Tag: Luke Sidwell

Football: 2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Milford and King Philip will both be contenders for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022 Kelley-Rex Football Preview

2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Attleboro

2021 Record: 4-6
Coach: Jim Winters

Key/Returning Players: Matt Harvie, Jr., QB; Ethan Lako, Sr., LB; Isaiah Miranda, Sr., OL/DL; Ayden Ramirez, Sr., WR/CB; Adrian Rivera, Jr., RB; Anthony Salviati, SR.; WR/S; Spencer Sherck, Sr., S

Outlook:
In a loaded Kelley-Rex division, Attleboro has largely been on the outside of the title race and the Bombardiers enter this season with an eye to the future, as they have a relatively inexperienced roster. First-year coach Jim Winters, who came from Silver Lake to replace Mike Strachan after his move to North Attleboro, will lean on a talented crew of skill position players and an aggressive mindset to be competitive with the league’s top teams.

Offensively, the Bombardiers have a lot of depth and athleticism at receiver. Senior Anthony Salviati is a dynamic playmaker who can line up in multiple positions, whether out wide or in the backfield. He was also the team’s kicker last year. Junior Matt Harvie gets the nod at quarterback to start the season after seeing time under center as a sophomore. His strong arm and ability to read the defense will be key. Senior Ayden Ramirez will be another threat on the outside and junior Adrian Rivera will be the team’s go-to back at the start of the season. Senior center Isaiah Miranda is the team’s only returning lineman, on either side of the ball, and his leadership is going to be critical to the offense’s success.

Athleticism is going to be important on defense as well. Salviati will bring his playmaking to the secondary as a safety. Winters called Ramirez one of the best corners that he has coached, while senior linebacker Ethan Lako is a ball hawk who led the team in interceptions last season. Senior safety Spencer Sherck is recovering from a preseason injury and the Bombardiers will be hoping to have his leadership back on the field as soon as possible. The defensive line remains a question mark with young players getting their first taste of varsity action this season.

“We should be fast and aggressive at the skill positions,” Winters said. About the challenges on the line, he added, “We will be very inexperienced and do not have the size of Attleboro teams of the past.”










2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Franklin

2021 Record: 10-1 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
Coach: Eian Bain

2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Key/Returning Players: Jase Lyons, Sr., QB/S; Luke Davis, Sr., WR/CB; Grayson Hunter, Sr., TE; Ben Papa, Sr., OL; Ben Ryan, Jr., OL; Leo Meuse, Soph., OL; Jay Gulla, Sr., DL; Emmett Lackey, Sr., DL; Julian Rampino, Soph., DL; Nick Quintina, Sr., LB; Luke Sidwell, Sr., CB; Devine Johnson, Sr., CB;

Outlook:
Franklin was not only the best team in the Kelley-Rex division last year, winning its first league title since 2009, but also proved to be one of the top teams in the state. The Panthers were a win away from a spot in the Super Bowl, going toe-to-toe with Springfield Central in the state semifinal. This season, the Panthers will have to overcome the graduation of a lot of skill position players to keep the positive momentum that the program has shown over the past few seasons.

Last year’s offensive group was as good as any in the state and it showed. This season, Franklin will have a lot of new faces and a lot of versatile athletes that will be part of the game plan. Senior Jase Lyons will take over at quarterback and is a dual threat with his legs and his arm. Senior Luke Davis will be one of the primary targets out wide along with junior wideout Derek Dubriske and senior tight end Grayson Hunter. The graduation of Mack Gulla opens space for new running backs to step up. Juniors Mike Davide and Cody Howard are backs to watch out for this year. Senior Ben Papa will lead the offensive line with junior Ben Ryan and sophomore Leo Meuse adding depth and size. Senior Garrett Portesi will be back on kicking duties and gives Franklin a consistent source of points.

While the offense got a lot of attention last season, Franklin’s defense allowed fewer points than anyone else in the league. The secondary was one of the biggest strengths in 2021 and should be again this year. Senior Devine Johnson is a lockdown corner, while classmates Luke Sidwell, Bobby Padula, and Davis all are playmakers in the passing game. Junior Connor Klawson will add depth in that position. The linebacking group is led by senior Nick Quintina, who will make plays in the middle, and Howard will be a new face in that position. Senior Emmett Lackey will control the defensive line, while senior Jay Gulla is a constant threat on the edge and sophomore Julian Rampino gives another big athlete at defensive end.

“We are taking this one day at a time,” said Franklin coach Eian Bain. “Last year was a whirlwind, and culmination of many years of hard work. It is important not to lose sight of the process that got us to such great accomplishments. It remains all about the process.”




2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

King Philip

2021 Record: 9-3
Coach: Brian Lee

Key/Returning Players: Will Astorino, Sr., FB/LB; Thomas Brewster, Sr., WR/DB; Rudy Gately, Sr., RB/DB; Nathan Kearney, Sr., RB/DE; Sean King, Jr., OL/DL; Chris Sesay, Sr., OL/DL; Matt Kelley, Sr., K/WR/DB; Tommy McLeish, Jr., QB;

Outlook: Last season was another banner year for the Warriors, reaching another Division 2 state final and took second in what was one of the most talented years in the Kelley-Rex division.

Certainly, the Warriors have plenty of holes to fill in due to graduation like at quarterback (Charlie Grant), running back (Crawford Cantave), Jonathan Joseph (defensive back), and on both the offensive and defensive line. But head coach Brian Lee has to like the weapons he does have back this season.

It starts with one of the best two-way players in the state in senior Rudy Gately, who will be a workhorse in the backfield and a reliable option at linebacker. He’s been making plays for KP for two years and that’s likely to continue again this year. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Will Astorino (full back) and Nathan Kearney, and they’ll work with junior Tommy McLeish (6’3), who takes over at quarterback. McLeish has weapons in Matt Kelley, who is not only one of the best kickers around but will also line up at receiver and defensive back, as well as Thomas Brewster.

The strength of the squad likely lies where it usually does: in the trenches. The Warriors are big up front on both sides of the ball and return two of the best linemen in the state in 6’6 265-pound Chris Sesay, who holds D1 offers from Eastern Michigan and Brown among others, and 6’0, 260-pound junior Sean King.

Defensively, Astorino will be one of the key pieces at linebacker while Sesay looks to be a force to reckon with on the defensive line.

“As far as strength and weaknesses go, we lost a lot of players from all different positions so we are just in the process of still figuring out what we are, who we are, and if we have all the right guys on the field and in the right spot,” Lee said. “Despite what we’ve lost, our goal is to be prepared and focused each week so that we can be competitive.”




2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Milford

2021 Record: 9-3
Coach: Dale Olson

Key/Returning Players: Key/Returning Players: Nicholas Araujo, Jr., LB/K; Jayden Archeval, Sr., DB; Damien Carter, Jr., WR/DB; Evan Cornelius, Sr., QB/DE; Keith Lee, Jr., G/DT; Isaiah Pantalone, Sr., WR/DB; Tyler Potter, Sr., T/DT

Outlook:
Milford has come a long way in the past couple of seasons, earning wins over its Kelley-Rex division rivals, putting in a challenge for the league title, and making a run to the Div. 2 semifinals. The Hawks will try to continue building on that momentum this fall with the hope of a talented and experienced lineup bringing home a first Kelley-Rex title.

Senior quarterback Evan Cornelius is back to run the Milford offense after a strong junior campaign. Cornelius gives the Hawks a threat with either his strong arm or his ability to make plays with his legs and he helped Milford put together one of the league’s top offensive units last year. Senior wideout Isaiah Pantalone had a breakout junior season and emerged as one of the most dangerous receivers in the Hock. Junior Damien Carter can line up in multiple positions and classmate Nicholas Araujo can make an impact at receiver or as one of the league’s top kickers. Junior Keith Lee and senior Tyler Potter will be two of the top returning lineman and the Milford line got a huge boost by the transfer of Ryan O’Connor from Lawrence Academy.

Cornelius is just as impactful on the defensive side of the ball with his speed and size at defensive end. Lee, Potter, and O’Connor add strength to the interior of the Milford line. Araujo will be one of the key returning players at linebacker. Milford’s athleticism at receiver translates into a strong secondary as well. Carter and Pantalone are both playmakers on the edge and senior Jayden Archeval emerged as one of the top one-on-one cover guys in the league last year.

“We don’t have great numbers and will have to stay healthy,” Milford coach Dale Olson explained, “but have a talented group that has worked hard to rebuild this program.”




2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

North Attleboro

2021 Record: 8-4
Coach: Mike Strachan

Key/Returning Players: Greg Berthiaume, Sr., RB/LB; Zack Gallagher, Sr., OL/DL; Nate Shultz, Sr., RB/DB; Kaden Leary, Sr., OL/DL; Jack Munley, Sr., OL/DL; Chase Frisoli, Soph., QB; Lucas Mattson, Jr., OL/DL; Nolan McLaughlin, Sr., OL/DL; Aidan Conrad, Sr., RB/DB;

Outlook: The 2022 season marks a new chapter in the very rich history of North Attleboro football. Coming off a narrow loss in the Division 3 state championship, the Rocketeers have a brand new head coach along with a slew of new faces in new positions.

Mike Strachan is now at the helm of the Big Red. Strachan, who played for the Rocketeers in high school for legendary coach Ray Beaupre, had been the head coach of rival Attleboro since 2013 before switching in his Bombardier blue back to Rocketeer red.

He’ll have the tough task of finding replacements for a very talented senior class from last year, including star Tyler DeMattio – who played a handful of positions over the past four years, including quarterback, running back, linebacker, and kicker – as well as fellow league all star Tyler Bannon. But the cupboard is far from empty for Strachan, who is looking to uphold the high standards and tradition of North Attleboro football.

Sophomore Chase Frisoli returns at quarterback after an impressive freshman season. He will have a lot of new weapons to work with this year, and Strachan is leaning heavily on a big offensive line to not only protect Frisoli but set the tone with a strong running game. The line is anchored by Zack Gallagher (6’3, 280) and North will look to run behind him as well as Kaden Leary, Lucas Mattson, Jack Munley, Nolan McLoughlin, and Danny Locke. Nate Shultz will be the primary ball carrier and brings an explosive run game to the table.

“Nate will lead the defense at free safety [too],” Strachan said. “Nate brings breakaway speed to the offense and has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. In addition, Nate is a tremendously smart player and gives us the on-field leadership required to have a great team.”

On the defensive side, the Rocketeers will turn to veteran linebacker Greg Berthiaume, who lead the D3 finalists in tackles last year. With Berthiaume in the mix, North’s strength defensively will be its linebackers, with Ryan Bannon, Aidan Conrad, and Julian House also in the mix.

2022 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

Photos

Taunton

2021 Record: 5-6
Coach: Brad Sidwell

Key/Returning Players: Ryan MacDougall, Sr., OL/LB; Nathan Laplante, Sr., OL/DL; William Guachichulca-Torres, Sr., OL; Logan Frank, Sr., OL; Jacob Leonard, Sr., QB; Bryan Batista, Sr., RB; Tanner Brannon, Sr., OLB; Dom Kessel, Sr., DL; McKyen Gonsalves, Sr., WR/DB; Jose Touron, Jr., WR/DB; Bryan Joanis, Jr., OL/DL; Ethan Harris, Jr., RB/LB;

Outlook: Taunton took a step in the right direction during the 2022 season with five wins and a trip to the state tournament, but the Tigers went without a win in league play. With an experienced and talented group back in the fold this year, head coach Brad Sidwell and his Tigers will look to make a splash in the league and continue to move the program forward.

It will all start up front for Taunton because of a big and talented group of linemen that have a lot of varsity experience. The team’s three captains are all members of the offensive line: seniors Ryan MacDougall (center), Nathan LaPlante (guard), and William Guachichulca-Torres (tackle). They’ll be joined by senior Logan Frank (guard) and junior Bryan Joanis (tackle). All five register above 6’0 and have a lot of varsity experience under their belt.

Behind them will be returning quarterback Jake Leonard, who is in his third year as the starting quarterback for the Tigers. While Leonard lost some of his top targets from last year, he has some dangerous weapons at his disposal still, including Jose Touron (fresh off an impressive sophomore campaign), seniors Mckyen Gonsalves and Braden Mullen, and speedy junior Dmitrius Shearrion. After a promising start to last year was cut short due to injury, Bryan Batista is back in the mix at running back along with Etha Harris and Malachai Johnson.

Defensively, the Tigers boast an athletic secondary, a big defensive line, and a mix of veteran and new linebackers. Laplante will be among the most disruptive defensive linemen in the league and will be joined by Frank, Joanis, and senior Dom Kessel. MacDougall had a great year at linebacker last year and will be flanked by Harris, senior Tanner Brannon, junior Ryan Keenan, and sophomore Elijah Prophete.

“We have a solid nucleus of experienced players that have worked hard during the off-season,” Sidwell said. “As always, we look to play well, improve, and gain some momentum during our non-league battles to prepare us for the highly competitive Hockomock Kelley-Rex Division.”

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 06/08/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Division 1
#16 Chelmsford, 2 @ #1 Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin overcame an early two-run deficit and escaped a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning to slip past upset-minded Chelsmford. After the visitors staked a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, Franklin plated a single run in the bottom half of three straight innings. In the bottom of the second, junior Eisig Chin brought home Evan Raider with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit in half, and in the bottom of the third a two-out single from Chris Goode brought courtesy runner Luke Sidwell (Joe Tirrell walk) to tie it 2-2. After a 1-2-3 inning from junior Alfred Mucciarone (6IP, 4H, 2ER, 0BB, 5K) in the top of the fourth, the Panthers pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom half. Jase Lyons led off with a single, took second on an error, and advanced to third on a ground out. After back-to-back outs, Tirrell delivered a single to left to bring Tirrell home to make it 3-2. Mucciarone kept rolling, retiring the side in order again in the fifth and sixth innings. Chelmsford threatened in the final inning against Franklin’s bullpen with a one-out single, a two-out walk, and then an infield error to load the bases, but James Kuczmiec induced a grounder to second for the final out.

#15 Natick, 2 @ #2 Taunton, 8 – Final –

Division 2
#18 Plymouth North, 5 @ #2 King Philip, 12 – Final – After a scoreless first inning left the hosts on the wrong end of a one-run game, the Warriors’ offense roared to life with five straight scoring innings to knock off visiting Plymouth North. The visiting Eagles took advantage of a leadoff walk and an RBI double to seize an early 1-0 lead but after the first inning, it was all KP. Matt DiFiore knotted the score at 1-1 with an RBI single in the second, and a sac fly from Rudy Gately followed by an RBI double from Travis Crawford gave the Warriors the lead for good. Brendan Sencaj was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth, and Gately followed with a walk to bring in another run for a 5-1 lead. Plymouth North made a game of it with three runs in the top of the fifth to get it back to a one-run game but KP answered with three of its own in the bottom half, with a two-run triple from Max Robison and a sacrifice fly from Matt Kelley to make it 8-4. In the sixth, three straight singles from Sean Sullivan, Eli Reed, and Robison each brought in a run, and Shawn Legere was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in KP’s 12th run of the game.

#14 Marblehead, 1 @ #3 Mansfield, 5 – Final – Buoyed by a big start offensively and a pair of terrific pitching performances, Mansfield picked up a win over visiting Marblehead. The Hornets scored three runs in the bottom of the first and never trailed, tacking on two key insurance runs in the sixth inning. Matt DeShiro and Conner Zukowski drew back-to-back walks, and the former came across to score on a passed ball. Anthony Sacchetti was hit by a pitch and Jake Maydak walked to load the bases, and a two-out single from Jared Fraone saw two runs come home for a 3-0 lead. Marblehead got a run back in the fifth inning but a two-out, two-run single from sophomore Brian Butler in the sixth inning restored Mansfield’s lead. Aaron Blinn earned the win on the mound for the Hornets, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and five walks, striking out one. Connor Curtis tossed three scoreless innings in relief, allowing just three walks and no hits, striking out a pair.

#13 Westfield, 1 @ #4 North Attleboro, 15 – Final – North Attleboro’s offense stayed red hot, belting out 13 hits to the tune of 15 runs in a big win over Westfield at DiNardo Field. After leaving a pair of runners in scoring position in the first inning, the Rocketeers didn’t squander many chances in the next five innings, scoring in each of them. Gio Martello got the scoring started with a one-out single to score Gavin Wells (walk) and David Floyd (double), and Tyler DeMattio doubled the lead with a two-out, two-run line drive single to left. Danny Curran cleaned things up with a an RBI single to push the lead to 5-0 after just two innings. Wells added a third inning sac fly to plate Jordan Paradis, and both DeMattio (triple) and Curran (error) scored in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 8-0. Paradis had a two-run hit in the sixth and Jack Munley cleared the bases with a three-run triple in the sixth to make it 15-1. Floyd earned the win on the mound, allowing just one run on three hits and one walk, striking out eight in 4.2 innings of work. Dillon Harding finished the game off, issuing just one walk while striking out a pair in 2.1 scoreless innings.

Division 3
#12 Sandwich, 6 @ #5 Foxboro, 7 – Final – For the second game in a row, Foxboro used a walk-off home run to rally for a win in the final inning. After using back-to-back homers on Monday in the seventh inning to knock off Saugus, Foxboro senior Liam Mulkern launched a two-out, two-run home run to hand the Warriors a dramatic 7-6 decision over Sandwich. The host Warriors rallied for three runs in the fifth to stake a 5-3 lead but the visiting Knights tied the game with two runs in the sixth and took the lead back with a two-out run in the top of the seventh. In the bottom half, sophomore Tyler Prescott kept the game alive with a two-out walk. Mulkern battled his way to a full count, and with the Warriors down to their final out, the senior sent a fastball over the fence in left for his first career homer and a walk-off win for Foxboro. Sean O’Leary (single) and Prescott (squeeze bunt) each brought a run home for the hosts for an early 2-0 lead. Sandwich leveled the scoring in the second and went up a run in the fourth before the Warriors pushed three across the plate in the fifth: an RBI single from Prescott followed by a two-run single from Mulkern. Tom Marcucella pitched well in relief for Foxboro, allowing one run on four hits and a walk, striking out two in three innings of work.








Softball
Division 1
#15 St. Paul Diocesan, 4 @ #2 King Philip, 6 – Final – King Philip plated five runs with two outs in the fourth inning and that was enough to hold off an upset bid from visiting St. Paul Diocesan (formerly Holy Name). The Warriors carried a 1-0 lead (Taylor Regan RBI in the first inning) into the into the bottom of the fourth. Mia Bennett was hit by a pitch with one out and Sarah Cullen followed with a two-run opposite field blast over the fence in left, her second two-run homer in as many games, to make it 3-0. Ava Kelley kept it going with a single, and scored on a double from Ava Lanza (three hits, two runs, RBI). After Meg Sherwood was hit by a pitch, an infield error brought a run home. Charlotte Raymond tacked on an RBI single to make it 6-0. The visitors rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth but Jordan Bennett (7IP, 5H, 4R, 0ER, 1BB, 6K) put an end to the rally by inducing an infield ground out and retired the side in order with a pair of strikeouts in the sixth. St. Paul reached on an error to lead off the seventh but Bennett snagged a trailing line drive and doubled the runner up at first and Bennett got the final out with a fly ball to Cullen in center two at-bats later.

#14 Bridgewater-Raynham, 3 @ #3 Taunton, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Kylie Thorpe launched a two-out home run over the fence in left in the bottom of the seventh to give the Tigers a walk-off win over Bridgewater-Raynham. The visiting Trojans twice took a lead in the game, first with a single run in the top of the first inning to make it 1-0, and then used two runs in the third to stake a 3-2 lead over the Tigers. Taunton rallied in the sixth as Kyleah Plumb dropped a bunt down the third base line and moved all the way to second when the throw was high. After a wild pitch moved Plumb to third, junior Ava Venturelli dropped two-out bunt down to bring in the run to make it 3-3. Freshman Cate Larson (5IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 4K) needed just six pitches for a 1-2-3 top of the seventh, setting up Thorpe’s winning home run. Taunton took its first lead in the bottom of the first as Plumb and Angie Lynch both reached on a bunt, an error on the latter allowing the former to come all the way home. Kaysie DeMoura followed with a double to center to bring Lynch in for a 2-1 lead. Larson came on in the third after B-R took its lead, and after a single loaded the bases with no outs, Larson got a strikeout, fielded a grounder and got the force out at home, and Hayley Krockta fielded another bunt to get the third out at home.

Boys Lacrosse
Division 2
#24 Mansfield, 7 @ #9 King Philip, 4 – Final
#26 Sharon, 8 @ #7 Minnechaug, 16 – Final

Division 3
#28 Bishop Fenwick, 5 @ #5 Foxboro, 16 – Final – Foxboro outscored visiting Fenwick 7-1 in the second quarter and closed the game on a 5-0 run to get the win and advance. After trading early goals, the Warriors staked a 4-2 lead at the end of the first quarter before dominating the second to grab a 11-3 lead at half. Fenwick scored two quick goals to start the second half but Foxboro blanked the visitors the rest of the way, scoring five straight. Conor Noone was involved in over half of the goals with five goals and four assists, Lincoln Moore added five goals and a pair of helpers, and John Sacchetti netted four goals and two assists. Tommy Sharkey and Finn Stapleton each added a tally in the win.




Girls Lacrosse
Division 1
#19 King Philip, 11 @ #14 Needham, 9 – Final – King Philip built a lead by the halftime break and stayed ahead throughout the second to earn an upset on the road over #14 Needham. Lily Brown led a balanced offensive showing for the Warriors, scoring four goals and adding one assist for the Warriors, who led 7-5 at half. KP outscored the hosts 4-2 to extend their lead before the Rockets made a late push to get within two. Julia Marsden and Makenzie McDevitt each had a hat trick in the win, Morgan Cunningham added one goal, and Emily Campbell made six saves in net for the win.

Division 2
#22 Canton, 2 @ #11 Burlington, 11 – Final
#23 Oliver Ames, 8 @ #10 Holliston, 20 – Final

Division 3
#27 Bishop Stang, 4 @ #6 Foxboro, 21 – Final – Mya Waryas scored seven times and Paige Curran racked up 11 points as Foxboro rolled in its opening round game against Stang. Waryas also added an assist, while Curran finished with four goals and seven helpers. Val Beigel also had a big day with five goals and Cate Noone chipped in with a hat trick and a pair of assists. Mary Collins (one assist) and Kaelin Connors also found the back of the net for the Warriors. Audrey Campbell made seven saves to record the win in goal. Foxboro will host No. 11 Hanover in the next round.

Boys Tennis
Division 2
#10 Mansfield, 1 @ #7 Walpole, 4 – Final – Mansfield’s season came to a close on the road at #7 Walpole, winning just one match. Sophomore Iniyan Karruppusami didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 victory at third singles for the Hornets.

Girls Tennis
Division 2
#22 Minnechaug, 1 @ #6 Sharon, 4 – Final
#13 Oliver Ames, 0 @ #4 Masconomet, 5 – Final

Division 3
#10 Whitinsville, 3 @ #7 Foxboro, 2 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Division 2
#13 Lowell Catholic, 0 @ #4 Milford, 3 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/20/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Milton, 6 – Final – Foxboro scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to make it a one run game, but Milton pulled away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Sean O’Leary and Tyler Prescott (run) each had two hits for the Warriors, who had 10 total hits as a team. Louis Carangelo drove in two runs while Liam Mulkern added one RBI for Foxboro.

Franklin, 4 vs. Catholic Memorial, 2 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to break open a tie game and tacked on a key insurance run an inning later to take down Catholic Memorial, snapping a three-game skid. Tied 1-1, Joe Tirrell drilled a solo home run to left on the first pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Panthers back in front. Jack Marino followed with a one-out single, took third on an error, and scored on a single from Evan Raider to put the Panthers ahead 3-1. CM struck with two outs in the next inning to get back within a run but Tirrell reached on a dropped third strike, courtesy runner Luke Sidwell stole second and took third on a passed ball, and scored when Ryan Gerety reach on an error to make it 4-2. Jacob Jette tossed a complete game for the win, allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits and no walks, striking out six.

Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 3 – Final – After surrendering three runs in the top of the second inning, Oliver Ames pushed across four runs in the bottom half and held that lead the rest of the way in a non-league win over Dighton-Rehoboth. Nathan Carpentier (2-for-3) had an RBI single to plate Jake Waxman (leadoff single), Nick Ferrini drew a bases loaded walk to score Jack Muir (HBP), Jack Morley grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring Joe Cicchetti (HBP) home, and courtesy runner Brendan Connolly took home on a double steal to make it 4-3. Nick Clark had a strong outing on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks, striking out six in six innings of work. Ian Kelly allowed one hit but struck out one to record the save.

King Philip, 2 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and Ryan MacDougall limited the Warriors to their lowest runs scored this season to emerge with the win in a battle of unbeatens. MacDougall tossed a complete game, allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out one in the win. KP struck first in the top of the first inning after an RBI single from Shawn Legere scored Travis Crawford (leadoff double). Taunton had an immediate response with three runs in the bottom half. Dawson Bryce (triple) scored on a single from MacDougall, and courtesy runner Brayden Cali came home on a sac fly from Colby DeCouta, and AJ Lewis smacked a two-out RBI double to put Taunton ahead 3-1. In the bottom of the fifth, Braden Sullivan had a two-run single to bring both Bryce (single) and MacDougall (single) in to extend the lead to 5-1. KP got one back in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Brendan Sencaj. The Warriors brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the seventh but MacDougall induced a grounder for the final out.

Sharon, 8 @ Brookline, 3 – Final – Sharon saw a two-run lead vanish in the third inning but responded with two runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth to break into the win column with a victory on the road over Brookline. Trailing 3-2 in the fourth, Jack Broughton hit a one-out RBI double to bring in the tying run and Palash Raina put the Eagles ahead with a sac fly to score Dylan Labbe (HBP). Dan Okstein tripled in the first run of the fifth, Ryan Baker followed with an RBI single, Broughton drew a bases loaded walk three at-bats later, and the Eagles tacked on another run with a passed ball. Sophomore Luke Meixel was strong on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and four walked in 5.1 innings, striking out six for the win. Baker tossed 1.2 scoreless innings in relief.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Natick, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – Tyler DeMattio had a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in two runs while Derek Maceda also chipped in with a pair of hits for the Rocketeers.




Softball
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan, 11:00

Franklin, 3 @ Walpole, 6 – Final

Mansfield, 3 vs. Bay Path, 1 – Final – Mansfield earned its first win of the season by handing Bay Path its first loss. Julia Kelly went the distance in the circle, allowing six hits, striking out five, and keeping Bay Path scoreless for the final six innings. The Hornets trailed 1-0 into the fourth. Liv Madeira singled and moved to third on a Casey Moussette base hit. Jill Koppy dropped down a well-placed bunt to bring in the tying run. It stayed 1-1 into the sixth thanks to solid defense from the Hornets. Alanna Conley threw out a runner at the plate in the fifth and Koppy caught a runner stealing second in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half of the inning, Mousette singled and pinch runner Reilley Slaney went from first-to-third on a single by Koppy. Pinch hitter Olivia Bovey came through with the big hit, singling in both runners to put the Hornets up 3-1.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ East Bridgewater, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame an early deficit and Katie Melendy pitched a complete game, shutting out the Vikings over the final six innings for a win on the road. The Tigers took a 1-0 lead (Maddie Homer squeeze bunt to score Caitlin Miller) in the top of the first but the Vikings plated two in the bottom half for the lead. In the top of the third, OA surged back ahead with Miller scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI single from Lexi Galsband. Miller came in to score a key insurance run on another wild pitch in the top of the fifth. Melendy allowed the two runs on just five hits and two walks, striking out eight in the win.

Stoughton, 8 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final – Alyssa Edwards continued to swing a hot bat for the Black Knights, going 3-for-3 with a homer, to lead Stoughton to the non-league win. Kerry Driscoll went the distance to pick up her sixth win, allowing six hits and striking out five. Edwards got Stoughton off to a good start with a two-run homer in the first, added an RBI triple, and then led off the sixth with a double. Camryn Whitman had an RBI triple and Driscoll, Sydney Menz, Melody Casna, Julie Powers, and Angie Berry all had hits in the win.

Boys Lacrosse
Sharon, 7 @ Dedham, 5 – Final – Brady Daylor continued his strong start to the season and the Eagles picked up a key non-league win on the road over Dedham. Daylor scored five goals while Ben Shocket (9-for-16 faceoffs) and Jace Nestler each scored once in the win.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/08/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 9 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – A seven-run second inning plus a masterful performance on the mound from senior David Floyd led the Rocketeers to a rivalry win over Attleboro. Floyd tossed a complete game one-hitter, striking out seven for the win. He had a no-hitter through 5.2 innings. Offensively, Christian Bates (three RBI) had a two-run double and Danny Curran (two hits) added a two-run single in North’s big second inning. Tyler Bannon also had two hits for North, including a double.

Canton, 3 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Sophomore Sean McGee had a pair of hits while junior Evan Cornelius and sophomore Anthony LaPierre got it done on the mound as Milford upended Canton. McGee had an RBI and scored a run to pace the Hawks’ offense. Cornelius scattered five hits and three walks in five innings of work, striking out six with two earned runs allowed. LaPierre allowed just one run over the final two innings, striking out three.

Foxboro @ Mansfield – Postponed to TBD.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Franklin set the tone early with three runs in the bottom of the first and then tacked on four more in the second to secure a win over visiting Oliver Ames. Franklin took advantage of an error and a walk to get RBI singles from Chris Goode (3-for-3, three RBI), Jace Lyons (3-for-3, two RBI), and Ben Jarosz to seize a 3-0 lead. Jack Muir had a hit and a run scored to help OA (seven errors) cut the deficit to one run but Franklin came right back with four runs, all with two outs, to break it open. Goode knocked in Luke Sidwell and Ryan Gerety (two hits, two runs), and a drop third strike allowed Goode and Evan Raider to score to make it 7-2. Sophomore Austin Campbell earned the win in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in three innings of work. Ethan Voellmicke tossed two scoreless innings in relief, striking out three with one hit allowed.

Sharon, 0 @ Taunton, 13 – Final (5 inn.)








Softball
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Lily Routhier threw a four-hit shutout, struck out six, and scored both runs to lead Attleboro to a win over rival North Attleboro. Kelly Colleran struck out 13 batters in the loss, including striking out the side in three separate innings. She also had one of North’s three hits, an infield single in the first inning. Attleboro broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth. Routhier led off the inning by beating out a single on a slow roller to short and then took second when a pitch got to the backstop. Lauren Eby then ripped a single to center, bringing in Routhier with what turned out to be the game-winning run. With two outs in the fifth, Julia Forman lined a single to right and stole second but Routhier got a strikeout to end the inning. Lindsey Perry got to third in the bottom half of the fifth, but Colleran got a groundout to Shaelyn Burns at third to end the threat. North had the heart of the order due up in the sixth. Ally Levine drew a lead-off walk, but Colleran hit a deep fly to center for the first out. Levine tried to steal second, but Attleboro catcher Destani Miranda threw a strike to get her for the second out. Zoe McDonough followed with a ground-rule double to left but a groundout ended the rally. Routhier started the bottom of the sixth with a line drive single to right and Eby followed with one of her own. After Routhier moved to third, Sarah Maher placed a perfect bunt between Colleran and Burns for an infield single and a crucial insurance run. Perry came up with a big diving grab on a liner to start the seventh and prevent a North rally.

Milford, 7 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Highlighted by a pair of home runs, Milford exploded for six runs in the fourth inning to get a win on the road at Canton. Freshman Cae Pellegrini (two hits) smacked her first career home run and freshman Jianna Fernandes (two hits, two runs) launched a two-run home run, the first of her career. Sophomore Camille Bonina (two hits) cleared the bases with a single to right in the same inning to push the lead to 6-0. Senior Gianna Cacciola added two hits for the Scarlet Hawks. Sophomore Maeve Driscoll went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a stolen base and also pitched four innings, striking out five with four hits allowed. Senior Olivia Morelli didn’t allow an earned run in three innings of work, striking out two.

Mansfield @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames scored three runs in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead but Franklin scored once in each the second and fourth to tie it, and then scored five runs over the fifth and six innings to get the win. Lexi Galsband brought in OA’s first run with a squeeze bunt and Katie Melendy and Katherine Farley followed with an RBI each to make it 3-1. Dana Stott had an RBI single to cut the deficit in half and and Aislinn Lavery brought in the tying run to make it 3-3. In the top of the fifth, Reece Allen smacked an RBI double and Kiera Kotwicki drove in a second run to put the Panthers ahead 5-3. In the top of the sixth, the Panthers pushed across three runs to extend the lead to 8-3. Kotwicki got the win in the circle, scattering four hits in four innings of work while Lavery tossed three scoreless innings in relief, striking out two without allowing a hit. Freshman Emily Martin had two hits and a run scored for the Tigers.

Taunton, 29 @ Sharon, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton hit four home runs as a team to bounce back from its first loss in three years. Brooke Aldrich led the way for the Tigers with five hits, a homer, four runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Hayley Krockta had four hits, four runs scored, and three RBI. Ava Venturelli was 2-for-2 with a triple, a homer, three RBI, and three runs scored, while Kaysie Demoura had three hits, a homer, five RBI, and four runs. Lead-off hitter Angie Lynch got on base three times, had three RBI, and three runs. Kylie Thorpe had three hits, Katelyn Bizarro had two hits, including a homer, and Kyleah Plumb had a pair of hits.




Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 7 vs. Norwood, 17 – Final – Anna Hertzel had a hat trick and an assist to lead the Eagles attack. Keira Ledyard had two goals, while Athena Merck and Bailey Garte each scored once. Tess Letendre played well in goal, making 12 saves.

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro swept all three singles matches and tacked on another win from doubles action to take down rival Attleboro. Senior Will Folan earned a 6-2, 6-3 win at first singles, junior Brody Carter grabbed a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Darren Liang emerged with a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. North Attleboro added its fourth point via the team of sophomore Caleb Cheney and senior Aashman Gupta, who battled to a 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) win at second doubles. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Tyler Rocchio and Kyle Neuendorf grabbed another win, this time 7-5, 6-1.

Milford, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Freshman Justin Ngan earned the first victory of his career, highlighting Canton’s 5-0 sweep over visiting Milford. Ngan picked up the win at third singles in a well-played match against Milford freshman Cory Rattray. Canton’s Austin Lee and Jad Antoun also grabbed their first win, taking the victory at second doubles.

Mansfield, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Mansfield’s strong singles play continued on Friday, this time getting a sweep of Foxboro plus another victory from doubles action to get the 4-1 win. Freshman Neema Khosravani won a hard-fought match at first singles (6-3, 6-4), junior Benson Delany moved into singles play and secured a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles, and Nikhil Nain grabbed a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Mansfield also got a win from the doubles team of Lura Meyer and Nathan Cote (6-1, 6-2). Foxboro’s Josh Weiner and Jacob Weiner grabbed a 6-3, 6-4 win at first doubles.

Franklin, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Franklin won a pair of singles matches and a pair of doubles matches, all in straight sets, to get a win on the road in Easton. Senior Vayshnav Malhotra didn’t drop a set in a 6-0, 6-0 first singles victory while senior Thomas Broyles was victorious 6-3, 6-2 at second singles for the Panthers. Sameen Shaik and Tyler Fitzpatrick earned a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the Panthers got a 6-2, 6-1 win from the second doubles tandem of senior Tim O’Keefe and sophomore Jay Gorgas. Oliver Ames senior Raphael Vache prevailed in a marathon third singles match, 6-1, 1-6, 7-6 (1).

Taunton @ Sharon, 3:45




Girls Tennis
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – A singles sweep proved to be enough for North Attleboro in a close battle with rival Attleboro. Sophomore Lauren Hunt grabbed a 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, junior Grace Noreck secured a 6-4, 6-1 win at second singles, and senior Krithika Mood completed the singles sweep with a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Attleboro’s first doubles team of seniors Tina Lam and Saharla Yusuf won 6-2, 6-2, and the tandem of sophomores Kyra Johnson and Presley Biller emerged with a 6-3, 6-4 decision.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Canton’s Laura Correal won a third set tiebreaker at third singles to help the Bulldogs complete a 5-0 sweep on the road at Milford. Correal took a 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 win, Camila Cutter secured a 6-3, 6-0 win at first singles, and Kelli Woodworth was victorious, 6-3, 6-0, at third singles. The team of Olivia Durham and Grace Powers earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, while the Canton second doubles tandem of Olivia Maloney and Allie Wong grabbed a 6-2, 6-1 win.

Foxboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Foxboro won all three singles matches in straight sets, and took another point with a third set tiebreaker in doubles play to take down Mansfield. Athena Li continued to roll with a 6-0, 6-0 win, Hailey Kornbluth secured a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and Makayla Peck completed the singles sweep with a 6-0, 7-5 third singles victory. Abby Costa and Juliana Preston added a 6-3, 6-0 victory at first doubles for the Warriors. The team of Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey rallied for a 5-7, 6-3, 10-7 win at second doubles for the Hornets.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Anchored by a sweep of singles action, Franklin defended home court to knock off the visiting Tigers of Oliver Ames. Vedika Vinayak prevailed with a 6-4, 6-2 win at first singles, Izzy Trull added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Sarah Schiavo won 6-2, 6-2 at third singles for the Panthers. The team of Chloe Essam and Sydney Tolonen added another win for Franklin, taking the second doubles match by a score of 6-1, 6-2. Oliver Ames’ first doubles tandem of Morgan Vasiliou and Caroline Peper notched a 6-1, 6-1 win.

Sharon, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and won all five matches in straight sets to bounce back from a close loss on Thursday. Navya Shukla secured a 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles, Judy Song earned a 6-1, 6-1 victory at second singles, and Abby Vilk grabbed a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Sharon swept both doubles matches with Olivia Landstein and Alice Zaniewski taking first doubles, 6-3, 6-2.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/20/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Milford, 46 vs. Brockton, 65 – Final

Boys Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis Center)
Attleboro, 50 @ Taunton, 49 – – Final – It came down to just one point as Attleboro clinched a win over Taunton, securing a 5-0 season and its first ever Kelley-Rex division title and first Hock title in indoor track. If Taunton had won, the Tigers would have clinched a three-way share with the Bombardiers and Mansfield. Attleboro earned a sweep in the long jump, led by Adrian Rivera’s leap of 19-01.50 followed by Kaidan Murray and Cashel Stuger. Stuger anchored the sweep of the 55M hurdles, taking first in 8.41 followed by Murray and Peter DelPozzo. Attleboro also got wins from Jacob Blazek (600M, 1:31.4), Damon Dugan (high jump, 5-08.00), and Chris Leonardo (shot put, 42-11.75). Dmitrius Shearrion (55M, 6.92), Conal Scully (300M, 37.49), Ryan Strawbridge (1000M, 2:43.49), Andrew Cali (1 Mile, 4:50.84), and Brayden Cali (10:24.23) all won for Taunton.

North Attleboro, 68 @ Sharon, 32 – Final – Nathan Shultz took first in two events and North Attleboro swept three events to score a win over Sharon. Shultz was the winner in the 55M dash (6.80) and then anchored a sweep of the high jump (5-10.00) followed by Nathan MacDonald and Aaron Levesque. Levesque took first in the long jump, followed by MacDonald and Kyle Conroy for another sweep, and Brodie Clemente, Joseph Beckett, and Mark Etienvre swept the shot put in North’s win. North also got wins from Michael Simonian (300M, 39.29), Evan Tino (600M, 1:34.99), and Connor Peterson (1 Mile, 4:52.31). Sharon’s Karthik Pisupati won the 1000M, Adam Lessard was first in the 2 Mile race, and Alexander Gong took first in the 55M hurdles (8.51).

Canton, 32 @ Stoughton, 63 – Final – Stoughton swept the 600M and the shot put, adding first place finishes in six more events and one relay in its win over Canton. Jett Tran-Burger was first in the 600M followed by Alex Huynh Joao Marotti whie Zachary Roos took first in the shot put followed by teammates Thomas Laz and Shawn Fargher. Jalen Castillo was a triple winner for the Knights, taking first in the 55M, the 300M, and the long jump while other winners for Stoughton included Thomas Brennan (1000M), Rinoldi Lauradin (high jump), and Hunter Tran (55m hurdles). Kyle Downing won the 2 Mile in 10:44.58 for Canton while Sam Vail set a new PR in the 1 Mile, taking first in 5:09.26.

Foxboro, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 72 – Final – Oliver Ames won 11 of the 12 events, including both relays, on its way to completing a perfect 5-0 dual meet season to clinch the Davenport division title. Fabrice Fouron was the big winner for the Tigers, taking three first-place finishes to lead the way. Fouron won the high jump (5-02.00), the long jump (19-01.50), and the 55M hurdles (8.90) to register 15 points on his own. OA also picked up wins from Ashton Hart (55M, 6.95), Joshua Tocci (300M, 39.31), Wyatt Fritchman (1000M, 2:55.46), Ryan Sarney (1 Mile, 4:33.01), Alexander Pierce (2 Mile, 10:24.90), and Brayden Burton (shot put, 35-07.00). Foxboro’s Jared Ciora took first place in the 600M with a time of 1:35.12.

Mansfield, 65 @ Franklin, 31 – Final – Mansfield took first place in seven events plus swept both relays to grab a win over Franklin. Jake Wall was a double-winner, taking first in both the 55M (6.79) and the long jump (21-06.25) while the Hornets also got wins from Riley Tremblay (1000M, 2:50.19), Chris Leonard (1 Mile, 4:39.97), Collin Stevens (2 Mile, 10:30.17), Evan Rawlings (high jump, 5-02.00), and Dylan Buchanan (55M hurdles, 8.54). Luke Sidwell (300M, 37.70), Tyler Powderly (300M, 1:28.58), and Emmett Lackey (shot put, 40-08.75) had wins for Franklin.

Milford, 39 @ King Philip, 60 – Final – Anchored by a sweep in the long jump and five more first place finishes, King Philip secured a win over Milford. Degen Granese anchored the sweep, taking first in the long jump followed by Luca Giardini and Turag Ikbal. Granese added a win in the high jump, Giardini took first in the 600M, Nathan Gebhard won the 300M, Noah Hurd was first in the 1000M, and Nathan Sylven won the 2 Mile race. Milford got wins from Patrick Delaney (55M), James Comisky (1 Mile), Marco Monteiro (shot put) and Samuel Borst (55M hurdles).










Girls Indoor Track (@ Reggie Lewis Center)
North Attleboro, 53 @ Sharon, 46 – Final – North Attleboro swept both the high jump and the shot put and recorded points in every individual event to land a close win over Sharon. Caroline Folan won the high jump followed by Sydney O’Connor and Meagan Dowd while Marissa Robinson took first in the shot put and was followed by Sienna Newth and Noemie Eugene. Dowd also took first in the 300M while Katie Galgoczy won the 2 Mile race. Sharon’s Simeone Dunbar won three events (55M, long jump, 55M hurdles) while Samantha Connors (600M), Sierra Robison (1000M), and Daphne Theiler (1 Mile) each finished first for the Eagles.

Canton, 30 @ Stoughton, 69 – Final – Stoughton’s Shayla Ford was a triple winner and Elaine McCarty won two individual events to help the Black Knights take down Canton. Ford was first in the 55M (7.85), the 300M (46.84), and the long jump (15-03.00) while McCarty won the 1000M (3:30.67) and the 1 Mile (6:23.15). Also winning for Stoughton were Julie Richardson (600M, 1:49.32), Alexis Mederios (2 Mile, 14:19.71), and Annalisa Marckmann (shot put, 29-05.00). Canton earned wins from Katie Oliver (55M hurdles, 10.70) and Ella Lewis (high jump, 4-06.00). Lewis was also third in the long jump and second in the 55M hurdles while Oliver had a second place finish in the 55M dash.

Foxboro, 29 @ Oliver Ames, 69 – Final – Oliver Ames had two of the top three finishes in eight of the 10 individual events and split the relays to secure a big win over Foxboro, completing a perfect 5-0 dual meet season to grab the Davenport division title. Johanna Holmes, Julia Maclaine, and Amelia Andre each took home a pair of wins for the Tigers, Holmes taking first in both the 600M (1:45.64) and the 1000M (3:17.05), Maclaine winning the 300M (45.66) and the high jump (4-08.00), and Andre taking the 55M (7.99) and the long jump (14-08.00). Taegen Hodges (1 Mile, 5:40.92), Katie Sobieraj (2 Mile, 11:34.83), Emily Meyers (shot put, 23-00.50), and Tatum Fritchman (55M hurdles, 10.95) also won for OA.

Mansfield, 53 @ Franklin, 47 – Final – Mansfield took points from each individual event, getting two of the top three spots in five events to just edge out Franklin and finish the season at 5-0 for the Kelley-Rex division title. The Hornets got key points with a 1-2 finish in the 55M dash (Chloe Guthrie, Abigail Scott), the 1000M (Katherine Miller, Meghan Johnston), the 1 Mile (Norah Puleo, Alanna Conley) and the long jump (Anna Buckley, Elsie Roberts) plus first and third in the 55M hurdles (Buckley, Julia Pike). Mansfield also got key wins in the 600M (Caitlin Dumouchel) and the 2 Mile (Anna Moore). Franklin picked up wins from Sophia Cuneo (300M, 1:48.13), Abigail Griffith (high jump, 5-00.00), and Darby Nicholson (shot put, 30-08.50).

Milford, 68 @ King Philip, 29 – Final – Kiyanni Simas won three individual events and Sydney Kalil won two more to help the Scarlet Hawks land a win over King Philip. Simas took first in the 55M dash, the long jump (a Scarlet Hawk sweep), and the 55M hurdles while Kalil was the winner in both the 1 Mile and 2 Mile races. Milford also got a win from Tatiana Chaplin in the 1000M. KP’s Grace Lawler (300M), Leah Vigevani (600M), and Ahunna James (shot put) had first place finishes.

Attleboro, 53 @ Taunton, 47 – Final – Attleboro took first place in six individual events and finished second in three of them for key points in a close win over Taunton. The Bombarders went first and second in the high jump (Rebecca Rainey, Madison Ellis), the long jump (Jahela Douglas, Aariana Ridge), and the shot put (Madison Morgan, Elayna Marinelli). Attleboro also had first place finishes in the 55M dash (Douglas), the 1 Mile (Emelia Smith), and the 55M hurdles (Angela Cooney(. Taunton got wins from Nia Mainer-Smith (300M), Phylicia Dias (600M), Kiley Quinlan (1000M), and Emersyn DePonte (2 Mile).

Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 85 @ Mansfield, 66 – Final – Mansfield’s Rico Palanza and Xavier Gwynne each won an event, took second in another, and were apart of two winning relay teams. Palanza won the 50 free and took second in the 100 free while Gwynne was first in the 200 medley and second in the 100 backstroke. Senior Kevin McCarthy added a second place finish in the 200 free and a PR time for second in the 100 free while classmate Ryan Morley swam a pair of personal bests in the 100 breaststroke (third place) and the 500 free. Palanza, Gwynne, McCarthy and Morley teamed up to win the 200 medley relay, and the team of McCarthy, Neil Dalpe, Gwynne, and Palanza won the 200 free relay.

Sharon @ Oliver Ames, 4:30

Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 90 @ Mansfield, 61 – Final – Attleboro freshman Zuri Ferguson broke her third school record so far this season and qualified for states in a pair of events to help the Bombardiers take down Mansfield. After setting new marks in the 100 backstroke and 500 free earlier this year, Ferguson set a new record of 59.56 in the 100 butterfly, beating the record time of 1:01.2. Ferguson also won the 200 IM and was apart of the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays. Ferguson was joined by Natalia Kotnisz, Caroline Lynch-Bartek, and Ella Lynch-Bartek on the 400 free, which qualified for states. Caroline Lynch-Bartek added wins in the 200 and 500 free on top of the two relay wins. For Mansfield, Sofia Seifert set a new personal best and qualified for sectionals in a first place finish in the 50 free and also took first in the 100 breaststroke with another PR.

Sharon @ Oliver Ames, 4:30

Franklin Beats Methuen to Get Another Shot at Gillette

Franklin football
Franklin running back Mack Gulla rushed for a pair of touchdowns in a 24-7 win over Methuen in the D1 quarterfinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FRANKLIN, Mass. – During its undefeated run to the Div. 1 quarterfinal, Franklin’s high-powered offense has gotten a lot of the attention but there are exceptional athletes on both sides of the ball and in Friday night’s visit of Methuen to Pisini Stadium the defense showed off its speed and athleticism in slowing down the Rangers.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After giving up a touchdown on the opening drive of the game, Franklin scored 24 unanswered points to pull out a 24-7 victory and for the second time in three seasons is one game away from a trip to Gillette Stadium and a Super Bowl appearance.

“We just have to play good football,” said Franklin coach Eian Bain. “You’re not going to win at this level if you don’t play good football. You have to be very sound in that phase of the game and we did a good job tonight minus maybe one or two miscues.

Senior linebacker Nick Quintina added, “We weren’t really communicating the first drive. Once we all started communicating, calling the routes out, where the receivers were placed at, that’s what really helped us out.”

Methuen, fresh off an opening-round win against perennial power Everett, is a tough offense to pin down with all of its pre-snap motion, the variety of its sets, and the speed that it brings to every position. The Rangers got off to a very quick start, taking the opening drive 76 yards in eight play.

On fourth and one from near midfield, Jaetel Gomez got two yards for a first down. On the next play, Drew Eason fired a strike to Will McKinnon for 48 yards down to the Franklin five. CJ Muniz did the rest, getting to the corner for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead. It looked like it might be a long night for the Panthers defense, but that ended up being the only score that Methuen could muster.

The lead didn’t last long either. Franklin answered right back with a 77-yard drive. Mack Gulla (19 carries, 122 yards) was the focal point for the Panthers, getting seven carries on the opening possession. After an 11-yard completion from Jared Arone to Will Deschenes into Methuen territory, Gulla broke runs of 14 and 23 yards to get inside the 10. He punched it in from five yards to tie the game.

“That’s kind of been what we’ve done all year, just pick our moments, pick our marks, and attack but also not get out of the game plan,” Bain explained. “We went right down the script, some of it worked great, some of it didn’t and we saw that, and when we had to have the moments our kids made plays.”

When it got back on the field, Franklin’s defense started to turn things around. Quintina and Jay Gulla stuffed Eason for a loss of one, a flea flicker sailed over the receiver, and then Luke Davis made a play on the ball to break up the third down pas. On the next possession, it was Luke Sidwell in coverage making a play to get off the field.

Franklin got the ball back for its third possession at its own 49 and took advantage of the short field to grab the lead for good. A 13-yard pass to Will Tracey got Franklin down to the Rangers 27. Two plays later, Arone went back to Tracey on the far sideline and the 6-foot-2 receiver was able to go up and haul the pass in while getting a foot down inbounds. The 23-yard score made it 14-7.

Methuen moved the ball on its next drive, with Eason finding Braeden Carter for 10 yards to convert on fourth and three and get into Franklin’s half of the field. Quintina and Cullen Pek stuffed a second and two run for no gain and Pek and Jonathan Martins made a stop on third down, but the Muniz got three on fourth down to move the chains.

Pek came up with another big stop, dropping Eason for a loss of four. Sidwell and Devine Johnson combined to break up a halfback pass and then Jack Marino sacked Eason back at the 38 to force fourth and long and a punt.

The Panthers got the ball to start the second half and Deschenes made sure they started in a good spot, returning the kick off 41 yards out to the 46. A pair of passes from Arone (8-of-15, 133 yards) to Tracey (four catches, 56 yards) got the ball to the Methuen 32. From there, Gulla did the rest. He burst through the line of scrimmage, raced past the linebackers into the secondary and was gone for his second score of the night.

“He’s the starting point,” Bain said of Gulla. “Everything we do kind of starts with him and how can we branch off that and we’re fortunate because we have a lot of good players and a lot of guys got involved tonight with different parts of the game plan. But, when he goes, we go a little bit better.”

Pek, Quintina, Jay Gulla, Emmett Lackey, and the rest of the Franklin front seven was flying around making plays and giving Eason no time in the pocket.

“We really just feed off the play and whoever gets open in the gap,” Quintina said. “Coach has been doing a great job getting calls in, double blitzing. When we double blitz usually it opens up a big gap and whoever is on that blitz has a free run.”

Bain added, “They’re relentless. They’re tough to handle and they have motors and they’re a lovable group of kids but they don’t stop. They would drive you nuts if you were their parents. They don’t stop and their pursuit of the quarterback and of excellence is contagious and I think it fuels our defense.”

Franklin put the game away four minutes into the fourth quarter. Facing second and 15 from the Panthers 38, Arone looked deep down the near sideline to Davis, who managed to pull in the catch and stay just inbounds right in front of the Franklin bench. The 32-yard catch got the hosts to the 30.

On fourth and eight, Arone was able to hit Shane Kindred for a 15-yard catch near the sideline to keep the drive moving. It would lead to a 22-yard kick from Garrett Portesi and a 24-7 lead.

“We’re just playing our role as underdogs all season,” said Quintina. “Every team that looks at us, we look small, but we’re just the underdogs and we love that role.”

Franklin (9-0) will put its perfect record on the line next week against No. 5 Springfield Central, which crushed Xaverian 40-15, at a time, date, and location to be determined.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.