Tag: Luke Churchill

2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars

Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames

Hockomock League All Stars

Alex Vecchioli, Attleboro
Lucas Marques, Attleboro
Toby Smith, Attleboro
Jake McCabe, Canton
Carson Eagles, Canton
Ryan Cotter, Foxboro
Rex Cinelli, Franklin
Trey Lovell, Franklin
Will Kryzak, Franklin
Noah Cain, Franklin
Matt Crago, King Philip
Derek McGrath, Mansfield
Grady Sullivan, Mansfield
Nick Ribeiro, Milford
Eduardo Santana, Milford
Kaua Pereira, Milford
Zach Smahi, North Attleboro
Carson Dameron, North Attleboro
Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames
Hector Bucio, Oliver Ames
Luke Churchill, Oliver Ames
Andrew Martins, Oliver Ames
Rhys Davis, Sharon
Adam Eastman, Sharon
Matheus Groberio, Stoughton
Javonte Fernandes, Taunton

Honorable Mentions
Esvin Morales, Attleboro
Ashton Cetoute, Canton
Marco Pacini, Foxboro
Will Klawson, Franklin
Dermott Amorim, King Philip
Aiden Steele, Mansfield
Arthur Tome, Milford
Givani Carney, North Attleboro
Ryan Linhares, Oliver Ames
Matt Baur, Sharon
Kyle Grant, Stoughton
Riley Rebello, Taunton

Below are the official 2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. Below are the official Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars and honorable mentions, selected by the coaches in the league. 2022 Hockomock League Boys Soccer All Stars

Oliver Ames Wins D2 State Championship In Stunning Fashion

Oliver Ames boys soccer
Oliver Ames boys soccer poses for a team picture after capturing the Division 2 state championship. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 WALPOLE, Mass. — It was a scenario that Oliver Ames hadn’t been in this season, and one they didn’t want to be in either.

But yet, the Tigers were still prepared, and even more important, not panicked.

Trailing 2-1 with just minutes left in the game, Oliver Ames scored a pair of goals to earn a stunning 3-2 victory and clinched the Division 2 state championship.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Head coach John Barata called a timeout with about five minutes to play and OA’s chances of a state title dwindling. Barata made the decision to move senior center back Hector Bucio into an attacking role. The change paid off almost immediately as Bucio got on the end of a service from sophomore Craig Churchill and headed it off a defender and into the back of the net for a 77th minute equalizer.

“We’ve trained it all year, if we ever go down we’re going to put Hector up,” Barata said. “And then we wanted to keep pressing, pressing, pressing. Because once the momentum shifts, they’ll be nervous. We found a great ball over the top, Casey flips it over the goalie, and the rest is history.”

With just seconds to play, it looked like Bucio’s goal was enough to send the Tigers and the Hillers into overtime. But OA kept its foot on the gas and pushed forward again.

This time it was senior center back Jake Williams on the service as he lifted a ball over the defense and into a pocket of space occupied by sophomore Casey Milliken. Milliken used a class touch to lift it over the keeper and just under the bar to make it 3-2 in the 79th minute.

“There were so many emotions,” Milliken said. “I was scared, happy, thrilled, disappointed, confused…every word you could imagine. We really just fought through it and I think we deserve it. I can’t process it all right now, but I’m just proud of the boys because we deserve it.”

A scoreless half tilted in OA’s favor in terms of possession and chances as Hopkinton only threatened with a couple of long throw-ins. So it was a little bit of a shock when the Tigers — who had only allowed two goals in its first four playoff games, and only 12 goals through its first 22 contests — surrendered the first goal.

Just under two minutes into the second half, Sean Golembiewski was able to sneak into space behind the defense, and latched onto a ball over the top, taking a touch before depositing a low shot in for a 1-0 lead.

Oliver Ames battled back into the contest, finally getting on the board in the 62nd minute. After a handful of good chances throughout the first hour of play, the Tigers pulled level. It started with another strong defensive challenge from sophomore Luke Churchill, and transitioned into offense.

Junior Ryan Linhares took possession and played a ball wide for Joey Carney, who was able to shield off a defender and carry to the end line before firing in a low cross. Milliken found space in the defense and one-timed a shot into the back of the net to make it 1-1.

It looked like the Tigers were on track to take the lead when Hopkinton created one of their few attacking chances. This time, Golembiewski kept the ball in along the end line and his low service was smashed home in front by Peter DeMichele, giving keeper Drew HAll no chance at a save.

“There’s always that little bit of doubt because I thought we should have scored many chances before then,” Barata said. “We were worried on the sidelines, is this not our luck? In the tournament, you need a lot of things to go your way. But the guys weren’t really worried, even with four minutes left.

“For this group with the sophomores and juniors, and our two seniors that start, to be mature enough to come back was amazing. In the last five minutes, we just said give it your all. We worked so hard all season to get to this point. They wanted this. We couldn’t give it away, try to the end so you know you gave it your all.”

OA’s chances started early, just five minutes in Carney laced a volley that looked good but was blocked by a defender. Sophomore Andrew Martins had a good look in the eighth minute on a feed from classmate Jackson Mercieri but his low shot at the near post was saved.

Linhares found Carney in the 24th minute, and after cutting back across the middle, Carney’s blast forced a diving stop. four minutes later, Milliken set up Churchill for a blast that skipped just wide.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

And just before halftime, outside back Diego Rivera sent a big switch to Mercieri, who found Carney on a through ball. His low shot clanked off the post and stayed out to send the teams into the break level.

“All of the seniors, both on and off the field, they all led us this year and we can’t thank them enough,” Milliken said. “This was the least we could do for them, they all deserve it.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer finishes the season at 20-1-2 and with its second Division 2 crown since 2015.

Oliver Ames Blanks Plymouth North To Reach State Final

Oliver Ames boys soccer Luke Churchill
Oliver Ames sophomore Luke Churchill (6) celebrates his goal in the 19th minute, which proved to be the game winner. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 MARSHFIELD, Mass. — Oliver Ames sophomore Luke Churchill almost always has a pass-first mentality.

But with Plymouth North defenders refusing to leave their marks, Churchill had nothing but space to work with.

His run started in his own half after working with twin brother Craig to dispossess an attacking member of the Eagles. And it ended with a left-footed shot from just inside the area that eluded the keeper in the 19th minute for what turned out to be the game-winning goal.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Churchill’s strike, along with an insurance tally from Andrew Martins late in the second half and another strong defensive effort from OA’s back line led the top-seeded Tigers to a 2-0 decision over #12 Plymouth North and earned a spot in the Division 2 state championship on Saturday against Hopkinton.

“I was originally trying to pass to Jason [Zalis] out wide but his guy slid and I saw a bunch of space behind,” Luke Churchill said. “I decided to go for it, it was a lucky goal but I’ll take it. My first thought is usually to find someone, I’m not the best shooter so I feel like if I can find them, they can take a better shot.

“This has been a fun ride through the playoffs hopefully we can get the ‘chip.’”

Oliver Ames typically strings together multiple passes as they build up in the attack but a physical Plymouth North defense stunted the Tigers’ offense. Although they were whistled for fouls, the Eagles prevented the Tigers from finding a fluid offensive rhythm.

Reduced to mostly set pieces in the attack, OA couldn’t quite connect. Chances from distances saw services go without an answer on the other end while shots from free kicks couldn’t find the frame to test the keeper.

Just before the midway point of the first half, Luke and Craig Churchill combined on a tackle to take over possession. Luke carried into the attacking half, getting past a sliding attempt from a defender. With space in the middle, Churchill carried into the heart of the pitch, and just a step into the area, he unleashed a left-footed shot into the back of the net.

It marked Churchill’s second goal of the season, and first since a brilliant first half strike against Stoughton in the first week of play in early September, another left-footed goal for the right-footed player.

“They were so worried about the other attackers so he had the space to go in, if they give you that space, we want him to go,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “They were worried about the other guys and stuck with them which gave him space. And he’s only a sophomore, first year with us so he’s done phenomenal for us.”

While OA carried the play, the Eagles’ main source of offense came with long balls over the top. Senior captains Jake Williams and Hector Bucio continued to anchor the back line and were quick to handle anything in the air. Outside backs Diego Rivera and Jackson Mercieri also played well in thwarting any chances going forward from Plymouth North.

The Tigers continued to use restarts to try and ignite the offense, and nearly double their advantage five minutes after Churchill’s opener. Sophomore Casey Milliken drew a foul — about one of the dozen he was able to draw — and had a free kick from a step outside the area, but his right-footed blast dipped a little late and went just over the bar.

“Today wasn’t the most crisp for us, it wasn’t our best game but we’ll take it,” Barata said. “Their disruption of play, they were stopping us from getting into a rhythm, that was their strategy. We were able to adjust and I’m proud of the guys for that. Hey, it’s the playoffs and you have to find a way to win — that’s it.

It was more of the same in the second half and OA came close in the opening moments to getting their second. A free kick from junior Ryan Linhares from the left flank bounced in the area before Bucio latched on but his blast was knocked down by the Plymouth North keeper.

A minute later, another service from Linhares was flicked on Milliken, but it skipped just wide at the far post.

“We knew that’s how they’d play, we expected them to slow everything down with fouls,” Barata said. “We were prepared for it, so we knew we’d have to be creative on our opportunities to score. Kudos to coach John [Tocci], they were prepared. To be fair, we weren’t threatened much, just the corner kicks and one shot on goal, however, it’s the danger of the one-goal game and how that changes the dynamics.

“They had a great game plan, and they were prepared but at this point, we were also prepared so we were able to survive.”

The Eagles had their best push into the attack in the 67th minute, drawing a foul just outside the box. Ben Young’s blast was knocked down by the wall, and his rebound bid was also blocked by a defender. Two minutes later, Malachi Val used a nice flick to get the ball in behind but sophomore goalie Drew Hall was alert off his line and handled it before Young could get there.

Oliver Ames finally grabbed a second with less than 10 minutes to go. Linhares was able to poke a ball free and Martins was able to get a quick touch forward past the defender, who lounged at it and clipped the sophomore just outside the box. Martins took it himself and ripped a blast over the wall and under the bar to make it 2-0 in the 72nd minute.

It marked Martins’ fourth goal in the last three playoff games.

“Andrew’s really been a go-to guy,” Barata said. “There was a lot of talk in the season about being a one-man show but we have a plethora of players that can play and we can move the ball around. They were working hard on their strategy, that’s a good team so we’re happy to get this one.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Oliver Ames now turns its attention to Saturday for their fourth Division 2 final since 2014. The Tigers also made it in 2014 and 2017 and won in 2015. Hopkinton, who is the #2 seed, has had a dramatic run to the finals. They picked up overtime wins over Fitchburg and Sharon, won in penalties over Wayland, and knocked off Bedford, 4-3, in the state semis.

“It’s a nice feeling to dictate our play, our season ends on Saturday no matter what, I’ve been blessed to get to this point four times in my 14 seasons,” Barara said. “We’re going to enjoy this moment and this opportunity and then prepare for a very, very good Hopkinton team.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer (19-1-2) will play in the second game of a doubleheader at Walpole High School with the OA girls team, who are playing Silver Lake in the Division 2 championship game at 3:15. The boys are scheduled to start against Hopkinton at 5:30.

Oliver Ames Outlasts Longmeadow For Spot In Semis

Oliver Ames boys soccerByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 
 NORTH EASTON, Mass. — Throughout a dominant regular season, the Oliver Ames boys soccer team didn’t have to play from behind very often.

So it was a bit of an unfamiliar scenario when visiting Longmeadow took the lead less than five minutes into the Division 2 state quarterfinal matchup at Muscato Stadium on Sunday night.

But there was no panic in the young Tigers, who equalized less than five minutes late, took the lead before halftime, added a key insurance goal early in the second half, and then held off a last-ditch push from the Lancers for a 3-2 win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The win moves top-seeded Oliver Ames into the D2 state semifinals against #12 Plymouth North.

“We were prepared, we don’t talk about it a lot but we talked about if we go down early to just bounce back and keep playing,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “The bounce back was superb. We could have had one or two more in the first half and the game would have been over but this is the playoffs, and nothing is going to be easy.

“I think playing the games against Concord-Carlisle and Needham, we went down and had to come back in those. It’s hard to judge the value of those games but I feel those games helped us in this situation against a dynamite team. I give [Longmeadow] credit, they were a fantastic team.”

Barata and the Tigers were wary of the Lancers’ long throws and for good reason. Longmeadow cashed in in the fourth minute of action, using a long throw into the area. It was initially headed down, and the follow-up bid was blocked but it went to the foot of Ronald Lin and his low shot found its way through traffic and in to make it 1-0 early.

Even though the Tigers only start two seniors, and had just one more come off the bench, the hosts stayed composed and came right back at the Lancers.

Three minutes later, a service from outside back junior Diego Rivera was partially cleared by Longmeadow but only as far as junior Ryan Linhares, who quickly put a shot/cross back into the area. The ball deflected off a defender at the back post and right to sophomore Andrew Martins. Martins latched onto the bounce with the outside of his right foot and his low shot found the back of the net to make it 1-1.

“We reacted really well after they scored, we just kept pushing,” Martins said. We knew [the long throw] was coming but we just had to bounce back…the underclassmen, we’ve all been playing together for a long time so we have a lot of chemistry.”

OA had a good chance at taking the lead in the 28th minute when Mirray Dasilva earned a penalty kick after being taken down by a defender. A long ball from Luke Churchill was tapped on by Linhares, and Dasilva used his speed to get to the ball first, getting a touch before the goalie’s slide.

A yellow forced the keeper to the sideline but OA’s penalty kick bid was denied by Joseph Tranghese as the Lancers seized the momentum.

But it didn’t last long. The Tigers kept the pressure on and took their first lead three minutes later. A header from center back Hector Bucio found Linhares, who carried up the left flank. He left it for sophomore Casey Milliken and he dropped a perfectly weighted ball over the top of the defense. Martin sprinted onto it and hit a shot on the slide that clanked off the crossbar. He quickly got back to his feet and headed in the rebound into the open net to make it 2-1 in the 31st minute.

“He’s been great for us all year but everyone focuses on Casey, and Casey is great but Andrew was our second-leading scorer and one of the top scorers in the league,” Barata said. “Casey’s movement opens a lot of opportunity for others but Martins is a baller, a great finisher.”

Oliver Ames had a bright start to the second half to extend their lead. Rivera looped a ball forward down the right flank that was tracked down by junior Joey Carney. Carney used a nice touch to cut past the defender and set himself up on his left, and his low blast skipped past the keeper and just inside the far post for a 3-1 lead in the 44th minute.

Sophomore Drew Hall made a key save just minutes later. Longmeadow had a dangerous free kick just outside the box from Frederic Koran but it was knocked down by Craig Churchill in the wall. The rebound fell to Lin but his bouncing shot was parried away by a diving stop by Hall.

The Lancers didn’t have too many ventures into the attacking third but cashed in on one of their few corner kick chances. Christopher Koran curled in a corner that Braden Costas rose up and nodded in to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Hall came up with a big save in the 74th minute on a shot from Chris Koran, and then OA survived a long throw in chance in the 77th minute after a big clearance from Rivera.

In the final seconds, Christopher Koran flicked in a ball behind the defense with Frederic Koran racing onto it but Hall came off his line and scooped it up and OA held on for the win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“It took a lot [defensively],” Barata said. “The challenge of getting the wind in the second half was a disaster in this game against a team of that quality to send the ball like they can. What a save by Drew at the end, coming out to hold his ground.

“This is a young group so this is great to get to this point in the tournament.”

Oliver Ames (18-1-2) will square off with #12 Plymouth North (15-3-3) on Wednesday at 6:00 at Marshfield High School.

Oliver Ames Rolls Past Walpole To Reach Quarterfinals

Oliver Ames boys soccer Braeden Blass
Oliver Ames junior Braeden Blass takes a shot in the second half against Walpole. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 NORTH EASTON, Mass. — No MVP, no problem.

With sophomore sensation and league MVP Casey Milliken restricted to just a handful of first half minutes, the Oliver Ames boys soccer team didn’t miss a beat in a dominant win over Walpole.

Junior Joey Carney scored a pair of goals while sophomore Andrew Martins and senior Mirray Dasilva each found the back of the net once as the top-seeded Tigers advanced to the state quarterfinals with a win over the 17th-seeded Timberwolves, the sixth postseason meeting between the two sides since 2012.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I think the guys were eager to show we aren’t a one-man team,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “The good thing is, they appreciate all of [Casey’s] accolades and they all look at it like a team achievement. We had other guys step up and do things well. We’ve created a family culture and I think that was really prominent today.”

Milliken set a single-season program record with 23 goals and 21 assists to earn All-American honors but missed the final half hour of OA’s playoff opener after suffering an injury.

It didn’t take very long for the Davenport division champions to answer the question of how they’d perform down a starter.

Carney found the back of the net in the 10th minute and Martins doubled the hosts’ advantage with a super strike just two minutes later. Dasilva tacked on a key insurance tally just past the midway point of the second half and Carney capped the scoring with 10 minutes to go.

Meanwhile, the Tigers’ back line of Diego Rivera, Jake Williams, Hector Bucio, and Jackson Mercieri, plus center midfielders Luke Churchill and Craig Churchill, made it an easy night for sophomore goalie Drew Hall, who had to deal with one corner and mostly came off his line to keep possession for the Tigers. He did not record a save, the lone shot from the Timberwolves coming in the final minutes with OA’s second unit in.

“That was a great effort overall,” Barata said. “The team defense was outstanding and that’s what we have to continue to do because the challenge in the playoffs is being able to defend. I thought the guys really came out to play today. We moved the ball, we created chances, and we conceded zero shots until the last couple of minutes with the second unit in.

“Playing Walpole is always tough. Lee [Delaney] has them well-prepared and disciplined, they are hungry, and they just want to go through you. We knew that’d be their game so we had to try and counter that.”

Junior Ryan Linhares whipped in a corner that was cleared but only as far as Rivera, who put in a low service that was one-timed in front by Bucio. The keeper made a quick reaction save but the rebound fell to Carney and he looped a volley into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.

OA quickly doubled its lead just two minutes later. Martins put in a low service on a free kick from 35 yards out but it was quickly cleared by the Walpole defense. The ball came right back to Martins, who settled and took a touch with his right foot to set up a blast from 30 yards out that hit the crossbar and went in to make it 2-0.

“That was a collegiate-level goal,” Barata said. “He’s a Hockomock League All Star for a reason, he can play. He took that on a dime and buried it. We’ll take those, we didn’t get those against Reading. And hopefully, we have a couple more because our next opponent [Longmeadow] is a beast.”

OA kept the pressure up throughout the opening half. Milliken did make a brief appearance following Martins’ strike, and nearly found the back of the net in the 19th minute but his first shot was blocked on a slide tackle from the defender, and his rebound bid was parried away by the keeper.

Dasilva had another chance in the 31st minute but his shot from in close went high and just before halftime, Craig Churchill linked up with Mike MacAdam for a shot from 25 yards out that was gobbled up.

After a bit of back-and-forth long balls for the opening 15 minutes of the second half, the visitors thought they had cut the deficit in half on a header off a free kick but it was ruled offside.

OA regained control of the game and the Tigers were able to play their style again. In the 62nd minute, Craig Churchill intercepted a clearance attempt from the Timberwolves and it fell right to junior Braeden Blass, and his blast forced a one-handed save from the keeper that resulted in a corner.

On the ensuing corner, Linhares whipped in a cross that was headed down by Bucio, and after hitting off a Walpole player, Dasilva was first to pounce on it and buried his chance to make it 3-0 in the 63rd minute.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Carney put a cherry on top with just over 10 minutes to go. He latched onto a loose ball just over midfield and carried possession all the way to the box. He split a pair of defenders, touched to his left, and slotted a low shot between a third defender’s legs to the far post to make it 4-0.

“Joey’s been fantastic,” Barata said. “He missed seven or eight games with an injury but he’s been playing like this towards the end of the season. When we had a lot of our big goal games, he wasn’t out there. The last two games, he’s really come to life and really stepped up tremendously for us.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer (17-1-2) is set to play #9 Longmeadow (10-5-5) on Sunday. Longmeadow, which beat Mansfield in the opening round, reached the state semifinals last year and won the Division 1 state championship in 2019.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/27/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Oliver Ames junior Joey Carney and sophomore Casey Milliken each scored a pair of goals as the Tigers finished their league schedule undefeated, closing it out with a 5-0 win over Foxboro. Sophomore Jackson Mercieri notched his first career goal, Milliken and junior Ryan Linhares each had two assists, and sophomore Luke Churchill recorded his sixth assist of the year.

Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Stoughton took the lead with just four minutes to play but Sharon rallied for a pair of goals inside the final three minutes to stun the Black Knights. Junior Kyle Grant broke the stalemate in the 76th minute to put the hosts ahead. A minute late, Miguel Vasconcelos brought the visitors level off of an assist from Tyler Goodman. And less than a minute later, Vasconcelos bagged the game-winner on a feed from Adam Eastman.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – A terrific second half goal from junior Billy Badger was the difference as Attleboro claimed the Leach & Garner Cup. Junior Alex Vecchioli found senior Steve Etienne with a ball up the middle. Etienne sprayed a pass wide, Badger cut into the area and blasted a shot top corner at the far post for the game-winner in the 73rd minute.

Franklin, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – After seeing a two-goal lead disappear, Milford found an unlikely game-winner with just minutes to go to earn a season sweep of the Kelley-Rex division champs. Following a scoreless first half, the Hawks built a 2-0 lead, opening the scoring in the 48th minute and doubling it in the 60th minute. Kaua Pereira finished off a corner from Arthur Tome to give the hosts the lead, and a deflected shot from Gabriel Machado — who was making his varsity debut — doubled the advantage. Franklin rallied for a pair of goals, the first coming with 15 minutes to play. A corner from Noah Cain went through a crowd and to the far end of the area where Max Tobin hit it on a half volley back to the opposite post to halve the deficit. With just under nine minutes left, the Panthers cashed in on another Cain corner, this time the ball finding the feet of Will Kryzak and he buried it. With under five minutes to go, Milford’s Andre Baiano smashed a ball from 60 yards out that caught the keeper off the line and bounced in for the game-winner.

Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Alexis Campbell made a save on the final penalty kick to lift the Bombardiers to the Blue-Red Cup title. After a scoreless regulation, the teams went to penalties to decide who would get the cup for the year. Campbell, who was named Most Outstanding Player for Attleboro, came up with a big stop on the final kick to secure a 4-3 shootout win.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Mary Cross and Lucinda Li Cotter each found the back of the net to lift the Tigers to the win, which clinched a second straight outright Davenport division title. Cross opened the scoring off a Sophia Byron corner in the first. Cotter doubled the lead in the second half off a feed from Emma Gavin. Foxboro senior Maddie Maher returned from injury to play goal for the Warriors, making several big saves. Neve Taylor and Shea Dorney played well in the Foxboro midfield, covering for Lauren Miley, who was out with an injury, and Erin Foley provided energy up top and in the middle of the pitch.

Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Anya Zub and Olivia Costa each recorded three points, leading the Panthers to a win that clinches a third straight league title. Franklin finished a point above KP in the Kelley-Rex. Zub and Costa each scored twice and had an assist to pace the Franklin attack. Kelly O’Connor added a goal off an Avery Greco assist. Serena Borges and Dani Atherton (assisted by Borges) scored for the Hawks to put them up 2-0 before Franklin rallied with five straight goals. Milford was only the third team to score more than one goal in a game against Franklin this season.

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip closed out the regular season with a win over Taunton. Kylie Menendez and Brooke Noonan scored first half goals to put the Warriors in front and Ella Pisani finished off a cross from Eilish McGowen 15 minutes into the second half to make it 3-0. Taunton got one back with three minutes to play on a free kick from sophomore Amelia McQuiggan. Eighth grader Ashlyn Hebert had a strong game in goal for the Tigers, making 11 saves. Taunton will close out the season on Friday against New Bedford.

Stoughton, 3 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Stoughton battled back from three goals down to secure a point in its regular season finale. Sharon took the lead with 17 minutes left in the first half. Sofia Goclowski played a pass into the run of Autumn Simon, who was able to keep possession under pressure and get the ball back to Goclowski on the edge of the box. The senior midfielder picked the bottom far corner to open the scoring. Sharon doubled the lead when Carly Pinnix made a nice move to open space on the right and dropped a pass behind the back line for Simon to run onto and finish first-time. Stoughton started the second half well, but the Eagles made it 3-0 against the run of play. Off a drop ball, Olivia Soby hit a nice pass out to Pinnix on the left and the senior hit a perfect cross through the box where Simon managed to get enough on it to redirect it inside the far post. Midway through the second half, Emma Tran got one back for the Black Knights with a 25-yard strike that dipped just under the bar. The Black Knights had a goal disallowed for a foul on the keeper and missed from the penalty spot but just kept going. Morgan Cook hit an angled ball to the right wing. Bianca Casna brought it down and then arrowed in a cross to the near post. Shayla Ford, who earlier had a goal disallowed, got in front of her marker and was able to knock the ball just inside the post. Five minutes later, Stoughton completed the comeback. Casna hit a ball in from the right side and, whether it was intended as a shot or not, it flew into the top corner.

Field Hockey
Sharon, 0 vs. Norwell, 3 – Final

Volleyball
Sharon, 1 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Durfee, 6:00
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final

Strong Defensive Effort Helps OA Blank Milford

Oliver Ames boys soccer Milford boys soccer Nick Ribeiro Casey Milliken
Milford senior Nick Ribeiro plays the ball under pressure from Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 MILFORD, Mass. — Over the past three weeks, both the Milford and Oliver Ames boys soccer teams have rolled through the competition with a barrage of offense.

The Scarlet Hawks entered riding a six-game win streak with 25 goals scored in that span. In that same time frame, Oliver Ames had won seven in a row — apart of an 11-game unbeaten streak to start the season — and poured in 33 goals in that stretch.

So it seemed likely there would be some offensive fireworks when the two met on Wednesday in a clash between Hockomock League division leaders.

Not so fast.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Both defenses were on point as the game played out mainly between the boxes, a midfield battle that went back and forth with chances at a premium because of strong defensive play.

In the end, it was Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken who continued his red-hot scoring streak, scoring the lone goal of the game in the 32nd minute off a service from senior Jake Williams to hand the Tigers a vital 1-0 win on the road.

“Like I tell these guys, we try to build throughout the season and defense is what’s going to win games at the end of the year,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “The more comfortable we get with team defense, the better off we are. Today, our number one goal — believe it or not — was not to win but to play great team defense to build to something. Getting the result and playing great team defense is a bonus.”

Williams anchored the OA back four alongside classmate Hector Bucio, with junior Diego Rivera playing outside on the left and sophomore Jackson Mercieri patrolling the right side. Sophomore Luke Churchill sat at the six atop the backline.

“They’ve grown a lot,” Barata said. “They play off of each other well, they support each other. One steps, one drops…they talk to each other a lot, and they’re yelling when it’s needed. And the glue to it all is Luke. He allows them to take some chances, allows them to go up for a head ball they might not normally because Luke is so massive at winning that second ball.”

After a tentative opening 20 minutes, Milford registered the first genuine scoring chance in the 23rd minute. A long throw from Arthur Tome was partially cleared by the Tigers but only as far as Milford senior Nick Ribeiro, who didn’t have time to put a lot on his shot but unleashed one that got through the defense only to hit the post and stay out.

Minutes later, sophomore Rodrigo Lorenzo carried possession into the attack and linked up with Ribeiro who quickly switched fields to John Borges. Borges uncorked a shot that was deflected high and nearly found its way to the top corner but was swatted away by OA keeper Drew Hall. On the ensuing corner, Ribeiro found Kaua Pereira but he flashed a header wide.

“We got a bit lucky that [Eduardo] Santana (12 goals, six assists) was out on a red card because he changes their dynamics in the middle however, I still feel like we didn’t give them many chances. Hector and Jake were both beasts in the back. Diego was amazing against Borges all game, and then Jackson, just a sophomore and a converted back, played well. And Luke — diligent, smart — they all played great.”

Oliver Ames finally cracked the Milford defense in the 32nd minute. A long throw in from sophomore Andrew Martins was parried away by Milford keeper Lucas Fernandes but was tracked down by Mercieri near the top of the box. He played it back to Williams and he lofted a service over the defense as they were pulling up. Milliken timed his run perfectly to get in behind and flicked a perfect header past the keeper to make it 1-0.

The goal came just a minute after Milliken was moved up top to the striker spot after spending the opening 30 minutes in his usual midfield spot.

“To be able to go from a false 10 to the nine and at the perfect moment, sneak in between the center backs at the perfect time when the ball is played for the header,” Barata said. “It makes it look like we know what we’re doing but the kid is gifted and it was a great ball in.”

Defense was the story in the second half as chances were limited by both sides. Milford’s back four of Kevin Barbosa, Lucas Nalon Ribero, Nate Dinis, and Pereira stifled the OA attack for the most part.

Meanwhile, OA’s defensive group continued to thwart any momentum that the Hawks tried to generate getting forward.

Hall handled a low shot from Borges in the 47th minute and Fernandes was in the right spot to take in a one-timer from Milliken in the 53rd minute. The next chance didn’t come for nearly 20 minutes.

“Defensively they were sound,” Milford head coach Antonio Pinto said of Oliver Ames. “They worked together — everywhere that ball went, all four shifted over together. I’ve watched OA play quite a few times this year and I don’t think I’ve seen Hector lose an aerial battle or a ground battle, he’s all over the place. Arthur was trying to give them problems but they’d bring two guys on him. They’ve only allowed seven goals this year…you can tell why.

“Usually we rely on our offense but our defense really kept us in the game today. This was the first time I was able to see our defense limit some skillful guys so it was good to see.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Fernandes got low and to the near post to tip away a free kick bid from Milliken in the 70th minute, the last serious chance for either side.

“It was a big midfield battle for today,” Barata said. “We were looking for the through balls, they were looking for the through balls, both teams were trying to get it wide, Ribeiro was looking to get in, Casey was looking to get in. I knew it was going to be a ball over the top and someone breaking into negative space that would win the game. We got lucky it was us to be fair because they could have pulled it off.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer (10-0-2 overall, 10-0-1 Hockomock) moves within two points of clinching at least a share of the Davenport title. The Tigers travel to Stoughton on Friday to play the Black Knights, who are the only team to take a point from OA this season. Milford (8-4-1, 7-3-1), who is now two points back in the Kelley-Rex, will host Attleboro on the same day. The Bombardiers, who are tied with the Hawks in second place, won the first meeting, 4-0.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/10/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 6 vs. New Bedford, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Billy Badger had a day to remember with a pair of first half goals and three second half assists to lead the Bombardiers to a big win at home over New Bedford. The only Attleboro goal that Badger didn’t record a point in was the Bombardiers’ opener as Steve Etienne took a feed from Alex Vecchioli and found the back of the net. Badger scored back-to-back goals before halftime with Esvin Morales assisting on the first and Clay Tyler on the second. In the second half, Badger recorded assists on goals from Kyle Neuendorf and Vecchioli, and then returned the favor to Tyler for the sixth goal.

Franklin, 3 vs. Xaverian, 0 – Final – After a scoreless 40 minutes, Franklin dominated the second half to the tune of three goals and earned a season sweep of the Hawks. Andrew O’Neill opened the scoring less than three minutes into the second half off of a feed from Trey Lovell, and then just three minutes later Noah Cain doubled the lead on an unassisted strike. With just over 10 minutes to play, sophomore Garrett Scagliarini set up classmate Vignan Kamarthi to make it 3-0.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Behind a pair of second half goals from sophomore Casey Milliken, Oliver Ames overcame a stiff test from King Philip to secure two points. After a scoreless first half, Milliken was fouled inside the box to draw a penalty that he calmly converted in the 43rd minute. Milliken grabbed his second in the final minutes of the game, finishing off a pass from senior Mike MacAdams. Drew Hall earned his seventh shutout of the season with outstanding play from in front of him from Diego Riveira, Jake Williams, Hector Bucio, Jackson Mercieri and Luke Churchill.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 2 – Final – Jamie Davies scored the equalizing goal, assisted by Tatum O’Brien, before halftime, but the Bombardiers couldn’t rally again when B-R found the back of the net 10 minutes after the break. Alexis Campbell had several big saves that kept the Bombardiers in it at 1-1. Attleboro pressed in the second half in search of the tying goal and created a half-dozen good chances, but just couldn’t find the finishing touch.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – King Philip picked up its second straight non-league win, going on the road and recording a convincing 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-19) sweep of the Shamrocks. Juniors Ava Kelley (10 digs) and Shea Mellman (six digs) anchored the KP defense, sophomore Madison Asprelli had a strong game with four aces and four digs, and the Warriors’ big three of seniors Sami Shore (four kills), Emily Sawyer (five kills, three blocks), and Ahunna James (nine digs, eight kills, seven aces) continued to deliver.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/30/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Attleboro, 0 @ Milford, 24 – Final
1Q: (M) Romeo Holland 57-yard rush, Nick Araujo XP good; (M) N. Araujo 34-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
2Q: (M) N. Araujo 51-yard field goal good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (M) Evan Cornelius 26-yard pass to Cameron Phillips, N. Araujo XP good.

Foxboro, 14 @ Hopkinton, 3 – Final

Franklin, 21 @ North Attleboro, 20 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1Q: (NA) Nathan Shultz 49-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 24-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (F) J. Lyons 31-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good; (F) J. Lyons 30-yard pass to Grayson Hunter, G. Portesi XP good.
3Q: (NA) Greg Berthiaume 7-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
4Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 1-yard rush, Conversion failed.

Taunton, 24 @ King Philip, 26 – Final
1Q: (T) Jacob Leonard 24-yard pass to Jose Touron, XP failed; (KP) Will Astorino 64-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good; (T) J. Leonard 70-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, 2pt pass failed; (KP) Tommy McLeish 42-yard pass to Will Laplante, 2pt rush failed.
2Q: (T) Brian Batista 2-yard rush, 2pt pass failed; (KP) Kyle Abbott 3-yard rush, 2pt failed.
3Q: (KP) K. Abbott 10-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
4Q: (T) J. Leonard 40-yard pass to J. Touron, 2pt rush failed.

Oliver Ames, 32 @ Stoughton, 35 – Final
1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 2-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (OA) C. Silva 65-yard rush, XP good; (S) Alex Huynh 13-yard rush, Tommy Silva XP good; (OA) C. Silva 43-yard rush, XP failed; (S) Jarred Daughtry 4-yard rush, T. Silva XP good.
3Q: (S) J. Daughtry 61-yard pass to Tagh Swierzewski, T. Silva XP good; (OA) C. Silva 3-yard rush, 2pt failed.
4Q: (S) J. Daughtry 2-yard rush, 2pt failed; (OA) C. Silva 48-yard rush, 2pt failed; (S) J. Daughtry 63-yard pass to A. Huynh, Liam Pearl 2pt rush.

Sharon, 35 @ Case, 6 – Final








Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – In a battle of the top two teams in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin used a late-winner to take over first place in the division at the midway point of the season. The Panthers got off to a great start at home as Trey Lovell finished off an assist from Will Kryzak in the sixth minute for the early lead. Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli converted a pass from Esvin Morales to bring the visitors level in the 15th minute. The game stayed level for the majority of the game before Kryzak finished off a great pass from Andrew O’Neill in the 77th minute to secure the win.

North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored just before halftime and then doubled its lead minutes into the second half, earning a 2-0 win on the road at King Philip. The Rocketeers gained a huge momentum boost when goalie Owen Goeller denied the Warriors on a penalty kick in the first half. North capitalized on a free kick from just outside the box as sophomore Patrick Etienvre converted his shot in the 34th minute. Just moments into the second half, Griffin Rodden linked up with Kaden Burns to make it 2-0 in the 43rd minute. North head coach Mike Lacasse praised the efforts of his defense in the win.

Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Stoughton cut the deficit to one goal just before the midway point of the second half but the Hornets slammed the door shut with a late insurance goal to collect two points in a 3-1 win over the Black Knights. Mansfield found the back of the net less than 10 minutes in as Sam Oliveira took an assist from Tyler Znoj for a 1-0 advantage in the ninth minute, a lead the Hornets carried into half. Just five minutes into the second half, Dante Spivak blasted a shot in from 30 yards out (assisted by Aiden Steele) to double Mansfield’s lead to 2-0. Stoughton pulled one back in the 53rd minute but Steele recorded his second assist, this time setting up Grady Sullivan in the 73rd minute for the insurance tally. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan praised the efforts of Dan Checkoway in the midfield as well as the defensive group of Derek McGrath, Matty Sullivan, Aidan Jones, Brendan Flynn, and Kyle Johnson.

Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford scored a pair of goals in each half, taking a 4-0 decision over Taunton to push its win streak to four games. The Scarlet Hawks, who have scored at least three goals in each game during the winning streak, had another strong first half. Freshman Danny Da Silva set up Marcello Alves for the opener, and Eduardo Santana converted a cross from Andre Baiano to double the lead before halftime. In the second half, Nick Ribeiro’s free kick service was finished off by Kaua Pereira to make it 3-0. Alves earned his second point of the day, finding Santana for his second goal, for a 4-0 advantage.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – After a scoreless battle for 20 minutes, Oliver Ames exploded for six goals over the final 60 minutes to secure a key win over Davenport rival Sharon. Sophomore Casey Milliken scored OA’s first two goals, first finishing off a pass from classmate Andrew Martins, and then taking a feed from senior Mirray DaSilva and scoring to make it 2-0, which held until halftime. Milliken returned the favor to Martins to open the scoring half as Martins scored his first of two goals. Sophomore Luke Churchill set up Martins’ second goal to make it 4-0, and Milliken earned his fourth point of the day with an assist to senior Jason Zalis. OA junior Braeden Blass capped the scoring by finishing off a pass from junior Diego Rivera. Drew Hall recorded his fourth shutout of the season for OA.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored on either side of halftime to grab a 2-1 win over visiting Foxboro, snapping a three-game skid. Senior Jack Lauro put the hosts ahead with a goal just before halftime, and then just minutes into the second half, senior Drew Garrett scored to double the lead.




Girls Soccer
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Kelly O’Connor scored a pair of goals to help Franklin bounce back from its loss on Wednesday and to keep pace with KP in the league title race. It was an even first half, but the Panthers took the lead in the final five minutes, O’Connor nodding home a Bridget Leo corner. With Attleboro pushing for an equalizer, Franklin was able to strike twice more after the break. Anya Zub doubled the lead a little more than halfway through the second half, with O’Connor picking up the assist. O’Connor then secured her brace and her third point of the night with a goal with nine minutes to play. Alexis Campbell made six big saves that kept Attleboro in the game, while Rachel Welch made seven stops for the Panthers. Attleboro coach Steve Santos was proud of the way the team kept battling to the end.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – In an evenly played game from start to finish, Emma Cahill scored off a Mekhala Costello assist with only three minutes remaining to secure the victory. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo praised Costello for a “man of the match” performance with contributions on both ends of the field. Foxboro coach Jen Lippolis rued missed chances for her team again on Friday. Allie Sougaris had an impressive game in the Foxboro goal to help keep it scoreless into the closing minutes.

King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. KP scored a pair of second half goals to earn the win and keep pace in the division title race. Ella Pisani scored the opener with a shot from outside the box that just eluded the fingertips of North goalie Maddie Ferrin. The Warriors sealed the points when Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn rose highest for a powerful header off a Danielle Gresham corner. While KP had the bulk of the possession and the scoring chances, North nearly equalized when Caroline Ferrin hit the bar with a shot from distance.

Mansfield, 1 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Jill Koppy followed up a shot in the final three minutes, slamming home the rebound to secure a hard-fought win for the Hornets.

Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Milford and Taunton split eight goals in a thrilling shootout at Aleixo Field. Milford jumped into a 2-1 lead at halftime. Paige Caldon and Dani Atherton scored in the opening half for the Hawks, while Emily Calderon got one back for the Tigers. Ava Uhl, who also had the challenge of marking Atherton on the other end of the field, scored to tie the game again in the second half. Brooke Ferreira and Atherton each had goals to put Milford in front after the break, but each time Taunton responded. Kaylee Lopes had a brace in the second half to secure a point for the Tigers. Serena Borges had an assist for the Hawks. Hayleigh Porter made 10 saves for Taunton and Milford keeper Kayleigh Tourtellot was even busier, making 15 stops. Taunton coach Dan Borges was pleased with the team’s reaction to keep fighting back after going behind and highlighted the back-and-forth battle between Uhl and Atherton, who he called one of the league’s top attackers.

Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three goals in the first half and added an insurance tally in the second to get a win at home over Sharon. Taylor deVos put the Tigers ahead in the eighth minute, and Mary Cross scored off a corner from Sophia Byron at the midway point of the first half. Carly Gibson also found the back of the net before halftime to make it 3-0. Sofia Goclowski scored Sharon’s lone goal off a corner from Olivia Soby, which cut the lead to 3-1, but the Tigers tacked on a fourth from Jolie Diaz to seal the win. Sally Brouhard and Jordanna Morris both had solid games for the Eagles in defense, while Jessica Li played well up top in the loss.




Field Hockey
Franklin, 8 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Holding a 3-0 lead at halftime, Franklin pulled away with two more goals in the third quarter and three more in the fourth to finish with an 8-0 lead. Emily Carney scored a hat trick for the Panthers, scoring once in each of the first three quarters, while Payten Crandall had two goals and one assist in the win. Kaitlyn Carney (one assist), Haley Wernig, and Sydney Rogan (one assist) each scored once in the win. Devon Barry and Megan Sullivan (two saves) combined for the shutout in net.

Mansfield, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – For Stoughton, Katherine Giroux, Nicole Reid, and Catarina Melo all played a great game.

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final

Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Caelen O’Leary factored into all four goals, scoring twice and assisting on the other two, to help the Tigers secure a shutout win over visiting Milford. Ayla Jackson and Camryn Emond each scored once, finishing off a feed from O’Leary. Jasmine Lucier made two saves to record the shutout in net for Taunton.

Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro scored once in the second quarter and again in the third, and the Warriors’ defense became the first team to shut out Canton this year as the Warriors collected a vital division win. Mary Collins scored the opening goal to put the hosts ahead 1-0, an advantage they carried into halftime. In the third, Mya Waryas found the back of the net to extend Foxboro’s lead to 2-0.

Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro jumped out to a lead by taking the first set but Canton rallied to win three straight for a 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 25-18, 25-22) win on the road. Jess Wright led the way for the visitors, registering 17 kills, 14 digs, and one block while Fatima Sidibay had a big night at the net with 11 kills and a trio of blocks. Zoe Scibelli anchored the defense with 19 digs and a pair of aces while freshman Erin Bigham (two aces) distributed the ball well with 32 assists. For Foxboro, Juliana Pettigrew had 18 kills, Sami Sloan put down 12 kills and added three aces, Mallorie Meyer added four kills and 18 digs, and Alyssa Cloherty dished out 37 assists.

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – In a key division clash, Oliver Ames notched a convincing 3-0 (25-5, 25-22, 25-9) win over rival Sharon. Sophomore Ava Barth had a big day for the Tigers with 18 digs and five aces, junior Ariel Gao added 23 service points and six aces, and sophomore Addie Smock registered 10 kills and three blocks. Maddie Homer had 21 digs and Clare Kavoulis finished with 34 assists in the win.

Franklin, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro rattled off three straight points in the final set to turn a one-point deficit into a 3-2 (14-25, 26-24, 21-25, 25-20, 15-13) win over visiting Franklin, giving the Bombardiers one of their biggest wins in program history. Julia Leonardo was a monster at the net for the Bombardiers, putting down 36 kills to go along with 20 digs to pace the attack, while Sadie Whiwtmarsh had a huge showing with 23 kills. Addie Shelton added 11 kills and 12 digs in the win. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense for the hosts, dishing out 49 assists to go along with 15 digs and three blocks.

King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip rolled to a win, taking down North Attleboro 3-0 (25-8, 25-10, 15-12). KP’s trio of captains led the way as Sami Shore had five kills and two aces, Emily Sawyer added 10 kills and 10 aces, and Ahunna James added seven kills and four digs.

Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – After falling behind 2-1, Mansfield rallied to win two in a row to claim a 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 18-25, 25-20, 15-9) victory over Stoughton. Keira Fitpatrick orchestrated the offense with 21 assists to go along with seven digs. Elyssa Buchanan notched 10 kills and eight digs while Lily Verheggen had a big day at the net with 12 kills.

Milford @ Taunton, 5:00

Golf
Attleboro, 175 @ Franklin, 145 – Final – Brendan Collins had a consistent day out on the links, shooting a medalist round to lead the Panthers to a win over Attleboro. Collins carded a 36 to lead the way, CJ Steel shot a 38, and both Caden Sullivan (one birdie) and Jack Hagerty (one birdie) each came in at 38. Bradley Martin led the Bombardiers with a 43.

Mansfield, 149 @ Oliver Ames, 145 – Final – Oliver Ames passed its biggest test of the season so far, landing a four-stroke win over Mansfield in a battle of the top two teams in the Davenport division. OA senior Daniel Paul and junior David Rodgers shared medalist honors with Mansfield sophomore Brendan Vokey, with all three coming in at 35 on the day at Pine Oaks. Juniors Sean Kearns and Lucas Riley rounded out OA’s scoring, carding a round of 37 and 38, respectively.

North Attleboro, 151 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 168 – Final – North Attleboro had all four of its scorers come in under 40 in a non-league win over Dighton-Rehoboth on the middle course at Heather Hill. Sophomore Tyson Laviano was the match medalist, firing a one-over round of 36 to lead the Rocketeers. Jake Gaskin and Jordan Paradis each shot a 38 and Dillon Harding chipped in with a 39 for the Rocketeers. Drew Urban carded a round of 36 for the Hornets while Nathan McClean and Will Riley each shot a 39.

Oliver Ames Blanks Mansfield In Key Division Clash

Oliver Ames boys soccer Casey Milliken
Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken takes a shot in the first half against Mansfield. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 MANSFIELD, Mass. — The Oliver Ames boys soccer team felt it should have taken two points in its last league game, a draw at home against Stoughton, especially after carrying a lead into the second half.

The Tigers found themselves in a similar situation on Monday, and this time out made sure to put the game away.

Senior Mike MacAdam gave the visitors the lead less than 10 minutes into the game and sophomore Casey Milliken, who had the assist on the opener, buried a penalty kick late in the second half for a key insurance goal as Oliver Ames earned a 2-0 win in a key matchup with division foe Mansfield.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“Every game in the Hockomock this year is going to be that, a tough, gritty battle,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “In fairness, I thought we played well at many times tonight and I thought their goalkeeper made a number of terrific saves. Overall it was a good bounce-back game after Stoughton because we should have put that game away and we didn’t. So it was good to come here and get a gutsy win against a good Mansfield team.”

A week ago, Oliver Ames didn’t open the scoring until just before halftime. Against Mansfield, MacAdam’s opener came in the eighth minute of play. But in both contests, the Tigers controlled play and had a handful of chances to score more.

Mansfield senior goalie Liam Doyle was strong all game long, turning away bids from OA’s Jackson Mercieri (5th minute) and Mirray Dasilva (6th) in the early moments.

OA broke through just moments later as outside back Diego Rivera connected with Milliken in the middle, who promptly dribbled forward to attack the defense. He laid off a perfectly weighted through pass and MacAdam sprinted onto it, reaching out to blast a shot past the keeper from inside the area for an early 1-0 lead.

“Mike’s going to see a lot of minutes for us if he plays like he did today,” Barata said. “Mikey is kind of like that unsung senior that can really help us out.”

Milliken nearly had another assist in the 16th minute, connecting with classmate Andrew Martins atop the area, and Martins used a quick touch before ripping a shot that was gobbled up by Doyle off the bounce. A minute later, Milliken’s hard cross was knocked around before Hector Bucio got his right boot on it but Doyle was once again in position for the stop.

OA continued to press, this time it was sophomore Luke Churchill playing Dasilva in behind but Doyle came out and made a huge stop, pushing the bid over the bar in the 26th minute. Four minutes later, Doyle was at it again as MacAdam nearly returned the favor to Milliken, who cut it back onto his left foot inside the area only for his shot from in close to be denied and cleared by Mansfield defender Derek McGrath.

“We didn’t get into our style, [OA] runs around and cover each other all over, unlike we did,” said Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan. “We’re young, we’re inexperienced, and we’re learning, which is good. This is what happened against Wayland, we let them dictate everything and got away from the way we should be playing. We played great for three games, got better each game, but reverted back tonight.”

Mansfield was able to get a forward a bit more in the second half and had their first two real chances just minutes apart. In the 52nd minute, senior Aiden Steele won a battle after a service from Grady Sullivan and unleashed a left-footed blast from distance but OA keeper Drew Hall handled it on the bounce.

Minutes later, sophomore Marco Germiniani got up and headed a cross from Daniel Checkoway, but Hall was there to take it in.

OA finally added its insurance tally in the 70th minute. Milliken was taken down in the area to earn the pen. He stepped up and converted with a clinical finish just out of the reach of an outstretched Doyle.

“We definitely learned from Stoughton…today, we gave up very little shots from anywhere on the field, we were converging very quickly,” Barata said. “In the second half, we tried to bring them out a little bit because we wanted to play the game a little bit more. So it was a little bit of a tactical shift on our end that allowed for a lot more open play. We’re trying different things because it’s early in the season, we’ll see what works and what doesn’t.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Oliver Ames’ back four of Mercieri, Rivera, Bucio, and Jake Williams played well in the back while Luke Churchill and twin brother Craig Churchill were vital in the midfield. Anytime the Hornets tried to build out of the back, it seemed one of the Churchills was there to thwart it. And then when it came to OA’s heavy edge in possession, it was Luke and Craig that seemed to facilitate the majority of it.

“Luke is kind of the glue that keeps us together, he’s the lynchpin for us right now,” Barata said. “It’s a lot of pressure in that position but now we have two Churchill’s doing it together, which is great because they both were fantastic today. They won’t get much press — except for maybe this — that’s just the way it works sometimes but they’re so steady, very good players.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer (2-0-1 Hockomock, 2-0-2 overall) has another huge showdown on Wednesday as the Tigers welcome league-leading Attleboro to Muscato Stadium. Mansfield (2-1-1, 2-2-1) will look to bounce back on Wednesday evening when it hosts Taunton.