our returning varsity players, we’re excited for a fun, competitive season.”
2021 Record: 14-2-2 (Kelley-Rex champion) 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 16 Coach: Tom Geysen
In 2021, under interim coach Jodi Klein, Franklin continued its success in the Kelley-Rex winning a second straight league title. Head coach Tom Geysen is back on the sidelines this fall and the Panthers have a lineup loaded with experience that looks ready to make a challenge for a three-peat.
Defense has long been a strength for the program and last year was no different. The Panthers allowed only 11 goals in 18 matches and bring back one of the league’s top center back pairings. Senior Norah Anderson is a four-year starter in defense and she will be partnered by junior Maddie Horton, who had a breakout sophomore campaign. Junior Rachel Welch will be back in goal behind them and has proven to be one of the league’s top shot-stoppers. Junior Lily Deforge is a versatile player who can also help out at the back.
The Franklin attack took a big step forward last year. Junior Anya Zub moved from the wing to center forward and the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year put together a 20-goal season. Sophomore Kelly O’Connor was a breakout star on the wing who could take over a game. There were a few graduations in the midfield, but seniors Bridget Leo and Avery Greco can control the game in the center of the pitch and create scoring chances for the forward group.
“They have worked incredibly hard all year and done all the things necessary for success,” Geysen said. “All that is left is putting it all together on the field.”
2021 Record: 12-7-1 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 16 Coach: Gary Pichel
Despite being very young in 2021, King Philip was in contention for the Kelley-Rex title until the final weeks of the regular season and took highly ranked Bishop Feehan to overtime in the Round of 16. With a more experienced roster this year, the Warriors will be looking to take the next step and get back on top of the division for the first time since 2019 and make a deep tournament run.
The Warriors were the third-highest scoring team in the league last year with 57 goals and offense should be a strength again with senior Ella Pisani back to run things in attack. The team’s leading scorer in 2021, Pisani had 19 goals and eight assists last fall and she will be the focal point on offense. KP has talent on the wings that can take advantage of any space defenses leave open. Junior Eilish McGowen and sophomores Danielle Lomuscio and Mikayla Thompson have the pace and skill to create scoring chances as well. The forward line is also boosted by the return of junior forward Heidi Lawrence and senior Danielle Gresham will shore up the midfield.
The defense has plenty of experience from last season. Senior Grace Lawler will be the leader of the back line and continues to be called upon to mark the opposition’s top attacker. Junior Rylie Wesley and sophomores Rihanna Mason and Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn give KP a lot of athleticism in the defensive third of the field. There will be experience in net as well with the return of senior Lauren Casper and junior Makenna Norrman, who both saw action in 2021.
“I am really looking forward to competing this season with all the great Hockomock teams,” said KP coach Gary Pichel. “We were very young last year. With a year under our belt, we should see improvements across the board in every facet of our game.”
2021 Record: 12-5-1 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 16 Coach: Kevin Smith
Mansfield was in the running for the Kelley-Rex title into the final weeks of the regular season and this year the Hornets will be hoping that their first fall in the Davenport will feature a similar title challenge. With a young roster that features four freshmen and four sophomores, the Hornets will be relying on the upperclassmen to keep the team heading in the right direction in what promises to be a very competitive division.
The Hornets are without their top three scorers from last season (Tarynn Smith, Katie Miller, and Gabby Smith) so there will be room for other players to step in and provide an attacking threat. Senior forward Olivia Homsi will lead the line and junior Carly Devine is a skilled forward who can play up top or just behind the strikers, while senior Abby Jean gives Mansfield speed on the wing. Senior Bridget Hanley is coming off a breakout season in a holding midfield role and could be asked to get forward a little more this season to help support the offense.
Defense was a significant strength for the Hornets last year, allowing only 17 goals in 18 games, including a shutout of Canton in the opening round of the playoffs. Junior Kara Santos is back for her third year in the heart of defense and, although she will have her third center back partner in three years, gives the Hornets a strong foundation. She is also the team’s top returning scorer with seven goals and is a threat on any set piece opportunity. Senior goalie Olivia Salisbury has become one of the league’s top shot-stoppers. They’ll provide vocal leadership for the younger players at the back.
“We have a very young team with many first-year varsity players,” said Mansfield coach Kevin Smith. “We will be leaning on our seniors and returning players to provide leadership as we grow as a team.”
Milford is coming off a three-win season in 2021, but the Hawks are hoping that an influx of young talent from a successful JV team will help them climb the league standings and make a playoff push. The Hawks have 10 seniors and have added seven freshmen who can contribute right away in their first varsity seasons.
The key for Milford this season will be the play of leading scorer Dani Atherton. The four-year starter has been the focal point of Milford’s attack since she jumped on the team and this year head coach Lou Colabello is counting on a move to outside midfield to give her more chances to get on the ball and run at defenders. Freshman Ava Baglione will step in up top and there is hope she can add firepower to the Hawks’ attack. Sophomore Paige Caldon had a good season in attack as a freshman and this year will drop back to help out in the center of the pitch.
Senior Serena Borges will be moved further up in midfield so that she can produce more in the attack, but classmate Brooke Ferreira will be pushed from midfield to the back line to cover for preseason injuries. Ferreira will be joined by senior Evalysse Pierce, who is coming back from an injury that kept her out of last season. Freshman Kayleigh Tourtellot is another rookie who should be ready for the physical test of the Hockomock League, while classmate Chloe Murdock will step between the pipes after a strong season as an eighth grader on JV.
“It’s a fun team,” Colabello said about the mix of veterans and talented newcomers. “There is a lot of talent there. We’re deeper than we were last year. We’ll hold our own. We’re hoping to get out of the blocks well and build some confidence.”
2021 Record: 8-10-2 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Geoff Burgess
North Attleboro is making the move back to the Kelley-Rex division this fall and the Rocketeers will be turning to a familiar face on the sidelines, as Geoff Burgess moves back to the girls’ program after coaching the boys for the past few seasons. After graduating 12 players, North will have a lot of new faces implementing a new style this season.
Up top, North will be counting on senior Emma Pratt. After scoring nine goals last year, Pratt is the team’s top returning scorer and will be counted on to give the Rocketeers the firepower to compete with the league’s best. Senior Caroline Ferrin will be one of the key playmakers in the center of the pitch and will help Burgess bring in a more possession-based approach.
The North boys have been known as a strong defensive team and Burgess will hope that solidity carries over to his work with the girls as well. Senior Haley Sinacola will be the team’s leader at the back. Sinacola was the team’s MVP last season and gives North a strong foundation in the defensive third, as well as a constant threat on set pieces. Senior Maddie Ferrin is back in goal for the Rocketeers and adds experience to the back line.
“Lots of changes to the team, the philosophy and the style of play,” said Burgess. “We are still learning about ourselves and who we can be this season. We are going to try and possess the ball and build attacks rather than kick and chase.”
2021 Record: 14-2-2 (Davenport champion) 2021 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 16 Coach: Britt Sellmayer
Even after graduating 10 players from last season, Oliver Ames looks prepared to defend its Davenport division title. Many of the younger players got experience on the pitch in 2021 and could be poised for big years as they step into larger roles.
OA was second in the league with 68 goals last year and the attack will continue to utilize the speedy wings that have become a signature of the Tigers’ style. Junior Lucinda Li Cotter and senior Jenna Gilman will continue to provide width and service into the box. Senior Carly Gibson will move into the forward line to give additional creativity in the final third.
The midfield will continue to be strong, physical, and direct. Senior Mary Cross will move forward from defense and give leadership in the middle of the field. Sophomore Emma Gavin impressed during her rookie season and gives another weapon in the midfield. Seniors Sophia Byron and Molly Capace will be leaders in a back line that allowed only 11 goals in 18 games last year. Sophomore Taylor deVos is a versatile player who can line up on the wing or at outside back. Sophomore Janiya Matier will be the team’s new keeper this season.
“Even graduating seven senior starters (10 total) we feel we have a competitive team returning this year,” said OA coach Britt Sellmayer. “The key will be returning taking on larger roles and new players having an impact for a successful season.”
2021 Record: 3-14-1 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Catherine Sullivan
Sharon went through a tough 2021 season, with only three wins, but the Eagles are another team returning the bulk of its roster, and the experience that they have from back to front promises the potential for more positive results in 2022.
The key for Sharon will be senior Sofia Goclowski. The team’s top playmaker, Goclowski is a back-to-box midfielder who will contribute on both ends of the field and, as she continues to develop her finishing, could be ready to lead the Sharon attack. The Eagles will also lean on a pair of underclassmen in the forward line. Sophomore Autumn Simon, who also played in goal last season, makes good runs behind the back line and is one of the team’s top returning scorers. Freshman Jessica Li is an exciting newcomer that will add speed and athleticism on the wing.
Defense will be bolstered by the return of senior Sally Brouhard. After missing all of last season with an injury, Brouhard provides reliability in the back line and is a leader that will keep things organized. Senior Carly Pinnix is another technically proficient midfielder that gives Sharon composure in the midfield and can jump into the attack when she gets the chance.
“With so many returning varsity players, we have strength across every line this season and we have the potential to be very good,” said Sharon coach Catherine Sullivan. “We will need to stay focused and committed to continuous improvement if we are going to be competitive in the challenging Hockomock, but I am excited to see what this talented group can do together.”
2021 Record: 3-15-0 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Jon Grant
Stoughton had three wins in 2021, but the Black Knights also displayed potential for a brighter future with a host of underclassmen that looked ready to start competing with the top teams. Former boys coach Jon Grant has taken over the girls’ program this season and he will be focusing on the defensive side of the ball, hoping to shore things up at the back to help secure more positive results.
The Black Knights should be dynamic in the final third this season. Senior Shayla Ford is back for her fourth varsity season and her speed and ability to find space make her a constant threat to the opposition defense. Sophomores Makenzie O’Connor and Bianca Casna both had strong freshman seasons and can cause problems with the ball at their feet. Sophomores Morgan Cook and Emma Tran showed good chemistry in the midfield last year and will help provide the killer pass to the forwards.
After allowing 86 goals last year, defense will be a priority for the Black Knights this year and there were several players who will be leaning on the valuable experience they got in 2021. Senior Sabrina Rodrigues will add a veteran presence, while junior Ally Lada and sophomore Lauren Mitchell will anchor the middle of the back line. Junior Katrina Varnum is a vocal leader in goal.
“This season we are focusing on team and individual defending,” said Grant. “I’m excited to watch this group grow throughout the season and compete in such an extremely competitive league. Everything I’ve thrown at them so far has been received positively. This group is very coachable and has such a passion to learn and get better.”
2021 Record: 2-15-1 2021 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Danny Borges
Taunton is coming off a difficult 2021 season, after just two wins, but there is optimism in the squad with many younger players gaining valuable experience last season. The Tigers will have a new face on the sideline this fall, with Dan Borges taking over. Although new to the Hockomock, Borges spent 34 years as the coach of the boy’s team at Coyle-Cassidy and he is excited about the progress the team has made in picking up his system in the preseason.
Goals were hard to come by at times last season, as Taunton scored only 14 overall and just eight in league play. Senior midfielder Emily Calderon returns to be the team’s primary playmaker and will be counted on to get the Tigers moving upfield into the attack. Junior forwards Jenna Pereira and Ava Alves will be the main targets up top, as Taunton is looking to add more firepower at that end of the field.
On the other side, the Tigers have a question mark in goal with several younger players looking to replace Izzy Anslow, who was impressive between the sticks for the past couple of seasons. Senior Christina Da Costa and junior Cali Melo will give Taunton athleticism and leadership in the back line to try and shore things up and limit the opposition.
“Our team spirit is high, the girls have been working very hard and adjusting to a new game model,” Borges said. “I believe we have a good mix of experience and youth, and we hope to be more competitive in the traditionally strong Hockomock League.”
Freshman Kelly O’Connor chases down a ball in the Franklin attack. The Panthers fell 2-0 to Brookline in the Round of 16. (HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – The team felt like mirror images of each other. From the formations to the strength of the lineups, the style of play, it was like the Spiderman meme come to life on a soccer pitch. In a game that is so evenly matched, sometimes it takes a moment of brilliance to decide the outcome.
On Tuesday night at Pisini Stadium, it was Brookline that had that moment. A 59th minute strike by Eleanor Bergstein proved to be the difference, with the Warriors adding another in the final minute, to secure a 2-0 win over No. 4 seed Franklin and reach the Div. 1 quarterfinal.
“They’re a good team, we’re a good team, we play very similar games, it just wasn’t our night,” said Franklin coach Jodi Klein. “It was very, very even, but that’s what every game is going to be like when you get to this level. They had two chances and they capitalized on them. If we had capitalized on the ones we had, we’d be in a different spot.”
The game featured few chances for either team, but it was the Panthers who had the better looks in the first half.
Only three minutes in, Franklin put together a flowing move down the left with freshman winger Kelly O’Connor playing a nice give-and-go with Stella Regan, cutting it back to the midfielder just inside the box. It looked like Regan was going to line up a shot, but instead she angled a pass into the six-yard box looking for the late run of forward Anya Zub. It took a heads up clearance to prevent the opening goal.
Brookline was looking to hit quickly in transition, but the Panthers were doing an excellent job of cutting out most attacks. Central defender Norah Anderson led the way for Franklin’s defense, alongside sophomore Maddie Horton. Left back Lily Deforge also had a strong game deputizing for the injured Izzy Arnold.
“Norah is unbelievable,” Klein said. “Maddie had a great night. Our center midfielders were on point. They did an unbelievable job defending. They have a lot of skill in the midfield, we just couldn’t generate up top.”
The Warriors were able to create only one clear chance in the opening 40 minutes. Amara Ukomadu ran down the right channel and from a tight angle decided to go for goal. Rachel Welch had to get over quickly to prevent the shot from sneaking into the top corner.
Six minutes later, Franklin had another nice move down the left side. O’Connor continued her impressive rookie campaign, tricking her way past the defender to get to the end line. Her cross eluded both Zub and Riley Fitzpatrick, who had made the run in from the wing to the back post.
Franklin’s best chance may have come in the 26th minute. Anderson lined up a 25-yard free kick and curled it towards the top corner. Her first try was saved but the official ordered the kick retaken, as he hadn’t blown his whistle. Anderson tried again to the same spot and the Brookline keeper was there again.
“We had multiple good chances to score, way more actual chances than they had and we just couldn’t get on the end of it,” Klein explained. “We didn’t test that goalkeeper at all. She’s tall and she’s good up high, but we didn’t test her once.”
It was a similar pattern in the second half. The game was fast-paced, competitive, and both teams were battling through the midfield, but there were few clear scoring opportunities on either end of the field. Just two minutes in, Zub pressured the keeper on a ball over the top and Fitzpatrick had a half-chance on a loose ball but sent it wide.
The game turned midway through the half. First, Madeline Moor burst out of defense and raced down the left wing to send in a cross to Gianna Pentland, who maybe could have done better with a free header in the box. A minute later, Bergstein scored the winner. She broke free in the right channel, but when she turned back in field it looked like the Franklin defense was in good position. Then she rifled a shot from the edge of the box, off the crossbar, and in.
Brookline grabbing the lead energized the away bench and Pentland had a chance to put the game away after a mishit clearance fell to her 20 yards from goal, but she shot wide. The game started to get more stretched, as Franklin started to push more numbers forward into the attack.
With just a couple minutes remaining, Franklin finally managed to get past the initial line of defense, as Regan played a nice ball behind the right back for O’Connor to run onto. It was the same combination of players that linked up for the overtime winner in round one. This time, O’Connor played a cross into the middle, but too close to the keeper, who was out to collect.
In the final minute, with Franklin (14-2-2) pushing everyone high up the pitch desperate for an equalizer, Brookline sealed the win. Vilena Tchernychev played a ball in behind the back four and Ukomadu ran onto it, before firing a cool finish past Welch.
“We have a lot of talent coming back next year,” said Klein, who was the interim coach this season while Tom Geysen was out. “There’s a lot of players in JV who are chomping at the bit to come up next year and I’ve got a couple of stud freshmen coming up too. We have a very bright future. Franklin is a big, big soccer town, and I hope I’m the one here to do it.”
Girls Soccer
Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin and Foxboro each scored in the final 10 minutes of the game to walk away with a point apiece. Foxboro created a number of scoring chances, especially in the first half, but Franklin keeper Rachel Welch had a big game to help keep the Panthers close in what was a hard-fought game from both sides. After both teams struck the woodwork in the second half, Erin Foley got the opener. A Jordan Carman free kick deflected off Kailee McCabe in front of goal and fell to the sophomore midfielder to knock it in. With three minutes remaining, Stella Regan got the equalizer, finishing off an assist from Lily Deforge to secure the draw. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said, “It was a well fought game on both ends. I am proud of how hard my team fought the entire game.” Franklin coach Jodi Klein added, “Fantastic, competitive game from two very evenly matched teams. Both teams left everything on the field today.”
Cross-Country
Milford @ Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:45.
Sharon @ Foxbor0 – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:45.
Taunton @ Franklin – Postponed to Thursday, 9/30 at 3:45.
King Philip @ Mansfield – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:45.
Golf
Mansfield @ Taunton – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/29 at 3:00.
Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/14 at 3:30.
Milford @ King Philip – Postponed to TBD.
Oliver Ames @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Milford scored 10 minutes into the second half and that was enough to earn two points on the road against Attleboro. Arthur Tome netted the long goal of the game, finishing off a pass from David Desa to put the Hawks ahead. Lucas Fernandes earned his first career shutout in net in his first start, forced into action due to injury.
Canton, 8 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Canton junior Jake McCabe scored twice and had two assists as the Bulldogs snapped a short two-game skid in emphatic fashion. Jacob Crugnale added a pair of goals and an assist in the win while Charlie McKinney, Caden Mirliani, Zack Dowling, and Drew Garrett each scored once.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro scored just minutes into the first half and Derek Axon notched the shutout in net for the Warriors. A blocked shot fell to the feet of sophomore John Hollis, who took a touch and ripped a blast on the bounce from 25-yards out that went just under the bar to put the Warriors on the board.
Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton junior Riley Rebello set up the game-winning goal in the first half and scored the insurance tally in the second as the Tigers improved to 4-0 on the season, matching their best start since joining the Hockomock League. Rebello set up freshman Ian Robicheau to put the Tigers ahead in the 33rd minute. Rebello put the game away with a nice shot from outside the area in the 63rd minute.
Mansfield, 1 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Mansfield defender Ian Leeds made the play of the game, coming up with a clearance to preserve the win for the Hornets. The Warriors nearly got on the board but Leeds was there to keep it out and help the Hornets get their fourth shutout of the season. Liam Anastasia took a pass from Danny Rowe and went in alone on goal and finished for the lone goal of the game.
Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – After being shutout by Franklin last week in their first loss of the season, Oliver Ames bounced back in big way with a 6-1 win over visiting Sharon. The Eagles cut the deficit in half early in the second half to make it 2-1 but Clide Neau scored three straight for a hat trick as the Tigers pulled away. Mathias Taylor and Michael Haikal scored goals in the first half as OA staked a 2-0 lead at the break. Senior John Dobbin tacked on a sixth goal for OA off an assist from Christian Haikal.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Kacey Parker scored a pair of goals to help Attleboro pick up a second straight win in what head coach Steve Santos called a “solid team performance.” Jamie Davies opened the scoring in the first half, finishing an assist from Bethany Alves. Parker got her first of the day, from an Emily Dunlea assist, to make it 2-0 heading into halftime. The Bombardiers added three goals after the break to pull away. Zoe Johnson-Kiff scored off an Allison Rebelo assist, Parker doubled her tally this time from an Emily Khang helper, and then Kahlan Gray wrapped up the scoring from an Aly Santoro assist.
Foxboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – The Warriors made it four straight wins with a win at North. Brooke Berreira had the eventual game-winner with three minutes left in the first half, scoring off a pass from Erin Foley. Grace Riley added a second in the closing minute, finishing a Kailee McCabe corner to seal the win. Summer Doherty had a strong game in the North defense trying to mark McCabe and keep the league’s leading scorer quiet. Haley Sinacola also had a good game in a reworked North defense. Brayden Rice, Lily Adams, Brooke Sullivan, and Casey Butanowicz played well in the North midfield.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – After being held scoreless in the first half, Franklin exploded for seven goals after the break. Anya Zub scored four times, including one from the penalty spot, Stella Regan added a brace, and Selene Hammad scored once for the Panthers, who remain just one point back of KP in the division standings. Izzy Arnold, Lily Deforge, Anna Grasso, Avery Greco, and Tori Carmignani each had an assist for the Panthers.
Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Canton couldn’t find a breakthrough in the first half, heading into the break scoreless, but the Bulldogs scored seven times in the final 40 minutes, including a hat trick for Gabriella Herivaux, to pick up their first win of the season. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima was thrilled with his young team’s fight in the first half on both ends of the field. Lauren Mitchell and Emma Tran had string games in the heart of the Stoughton defense and Mia Rivera was excellent in goal. Sofia Issa played well in midfield, with Shayla Ford creating a few scoring chances along with Sivannah Marcy.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – OA scored twice in the final five minutes to finally break the game open and secure the two points. Senior Lauren Sellmayer headed in a pair of corner kicks from Katie Gibson while Camryn O’Connor found the back of the net once. Halle Kander and Allison Evin had strong games for OA while Emily Meyers notched her first shutout of the season. Autumn Simon had a big game in the Sharon goal to keep the Tigers at bay for most of the afternoon. Amber Marcus-Blank, Jordanna Morris, and Samantha Connors also played well for the Eagles.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – Sarah McMahon scored the lone goal for the Bombardiers in a loss against visiting Bishop Feehan. Livie Hillman and Jordan Croteau had the assists to set up the goal.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Canton’s Taylor Reynolds set the offense in motion as the Bulldogs landed a knockout of the visiting Boxers with a 3-0 sweep. Reynolds had 25 assists to go along with a pair of aces, Liz Beal added four kills in her first start, Amaiah Christian also added four kills, and both Katie Dever and Ella Lewis provided a spark off the bench.
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Reese Blass had a strong all-around game to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-18, 25-13) over visiting Bridgewater-Raynham. Blass had a total of 15 service points to go alone with five kills and a pair or blocks in the win. Hadley Rhodes added 15 assists and seven kills, Shannon Willard added 10 assists, and sophomore Claire O’Rourke chipped in with seven kills.
Golf
Sharon, 162 @ North Attleboro, 149 – Final – Jake Gaskin fired a two-under par round and North Attleboro carded its lowest score of the season to knock off visiting Sharon. Gaskin, who birdied three, four, and five, came into the clubhouse with a round of 33 on the south course at Heather Hill. Dylan Harding added a round of 37, Tyson Laviano finished with a 38, and Rohan Kohli chipped in with a 41. Sharon’s Nathan Daley was the match medalist with an three-under round of 32, after sinking birdies on two, three, and four.
Mansfield, 160 @ King Philip,160 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex division, King Philip emerged with a close win over Mansfield. King Philip’s Mike Matheson shared medalist honors with Mansfield’s Cian Goulet, each coming in with a round of 36. Pat Reardon shot a 39 for the Warriors while both Jared Curran and Ethan Sullivan shot a 40. Hunter Tang added a 39 for the Hornets.
Franklin, 164 @ Milford, 173 – Final – CJ Steel continued his strong start to the season, earning match medalist honors with a low-round of 38 to lead the Panthers on the road at Hopedale Country Club. Ben Paterson added a round of 41 for Franklin. Anthony LaPierre carded a 40 for the hosts while Jacob Hipolito added a 42 for the Hawks.
Stoughton, 182 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Senior Carter Allbritton shot a match medalist round of 35 to lead Oliver Ames to a win at Pine Oaks over visiting Stoughton. Sophomore David Rodgers carded a 38 in the win, senior Jake Kaplan added a 39, and senior Brendan Connelly chipped in with. 40 for OA.
