03/19/2023

Canton Rallies Again, Wins D2 State Championship

Canton boys hockey captains Leo Owens, Brendan Tourgee, and AJ Thomas celebrate with the Division 2 state championship trophy after beating Hopkinton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

BOSTON, Mass. – It was a frustrating first 28 minutes for Canton (22-4) in Saturday’s Div. 2 state title game at the TD Garden. The Bulldogs had more than 20 shots on target, including some gilt-edged scoring opportunities, saw pucks hit the side-netting, bounce up on top of the net, shots go over the bar or just wide, and watched Hopkinton goalie Jack Lang come through with several huge saves.

There were moments when Canton could have been forgiven for thinking, it’s just not our night. Head coach Brian Shuman admitted that he was starting to get concerned as the clock ticked on without his team finding the back of the net.

“I was the first person to overreact on the bench when we missed the net,” Shuman said after the game. “Credit to our players, they stayed calm, cool, and collected and didn’t take on the persona of their coach, which was a good thing.”

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Shuman shouldn’t have worried. For the second game in a row, the Bulldogs rallied from a goal down, showing the resilience of state champions. With two goals in a little over a minute at the end of the second period and a pair of goals from seniors in the final three minutes of the game, Canton skated away with a 4-1 victory and its third state title in the past five seasons.

“Seeing everyone out there, before we were like we’re not going to let what happened last year happen again and we came together, just had a quick talk,” said senior forward AJ Thomas. “After they scored the first one, we were down a little but we weren’t going to let it go. We came together in the locker room and came out in the second and put it to them. I’m happy to win it for everyone back home.”

Shuman added, “We’ve been in close games all year long. We’re just used to playing in tight games and credit to our guys, they’re saying the same things they were in the last round, ‘We’re fine, stay with it, we’re fine,’ and that’s not coming from the coaches. That’s coming from them.”

Canton was the favorite coming into the final. The No. 8 seed Hillers were playing in only their second state title game (and first in D2), while the Bulldogs are the perennial powers who have reached the final for four straight years (excluding the 2021 season that had no tournament).

It was the underdogs that would take the early advantage. A slap shot from Vasi Zolotarev hit a couple bodies in front of Canton goalie Colin Davis (14 saves). The puck landed at the skates of Hopkinton star Pavit Mehra and he rifled it past the goalie from close range to put the Hillers in front. It was his 40th goal of the season and fifth in the last two rounds.

A few minutes later, the Hillers nearly made it two. Catching Canton in a change, Ryan Teitel got free in the left wing circle and tested Davis, who was able to stay tall and make the save.

Canton grew into the game. Thomas forced Lang into a save from the left wing, Jack Digirolamo weaved through the Hopkinton defense and put a backhand shot on target, James Young got a shot on net from the point, Jeffrey Chaput teed up Thomas for a chance in the slot that went high and wide, then set up Brendan Tourgee in almost the same spot for another shot off target.

The Bulldogs outshot Hopkinton 14-5 in the first. For all that pressure, it was the Hillers that again came closest to finding twine. Drew Morse sent in a shot from the point that Davis knocked down. Mehra was again in the right spot to get to the rebound, but, at full stretch, Davis managed to get a toe to the shot to keep it out.

In the second, Canton kept the chances coming (outshooting Hopkinton 12-2 in the period). Griffin Hughes fed Brian Middleton in front but his tip was kept out by Lang (31 saves) who then made a stunning, diving, glove save to deny Colin Blake, who had steamed in to knock the rebound into what looked like an open net.

Chaput chipped a puck up the boards for Tourgee to test the goalie from the right wing circle. Then it was Travis Thomas with a quick wraparound effort that Lang kept out. Mehra would get Hopkinton’s best chance of the second when he pounced on a mistake in the neutral zone to fire a shot on Davis. Michael Thomas added a chance from the slot, but again Lang was able to get a pad on it.

Finally, with 1:48 left in the second, Canton was able to find the back of the net, letting off a celebration that was at least in part a sigh of relief. Fittingly, after all those great chances, it was a scruffy goal to tie things up. Young’s shot from the left point was saved by Lang. The loose puck landed right on the stick of Tourgee who smashed his shot off the post, back off his skate, and then across the line.

After waiting so long to get the first, the Bulldogs needed only a minute before netting a second. Digirolamo used his big frame to power off the left wing boards towards goal. The puck was poked out to Middleton, who whipped a shot past Lang to put Canton in front.

“I think it was a little relief, definitely felt like there was a little less tension in the locker room, but these guys, the way that they approach every game, every period, is shift-by-shift,” Shuman said. “That’s the approach they took in the third. We don’t want to get too high or too low.”

The third period wasn’t as frenetic as the first two, as Canton tried to limit the stretch passes that Hopkinton looked so dangerous on and the Hillers tried to get Mehra into space to create. Dylan Mansur got the puck in front to Danny White to force a pad stop from Davis and Mehra made a great play to get the puck past the defense to Joe Scardino, but again the Canton goalie was equal to it.

For a defensive unit that graduated some important pieces, Canton’s pairings of Young, Hughes, Matt Anderson, Leo Owens, Jack Lauro, and Teddy Shuman, and with Davis in net, allowed only two goals in five playoff games this year.

“Colin Davis has been fantastic,” Shuman said. “We graduated arguably some of the best defensemen we’ve ever seen in this program, and for these guys to step up, some guys who were watching in the stands [last year] playing huge minutes, I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

With less than three minutes to play, Canton doubled its lead. AJ Thomas slipped a pass to Chaput as he raced into the left wing circle and his fellow senior roofed his shot over Lang to make it 3-1. It was Chaput’s fifth goal in five playoff games.

“We just sit back and think about who we’re doing this for,” Thomas said about his team’s resiliency. He noted the inspiration that the Bulldogs have gotten from Kieran Whall, a Canton three-year-old battling leukemia. “For everyone out there, who came tonight, it’s amazing, we’re doing it for them. We just look back and see who we’re doing it for and go out and do it.”

The Hillers pulled Lang and desperately tried to find a goal that would get them back into the game, but with 25.9 on the clock, just as he did against Duxbury in the semifinal, Thomas found the empty netter that sealed the win and the state title.

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“It’s crazy,” Young explained. “It feels so good. I’m speechless. Last Canton High game, you got to win.”

Asked about his program’s consistency, Shuman replied, “These guys, they put a lot of pressure on themselves. They’ve been in the stands watching some kids who are older than them on the ice raising the trophy and that’s their dream.”

“I think last year we felt that pressure and played well, just came up short. This year, I thought the players’ mental approach coming into this game was just outstanding. They were really having some fun this week.”

03/12/202303/12/2023

Thomas Nets Twice to Lead Canton to Another D2 Final

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. – With the clock running down under a minute to play in Saturday afternoon’s semifinal at the Gallo Ice Arena, Duxbury was pressing hard to try and find the tying goal. The puck bounced out to the blue line and Canton senior forward AJ Thomas was able to get a stick on it, use his body to shield it from a couple of Duxbury players, and break forward into the neutral zone.

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Under pressure, Thomas veered towards the near boards and then flicked a shot towards an empty Duxbury goal. When the puck crossed the line, the Canton bench exploded in both relief and joy. Thomas had just sealed a come-from-behind 3-1 victory and booked Canton’s fourth straight appearance at the TD Garden to play for the Div. 2 state title.

“It doesn’t get old,” said senior forward Jeffrey Chaput after the game. With the Canton girls getting ready to take the ice as he was speaking, Chaput added, “It’s really tradition. It’s just Canton hockey, we’re used to being at the Garden. As you see the girls going on right now, this is a town of hockey.”

Canton coach Brian Shuman said, “It’s all about this group. They’re playing their best hockey at the right time and I can’t even begin to say how proud I am of them. We have a tremendous amount of respect for [Duxbury] and knew we had to come out and play well and I’m just so happy for our guys because they really earned this opportunity.”

Scoring chances were limited in a first period that felt like both teams were probing to see how the other was going to attack. Connor O’Connell had a shot from the left wing circle that forced Canton goalie Colin Davis (15 saves) into an early stop and Brendan Tourgee quickly tested Duxbury goalie Sam Mazanec (31 saves) on the other end.

Davis was called on to make a tough blocker save on Tucker O’Neill’s shot through traffic from the right point and then again he came up with a nice pad stop on Aiden Harrington, after the forward picked off an outlet pass in the slot.

Canton defenseman Matt Anderson fired a shot from the right point that Thomas got a stick to on the edge of the crease, but it went just over the bar. Chaput had one final chance in the closing seconds of the first and his shot from a tough angle was covered up at the near post.

Things picked up considerably for Canton in the second. The Bulldogs would outshoot Duxbury 14-3 in the period.

Chaput got things started with a perfect cross-ice pass to Anderson racing down the right wing, but the shot from the face-off dot went high. A couple minutes later, Chaput again started the play in his own zone, chipping it up the boards to Tourgee, who fed it to Thomas for a backhand effort that Mazanec saved.

Five minutes into the period, Jack Digirolamo thought he had put Canton in front. A flurry of chances, including a shot from the point by Leo Owens, had the Dragons on their heels and Digirolamo pounced on a loose puck on the edge of the crease, but the refs judged Mazanec to have gloved the shot before it crossed the line.

Colin Blake teed up Digirolamo for another chance a few minutes later and Mazanec again stayed with the play to make a point-blank stop.

All that dominance didn’t end with the opening goal and Duxbury stunned the Bulldogs by grabbing the lead with 4:53 left in the period. Wick Ross pinched in from the point and fired a wrister that went off the top of Davis’ glove and snuck over the line.

“I think this is a tribute to the players on the bench,” Shuman said, “as soon as the goal went in they said, ‘We’re fine, we’re fine, we’re fine.’ That wasn’t the coaches, that was all them, and that just goes to show you how much this team has grown over the course of the year.”

Duxbury had two players go to the box with 13 seconds left in the second, which meant that Canton had a perfect opportunity to try and get back into the game in the third. The Bulldogs wouldn’t waste that chance.

A minute into the third, with Canton camped out in the Duxbury zone, Thomas collected the puck on the left wing side of the goal and slipped a perfect pass across the crease to Chaput, who buried the chance, before racing down to the other end of the ice to celebrate with the Canton fans.

Chaput explained, “I was just thinking between periods, ‘We need one, we need one, we need one.’ After I saw the puck go in, I thought of all the hard work this whole team, not just me, the freshmen, the kids who don’t play, the managers, the coaches, everyone does a tremendous amount of work.”

The game stayed tied at 1-1 for more than nine minutes and the tension grew, as every shot on either goal was cheered like it could be the winner. With 4:36 to play, Tourgee took a hit in the neutral zone. The puck skipped free and Thomas sped between a pair of Duxbury players to get in all alone on Mazanec. He patiently picked his spot and put the Bulldogs in front.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am for him,” Shuman said of Thomas. “He’s someone that takes pride in the little things, wants to do the little things well, and for him to make that play at the end was fitting because I feel like he’s had an unheralded season so far. For everyone to see what he does for us is just great.”

Canton tried to add a third with James Young setting up Thomas for a shot through a crowd that was gloved. On the other end, Duxbury was sending everyone at goal in an effort to keep its title hopes alive. Sean Hanniffy had a good tip in front that went inches wide of the post and Davis stuck out a right pad to keep another chance out.

Thomas stepped up again in the final minute to secure the two-goal cushion, letting the Bulldogs breathe a little easier and get ready to once again skate on the biggest stage.

Asked about a fourth consecutive trip to the final, Shuman said, “We’re so lucky to have a group of players that when new guys come in they feel an obligation and a responsibility to carry on this tradition. I feel like the luckiest coach in the world getting to coach all these guys.”

Canton (21-4) will face the winner of No. 4 Walpole and No. 8 Hopkinton at the TD Garden next Sunday, at a time to be determined.

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03/09/202303/09/2023

Canton Blanks Newburyport For Spot In D2 Final Four

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. — Ever since Canton and Newburyport faced off in back-to-back state championship games in 2009 and 2010, the two storied programs have played one another during the regular season.

For the first time since then, the two squads squared off again in the postseason. And similar to how this year’s regular season meeting went, Canton emerged with a shutout win.

Junior Colin Blake and senior Jeff Chaput scored second period goals and the third-seeded Bulldogs notched a 2-0 win over the sixth-seeded Clippers to book a spot in the Division 2 Final Four for the second straight season.

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“It felt almost workmanlike,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman about his team’s performance. “We have so much respect for [Newburyport], me and Paul Yameen go way back, we’ve played each other since meeting in the finals. There’s a tremendous amount of respect that these two programs have for each other. I can’t say enough about their program, they play a tough hard-nosed, blue-collar type of hockey and you can’t help but appreciate it as a coach. It was a good hockey game.”

The Bulldogs earned a 2-0 win on the road in mid-January over the Clippers and have had Newburyport’s number lately, going 6-0-2 since the start of the 2015 season.

The familiarity was apparent from the opening faceoff as the Clippers made things difficult for the Bulldogs. Newburyport was clogging both passing and shooting lanes and their forecheck was doing just enough to disrupt Canton’s rhythm working out of their own zone.

Scoring chances were at a premium early with a mix of blocked shots, deflected passes, and a lot of neutral zone battles. As the period went on, the teams worked to find opportunities and the best chance for both sides came inside the final five minutes.

For Canton, it was junior Brian Middleton that unleashed a low shot through some traffic that was turned aside by Newburyport goalie Jameson Brooks with a pad save and the big rebound ended up just outside the reach of the stick of Jack Digirolamo. Seconds later, the Clippers had their best chance when Kane Brennan got an open shot off but Canton goalie Colin Davis gobbled it up.

The Clippers went on the power play for the final 48 seconds of the opening period but a clearance from Chaput followed by good offensive zone pressure from James Young and Blake kept the game scoreless at the horn.

After killing 72 seconds of power play to start the second period, Canton really tilted the ice in its favor with heavy pressure. Newburyport was unable to sustain any offensive zone time and managed just one shot on goal in the frame.

Canton went on its first power play just over three minutes into the period and needed just over a minute to take advantage. Junior Brendan Tourgee gained the zone with a creative self pass off the boards, skated behind the net, and dished a pass out to the blue line to junior Matt Anderson. Anderson stepped into a big shot and Blake, positioned right in front of the goal, got his stick on it with a great redirect to beat Brooks for a 1-0 lead with 10:46 to go in the second period.

Another Canton power play was canceled out with a slash but Newburyport couldn’t muster anything up with their 68 seconds on the man advantage.

The Bulldogs grabbed a second goal before the end of the period as Tourgee teed up senior Leo Owens for a blast from the blue line. Brooks made the initial stop but Chaput was in the right spot and lifted a backhand past the goalie to make it 2-0 with 1:50 left in the second period.

“Strangely enough, I think you try and forget the first meeting,” Shuman said. “That first game was not a 3-0 game, it could have gone either way. In both games, we got a couple of bounces and they didn’t. That’s what always happens when we play them, I don’t think there’s been a game we’ve played them with the winning team more than three goals. It’s always tight checking, a tight defensive game. You can see it on the kid’s faces, they are just working, working, working and when you’re working that hard, it can be hard to have room left for that euphoria, that emotion.”

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Canton continued to quell any and every Newburyport foray into the offensive zone. Davis came up with one of the biggest stops of the game with 6:35 left, denying Brennan on a point-blank chance. Beyond that, Canton’s defense did a great job limiting further opportunities.

“The defense was outstanding,” Shuman said. “It’s similar to how we played last game against Wilmington, really limiting shots and getting the puck out of our zone quickly. Sometimes the best defense is to bring the puck up well and we really did that well in the second. We tensed up a little bit in the third and had some turnovers, but Colin was there to back us and bail us out.”

Canton’s three-game shutout streak so far in the playoffs will face a major test in the Division 2 Final Four against #2 Duxbury. The Dragons have outscored opponents 22-0 so far in three playoff games. The time, date, and location for that matchup are still to be announced.

03/03/202303/03/2023

Canton Shuts Out Medford to Reach Sweet Sixteen

CANTON, Mass. – Sometimes, especially during the early rounds of the tournament, a team needs to find its footing, overcome some postseason jitters, and grind out a result. It may not be the prettiest win, but at this stage of the season all that matters is finding a way to advance to the next round.

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On Thursday night at the Metropolis Rink, Canton wasn’t at its free-flowing best, but the Bulldogs had enough to hold off an upset bid from No. 30 seed Medford. Canton got a pair of goals in the second period and tacked on a shorthanded tally in the third to pull out the 3-0 win and reach the Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen.

“A lot of teams, if you look at the past few nights, sort of struggle in these early-round games, especially teams that put pressure on themselves and these guys certainly did,” explained Canton coach Brian Shuman. “I give Medford credit. They’re a good team and they really played us hard and played us well.”

The Bulldogs wasted no time taking the initiative, outshooting the Mustangs 13-5 in the first, but Canton was struggling to create clear-cut chances and get bodies in front of Medford goalie John Nocella (34 saves).

Matt Anderson had a good early shot from the point that was kicked aside and Kevin LaBellee charged down the rebound only to have that gloved. James Young created a scoring chance with a nice outlet pass up the boards to Jeffrey Chaput, but the shot was kicked away and AJ Thomas was unable to connect on the rebound.

Medford nearly sprung a surprise when it got behind the Canton defense, but Griffin Hughes raced back and made a key intervention to prevent a breakaway. Jack Digirolamo came close with a shot from the slot that was blockered over the bar, but the Mustangs had the best chance of the period when Tyler Taddia forced a save out of Colin Davis and Louis Pucillo appeared to hit the post as he sent the rebound back through the crease.

Brendan Tourgee made a nice play with the puck in the defensive zone to get into open ice and then weaved his way through traffic before putting a backhand shot on target from close range with just 25 seconds left in the first.

Canton was in need of a spark and Digirolamo provided a lift with a big hit along the blue line, which seemed to give the bench much-needed energy.

“Digi this year for us, when we needed a goal, needed a big play, or in this game needed a physical presence, he provided it,” Shuman said. “Whatever we needed, he gave us, and this game we needed someone to match their physicality and he sure did.”

While the shot total was just about the same as the first, Canton looked much more fluid offensively in the second and puck movement was a key reason why.

Shuman said, “A lot of times in a playoff game, especially the first one, people are trying to be the hero early and score two goals with one shot. I thought the second period we moved the puck a lot better. Sometimes when the nerves kick in, your first instinct is to throw it at the net, so hopefully we got that nervousness out of the way and be better in the next game.”

Digirolamo teed up Colin Blake right on the edge of the crease, but his tip was saved. Less than a minute later, Canton got its breakthrough. Teddy Shuman’s shot from the point was blocked in front, but Travis Thomas managed to scoop the loose puck up and over the stretching goalie to make it 1-0.

With 6:40 left in the period, AJ Thomas showed great patience against the near side boards, holding the puck and waiting for space to make a pass. Finally, a crease opened up and he was able to pick out Chaput in front for a tip that made it 2-0.

Canton’s passing was creating a lot of good looks. Tourgee set up Thomas for a chance that was saved and the duo combined again with Tourgee having his tip turned aside. Thomas also had a shot that caromed off the end boards right to Young, who was pinching in and forced another save.

It looked like the Bulldogs were going to cruise to victory, but the Mustangs came out for the third intent on getting back into the game. After compiling nine shots through the first two periods, Medford put 12 shots on Davis in the third.

Carsten Mangan took advantage of a turnover and fired a shot from the right wing that Davis fought off, DJ McDonough had a shot that deflected in front and clipped the post, and Devon Page had a bid from the slot that Davis got his pad onto. He finished with 21 saves to record the shutout.

The game was effectively put away with 7:46 to go. On the penalty kill, Brian Middleton made a play at the blue line, broke free, and buried his breakaway opportunity to give the Bulldogs a three-goal cushion.

“Colin played well, made some big saves,” Shuman said. “Sadly that’s been a theme this year, the dreaded two-goal lead. It’s a cliche but sometimes cliches turn into reality. We need to find ways to bear down and get that third, such a crucial goal in a game, especially when you’re on a team and pressuring them.”

Canton (18-4-0) will take on No. 19 Wilmington, which beat No. 14 Masconomet, on Saturday night at the Canton Ice House.

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01/08/202301/08/2023

Wagner, Franklin Blank Canton In Hock Showdown

Franklin boys hockey Dylan McEvoy — Franklin junior Dylan McEvoy takes a shot in the second period against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

FRANKLIN, Mass. – On paper, it’s just one of eight league games on the schedule, but there’s no hiding the significance of when Canton and Franklin meet on the ice.

The Bulldogs have won the Davenport every single year since the league split into two divisions and the Panthers have had a hand in all but one — a combined 23 division titles over the past 12 seasons.

Both squads are the favorites to win their respective division again this year and are the top two ranked teams in the league, meaning bragging rights were on the line at Pirelli Veteran’s Arena on Saturday night in front of a packed crowd.

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Franklin junior goalie Colby Wagner was terrific in net from the opening puck drop, turning in a 38-save shutout performance to lead the Panthers to a 2-0 win.

The Panthers scored once in the first period and added on a key insurance goal late in the third period, with both goals coming in similar fashion thanks in part to Franklin’s speed.

“It’s one of eight [league games] but it’s a good one,” said Franklin head coach Chris Spillane. “It’s just fun to play teams like this, and you know every year it doesn’t matter who’s up or who’s down, when it’s Franklin-Canton, both teams show up to play. And we get to play them again in a non-league game and it will be the same exact thing, the same exact atmosphere in their building.

“It was a gritty win. Our goaltender [Wagner] kept us in this game tonight, he made some key saves. We struggled breaking the puck out, that’s typically our strongest going from defense to offense, we can fly but credit to [Canton], they took time and space away. It was just one of those typical Franklin-Canton games, it was gritty and there’s no space for anyone.”

It didn’t take long for the scoring chances to start as Canton sophomore goalie Colin Davis (31 saves) was forced into making a terrific save just seconds into the contest as senior Aidan Kuykendall found senior Ryan Sicchio streaking into the offensive zone all alone for a chance in close 15 seconds in. And seconds later, Davis denied Anthony Lampasona after a pass from Ben Paterson in a 2-on-1 situation.

Canton got its early chances too as the Bulldogs went on the power play just 63 seconds into the game. Junior Matt Anderson had a blast from the blueline handled by Wagner, and junior Colin Blake had a bid in close that was turned aside.

That set the tone for the next 40-plus minutes as the Panthers and Bulldogs went up-and-done the ice, back and forth with chances on goal. Franklin had four power plays and Canton had two man-advantage chances throughout the contest but neither team cashed in with its special teams.

The first breakout came right at the midway point of the opening period. Paterson won a faceoff in his own defensive zone to junior Logan Marchand, who chipped one up the left boards that eluded the glove of a Canton defenseman at the blue line. Lampasona raced down and got to the puck first in the offensive zone and centered to a wide-open Dan Daley and he roofed his shot just under the crossbar for a 1-0 lead with 7:47 left in the opening stanza.

“Danny Daley, he’s a player to be reckoned with,” Spillane said. “He’s fast and can shoot the puck, his center [Ben Paterson] and [Anthony] Lampasona are both good at getting him the puck. It’s a nice all-junior line to have as our second line.”

Canton nearly responded a minute later when junior Brendan Tourgee dropped a pass out front for Blake, but his deflection on net was denied by Wagner’s shoulder. The Bulldogs had another big chance with just under two minutes to play as junior Brian Middleton won a battle at the blueline and raced in on a breakaway but his backhand bid was turned away by a pad stop from Wagner.

Davis made a nice stop early in the second after Franklin’s Paterson and Daley played a little catch, the former ripping a shot that was turned aside. Canton countered with a nice tip off the stick of sophomore Travis Thomas but Wagner stood tall.

“He’s very comfortable in the net, his rebound control is really good,” Spillane said of Wagner. “They were pressuring the crease and he never got rattled. He’s our number one right now for sure, but we have two other good options too in Jack O’Connor and Joe Torraco.”

While there were chances in all three periods for both teams, both defensive groups played well to limit how many genuine scoring chances there were. Kuykendall paired with senior Liam O’Rielly while Marchand was matched up with Vinnie Pasquarosa. For Canton, senior James Young paired with classmate Griffin Hughes, freshman Teddy Shuman worked with Anderson, and senior Jack Lauro played alongside freshman Graidy Carr.

Canton did have a powerplay five minutes into the second but Sicchio had a big clear, Ben Jarosz interrupted a pass to clear the zone, and Dylan McEvoy won a key faceoff and cleared the puck himself.

The third featured more of the same with chances from both sides, including an early power play for the Panthers that Canton killed off, including a key clearance from Young.

Jack Digirolamo muscled his way into space for a shot that was tipped by AJ Thomas, only for Wagner to get a stick to it. Tourgee found space shortly after but his bomb of a shot was wide of the net.

“We had a lot of one-and-dones and I think a lot of that was the product of missing the net on some key chances, and that started their break out,” said Canton head coach Brian Shuman. “And I think we were a little intimidated by their speed, guys backing off the line and just not able to win the races to pucks. That was preventing us from getting some good in-zone time.”

Franklin tacked on a key insurance goal with just over three minutes to go in the game. The puck bounced out from behind the Franklin net, and Daley was the first to it. He beat a pinching defenseman, slapping the puck off the boards and up the ice.

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Sophomore Carter Balducci raced onto it and centered to his brother, senior Tommy Balducci and he found the back of the net to make it 2-0 with 3:04 to play.

“They have so much speed, they’ll disrupt any team they are playing against,” Shuman said. “That’s the fastest team we’ve seen all year, probably the fastest we will see all year. They can go three lines of speed, and they certainly look a lot faster in person than they do on LiveBarn. They’re a good team and any mistake that we made, they made us pay. Whether it was a bad pinch or a guy slightly out of position…our goaltender played well though and made some big stops.”

Franklin boys hockey (2-0-0 Hockomock, 6-1-0 overall) will head to Foxboro to take on the Warriors on Wednesday at 6:30 while Canton (1-1-0, 6-1-0) returns home to Ponky to take on Oliver Ames.

12/11/2022

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 0-15-0
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Gary Warren
Last season is not one to remember for Attleboro. The Bombardiers finished winless and had only eight goals in 18 games. New head coach Gary Warren will hope to find more firepower in front of goal and more depth with three forward lines and three defensive pairings as Attleboro tries to get back into the mix for a tournament berth.

Seniors Owen Parker and Colin Flynn will be the leaders on the top line with eighth grader Bryan Capone getting his first taste of varsity hockey. Sophomore Nathan Conroy will center the second line with senior Mike Lachance and junior Nick Fernandes on the wings. Eighth-grader Andrew Bessette will center the third line for the Bombardiers, joining up with sophomores Austin Bessette and Jack Moran.

Defensively, Attleboro will also lean on youth. Sophomores Alex Jarousky and Brody Shaw will partner on one line, eighth graders Beckett Stone and Cam Harrison will be a second partnership, and sophomore Lucas Devonis teaming up with senior Luke Logan. Junior Bradley Lehtonen and freshman Joey Santos will also see time on the blue line this season. After graduating four-year starter Nick Piazza, Attleboro will turn to junior Julien Horton and eighth grader Jacob Westwater between the pipes.

“Our success this season will hinge on good senior leadership, along with our younger players building confidence in their game,” Warren said. “We are a young, inexperienced team that hopefully will get better game after game.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Canton

2021-2022 Record: 22-3-1 (D2 State Finalists)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final
Coach: Brian Shuman
Only one team has ever won the Davenport division boys hockey title and, despite graduating 14 seniors off last year’s roster, Canton looks well-positioned to extend that run for another winter. After reaching the Div. 2 state title game for the third straight season, the Bulldogs will be incorporating a lot of new faces and young players (five freshmen and three sophomores) into this year’s roster to try and stay among the top teams in the state.

While there are several new players that will be getting time this year, Canton does return its top two scorers from last year. Senior AJ Thomas had a great playoff run to help the Bulldogs get back to the TD Garden and junior Brendan Tourgee was a standout as a sophomore with his combination of stick skills and strength. Juniors Pat Drury, Colin Blake, and Brian Middleton also saw plenty of ice time as sophomores and came through with some big goals during the season, while senior Jack Digirolamo adds some physicality in the attacking zone.

Canton always gets attention for its scoring punch, but its strength on the blue line has been one of the main reasons for its sustained success. Senior Leo Owens will start the season on the sidelines with an injury, so other players are going to need to step in while he gets healthy. Senior James Young and junior Matt Anderson, who scored the overtime winner in the season opener, will get plenty of ice time. Sophomore Colin Davis should provide the defense with plenty of confidence after a stellar rookie campaign between the pipes. He looked unflappable during Canton’s run to the final and senior Carson Eagles is a more than dependable backup in goal.

“As always, strong team defense and the depth to play four lines and six defense pairs will determine whether or not we can make a run for the league title and/or the playoffs this year,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman.

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Foxboro

2021-2022 Record: 10-11-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32
Coach: Eric Galanti
Foxboro has a new head coach this season but it’s a familiar face as Eric Galanti steps in after five years on the bench as an assistant coach for the program. After graduating nine seniors from last year that accounted for a lot of production and ice time, the Warriors are looking for some new names to step up.

Albeit young, Foxboro has a strong core of returners from last year’s squad that had 10 wins and scored 70 goals. Senior Henry Diamond, who plays on the right wing, spearheads a relatively young forward group that includes returners Connor Hayers (left wing) and Luigi Muttart (left wing), both juniors, as well as sophomores Ryan Wood, Dan Jacobs — both centers — and, Finlay Campbell. Senior Jake DeMaino and sophomores Brendan LaCroix, Will Groves, and Connor Reardon bolster the offense. Freshman Michael Ruo and Owen McAuliffe are looking to make an impact right away.

Defense and goaltending will be a strength for Galanti and the Warriors this season. Senior Alex Coviello is a seasoned veteran that will anchor the blue line for Foxboro, joined by junior Tommy Devlin and a handful of sophomores who already have varsity experience including Tom Watts, Evan Paluzzi, Leo Campbell, and Connor Reardon. In net, Galanti has some veteran options with senior Peter Souaiden and junior Trevor Marder as options.

“We have a solid defense and great net minding that will allow a sophomore-heavy team to work toward an offense to match,” Galanti said.

Franklin

2021-2022 Record: 14-9-0 (Kelley-Rex division champions)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Sweet 16
Coach: Chris Spillane
A very familiar face has made his return to the bench for Franklin this season, as longtime coach Chris Spillane, who stepped away in 2019, is back in charge of the program. The Panthers have won 11 straight league titles and been a fixture in the Div. 1 state tournament and they boast a strong attacking lineup this season that will be looking to continue its control of the Kelley-Rex division.

Up front, Franklin will be boosted by the return of seniors Ben Jarosz and Ryan Sicchio, who combined for 15 goals and 23 assists last year. Classmate Tommy Balducci will join them on the top line. Last year’s sophomore class was prolific in front of goal and, with a year of valuable experience, looks ready to be even more dynamic this season. Juniors Anthony Lampasona (six goals and 13 assists) and Ben Paterson (10 goals and 14 assists) will lead the way along with classmates Dylan McEvoy and Dan Daley. Sophomore Carter Balducci is a newcomer to look out for in attack.

Four players return on the blue line to give Franklin solid experience in the defensive zone. Seniors Liam O’Rielly, Aiden Kuykendall, and Lucas Sheehan will be joined by junior Dylan Marchand, who had an impressive sophomore season in defense. Sophomore Vinnie Pasquarosa should also see time on the back end. Goalie depth will be a strength for the Panthers this year, with sophomore Jack O’Connor returning, sophomore Joe Torraco making the jump from JV, and junior Colby Wagner coming back to the program after playing last year with the Northeast Generals.

“Offensively we will run three lines who all have the ability to score goals,” Spillane said. “The Panthers’ success will depend on our team defense, and how quickly we can understand our defensive systems.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

King Philip

2021-2022 Record: 10-9-3
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Toby Carlow
King Philip is two years removed from taking a share of the Kelley-Rex division title (joining only the 2011 Mansfield team to win at least a piece of the division crown) and last year the Warriors showed off their potential by giving eventual state champion St. John’s Prep a battle in the opening round of the playoffs. Former Medfield coach Toby Carlow, who won a state title with those Warriors in 2016, take over this season with the intention of elevating these Warriors into one of the state’s top programs.

Carlow will be introducing new systems on both ends of the ice, relying on team speed and structure in the defensive zone to get back into the tournament. One challenge for KP will be replacing standout Brad Guden, who moved to Tabor Academy this season. In the defensive zone, junior Cam Lehan-Allen along with senior Sam Naggar will need to step up to provide leadership at the blue line. Senior Kyle Abbott will help out at the back, as he returns in goal after allowing fewer than two goals per game as a junior.

In addition to Guden, who had 17 points from defense last year, KP also graduated its three top goal scorers from last season, so the forward line will need new faces to step up and consistently find the back of the net. Senior James Boldy is the team’s top returning scorer with seven goals and 10 assists and junior Max Robison adds speed on the wing. Juniors Nate Gartska and Rowan Boulger also saw time as sophomores and provide depth in the forward lines.

“Our goal this year is to establish ourselves as a good solid team in Division 1,” Carlow said. “It’s time for King Philip to step into the upper level of Massachusetts hockey.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Mansfield

2021-2022 Record: 7-12-1
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Mark O’Brien
Mansfield has a lot of turnover to contend with this season, as the Hornets open their first season of Davenport division play. Former assistant Mark O’Brien has taken over as head coach and he takes over a team that will lean on underclassmen to try and find the attacking threat to keep the Hornets in the league title mix and to stay in the tournament mix.

After graduating its top six forwards from last season, Mansfield will be hoping that a host of freshmen and sophomores can step up to the challenge of leading the line this winter. Seniors Cody Gordon, Connor Davey, and Brendan Flynn will provide much-needed leadership in the attacking zone. Sophomores Brendan Vokey, Matthew Tourigney, Matthew Cromack, and Kevin O’Brien and freshmen James Warren, Matt Kelly, Matthew Rabinovich, Liam Wells, and Cody Silva give the Hornets a lot of depth up front but also a lot of untested talent.

The blue line is a very different story. Mansfield’s defense should be a strength this season. Seniors Ryan DeGirolamo and Patrick Gormley return to anchor that end of the ice along with junior Will Cameron and sophomore Declan Foley. Sophomore Thomas Gormley is a newcomer to watch for the Hornets in defense. Freshman Aidan Shea and sophomore Luke McGuire are versatile players who could see time at forward or defense. In goal, Mansfield will have plenty of experience to call upon with senior Chris O’Brien and junior Josh Hussey.

“We have a tremendous group this season and they are committed to the team concept and giving their best effort for each other,” said O’Brien. “We are excited about our talented younger players and confident that our strong nucleus of upperclassmen will lead the way with a focus on team defense.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

North Attleboro

2021-2022 Record: 10-11-1
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet 16
Coach: Kyle Heagney
North Attleboro head coach Kyle Heagney begins his second year in charge of the Rocketeers and they are looking to improve on last year’s 10-win season as they join the Kelley-Rex division for the second time in program history.

The Big Red will have to look for some new players to step up as they try to fill the void left by the graduation of a talented senior group, including Nik Kojoian, who led the Hockomock League in scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists last season, and Nick Longa, who was second in the league with 17 goals and tied for fifth overall in points with 26 points. The good news is that Heagney and the Rocketeers have one of the top returning forwards in the league in Mark Ayvazyan, who produced 13 goals and 12 assists in the regular season last year.

North will also look for seniors Brody Gaulin and Jack Dluhy to take on increased roles after netting five goals and two assists last season as well as junior Kaden Burns, who had five goals and one helper last season. Junior Kyle Gruber is back between the pipes after impressing last season.

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Oliver Ames

2021-2022 Record: 6-11-1
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jimmy Tierney
Oliver Ames begins a new chapter in program history as they welcome a familiar face as new head coach in Jimmy Tierney, a former player and assistant coach. Tierney was the inaugural HockomockSports Goalie of the Year in 2013 and was a two-team First Team selection during his stellar career with the Tigers.

Now Tierney will look to guide this year’s team back to the success they experienced during his playing days when they reached the South sectional semifinals and finals during his sophomore and junior years. The Tigers have nearly their entire roster back from last year after graduating just two seniors, including senior center Sean McCarthy, who was second on the team with 10 goals and nine assists, and junior Andrew Livingstone, who earned HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors after leading OA with 12 goals and eight assists. The offense will have plenty of depth with seniors Matt Lawson (15 points), Jack Corey (15 points), Daniel Paul, and Jack Perron, who is a team captain for the second year along with McCarthy.

Sophomore Patrick DeLoughrey and freshman Brenden Teehan will look to make an immediate impact on the offensive end. Along the blue line, junior Sean Kearns (three goals, 11 assists) will look to build upon a solid campaign last year when he earned honorable mention for league all star. He’ll be joined by classmates Landon Grothe and Andy Poulos in the defensive group. The Tigers have experience in the net with senior Brandon Burke back between the pipes after playing in 17 games last year.

“Our biggest strength this season will be the team-first mentality our players have,” Tierney said. “The players care a lot about each other and will do what it takes to put the team first. This along with the hard work they are putting in is what will make us successful.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Stoughton

2021-2022 Record: 11-11-2
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Round of 32
Coach: Dan Mark
The Stoughton/Brockton co-op team is coming off its most successful season together, and the Black Knights’ best campaign in over a decade after winning 11 games, including a preliminary game in the Division 3 state tournament.

The Black Knights won’t be competing in the Hockomock League again this season as they team up with the Boxers to try and replicate the success from last year. In order to do so, they’ll blend a mix of veteran and younger players as they navigate through their schedule, which will feature games against Hockomock League teams Attleboro, Foxboro, Oliver Ames, and Taunton. Offensively, Stoughton/Brockton returns a strong core led by last year’s leading scorer senior Charlie Caputo, who netted 13 goals along with 14 helpers. Senior Sean Farley added a team-high 16 goals as well as nine assists, while junior Colby Strunk is coming off a 21-point season as a sophomore.

Defensively, longtime head coach Dan Mark will turn to junior Ryan Summers to anchor a relatively inexperienced group. Summers had five goals and seven assists but the Knights lost three defensemen to graduation. In net, juniors Sean McGowan and Dmytro Yakovenko are battling for the starting job.

2022-2023 Hockomock Boys Hockey Preview

Taunton

2021-2022 Record: 7-10-4
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kris Metea
Taunton comes into the new season with definitely the youngest roster in the league and one of the youngest rosters in program history. Head coach Kris Metea has 35 players in the system this season and 26 of them are sophomores or younger. There is plenty of energy on the ice and plenty of potential, but there may be some growing pains for players getting their first taste of varsity action.

There are a few seniors on the team to provide the Tigers with much-needed experience and leadership. One of those seniors is Colton Scheralis, who will move up from the blue line to the attack at the start of the season. He recorded 13 points as a defenseman last year and should be able to bring his creativity and stick skills to the forward line. Senior Connor McGrath will also give Taunton a scoring punch, after his 13-goal, 13-assist junior campaign. Junior Conner Goranson scored 14 points last year as a sophomore and will be on the top line.

Experience is in short supply in the defensive zone, especially with Scheralis moving forward at the start. Sophomores Travis Cashman and Jon McGrath both saw time as freshmen and will look to build on that first season on the blue line. Sophomore Cam Tomaszycki is back in goal for the Tigers. He was a standout as a freshman, allowing a little more than three goals per game and saving nearly 90 percent of the shots he faced.

“We have a great group of players,” Metea said. “They are excited to go to the rink every day. They love each other and are willing to fight for one another. They make going to the rink a pleasure every day for our coaching staff.”

10/02/202210/04/2022

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/03/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
North Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro broke into the win column, riding a first half goal to pick up two points against visiting North Attleboro. After a nice defensive play in the midfield by junior Ryan Flaherty, the Warriors were able to push forward into the attack. A nice run from senior Joel Gygi down the left side resulted in a cross that was parried by the keeper but right to senior Alex Penders, who blasted a low shot into the net for the lone goal of the game in the 23rd minute.

Attleboro, 1 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead in the first half but Sharon found a late equalizer to split the points. Esvin Morales scored off of an assist from Alex Vecchioli in the first half, and the Bombardiers carried that lead late into the game before Sharon’s Adam Eastman headed in a cross with five minutes left to tie it.

Taunton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames had an offensive outburst to the tune of seven half goals on its way to a win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Casey Milliken had a first half hat trick and capped OA’s scoring with his fourth goal in the second half. Andrew Martins added a first half brace (both assisted by Ryan Linhares), Mirray Dasilva had a goal and an assist, and Jason Zalis netted his second goal of the season in the win.

Milford, 9 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Milford’s offense was clicking on all cylinders in a big win on the road at Stoughton. Eduardo Santana had a big day with a first half hat trick, twice hooking up with Jonny Castro and one assist from John Borges. Castro had a third assist in the opening half, setting up Arthur Tome — who finished with a brace and two assists. Nate Dinis (from Nick Ribeiro), Marcello Alves (from Miguel De Olivera), Danny Da Silva, and Andre Baiano also scored for the Scarlet Hawks.

Franklin, 1 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Franklin scored the lone goal of the game just past the midway point of the second half to earn a hard-fought two points on the road against a tough Mansfield squad. Andrew O’Neill was there to pounce on the rebound of a shot from Will Kryzak in the 63rd minute for the lone goal of the game. “Mansfield really made us work for this one,” said Franklin head coach Fran Bositis. Mansfield applied a lot of pressure over the final 15 minutes but couldn’t find the equalizer. Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan praised his defense, highlighting strong performances from Brendan Flynn and goalie Liam Doyle.

King Philip, 3 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Jake McCabe recorded a second half hat trick to lead Canton to an important two points against visiting King Philip. McCabe had an assist on Canton’s opener, just three minutes in, using a clever touch on a near post run to set up freshman Vlad Francoeur for an open night right in front. The Warriors leveled the match just under 10 minutes later as Andrew Seropian played a great through ball to Matt Crago, who tucked a shot past the keeper in the 12th minute. The Bulldogs went back ahead in the 29th minute as sophomore Owen Morrissey notched his first career goal by heading in a cross to the far post from senior Carson Eagles. In the second half, McCabe scored twice inside the first 15 minutes, racing onto a ball over the top and beating the keeper 1-v-1, and then off of a deflected throw-in in the 54th minute to make it 5-1. King Philip scored twice in the final 10 minutes, first off of a deflection for a goal to Deven Patel, and then in the final moments when junior Keagan Fletcher played classmate Jack Morgan through for a breakaway.

Girls Soccer
Sharon, 5 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Ella Pisani scored a brace and the KP defense was able to quiet Canton’s potent attack to pick up an impressive win and move alone into first place in the Kelley-Rex division. Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn tapped in a corner, assisted by Kylie Menendez, in the 28th minute for what turned out to be the game-winner. Pisani would add a pair of second half goals to seal the win. The first came with 19 minutes to play, taking a pass from Menendez and firing a shot over the keeper from 25 yards. With two minutes left, Pisani tapped in a perfect cross from Heidi Lawrence. Lauren Casper got the clean sheet in net, making five saves. KP coach Gary Pichel made a point of praising his back line, Grace Lawler, Rihanna Mason, Rylie Wesley, and Lamothe-Vaughn for its play in the shutout.

Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North scored in the closing seconds to rescue a point against Foxboro. Trailing by a goal late, Emma Pratt scored the equalizer on a rebound after a cross from Kaitlyn Joyce. The Warriors had the majority of possession throughout and took the lead when Neve Taylor found the back of the net from a Lindsey Resnick assist.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Mansfield and Franklin were unable to find the back of the net and settled for a point apiece in a hard-fought game. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said that it was evenly matched and well-played by both teams, while Mansfield coach Kevin Smith said there was a playoff intensity to the match. Mansfield keeper Olivia Salisbury made four saves to earn her fifth clean sheet.

Stoughton, 4 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Stoughton rallied from a three-goal deficit and Makenzie O’Connor scored with just two minutes to play to secure a dramatic come-from-behind victory. Ava Baglione scored twice and Dani Atherton added a third to put the Hawks into a 3-0 lead. Shayla Ford scored once to get back within two before halftime and then added her second to make it 3-2 after the break. Bianca Casna tied the game for the Black Knights, before O’Connor, who also had an assist, fired in the winner.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Jenna Gilman scored twice to lead OA to a big road win Emma Gavin, Mary Cross, Jolie Diaz, and Laney Carroll each added one for Oliver Ames in the win while Lucinda Li Cotter had three assists and Sophia Byron had one Jenna Nelson and Ali Manson also added strong performances for the visitors. Juliana Matos scored Taunton’s lone goal on an assist from Emily Calderon and keeper Ashlyn Hebert made eight saves. Taunton coach Dan Borges was happy with his team’s effort and aggression in the second half and the way the Tigers kept fighting despite being behind.

Field Hockey
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Junior Siobhan Landers scored a hat trick and senior Marley Young had three assists as Attleboro rolled to a big win at home. Landers scored a trio of goals, including one on a stroke, senior Jordan Mooney added a pair of goals, and both sophomore Nora Desrosiers and junior Bailey Ellis scored once in the win. Senior Alyvia Bessette also had an assist while sophomore Siany Ortez recorded the shutout in net.

Foxboro, 3 vs. North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro junior Mary Collins scored twice and added an assist on the third as the Warriors earned a hard-fought win over North Attleboro. Jenny Gallagher opened the scoring for Foxboro on a pass from Collins, who then scored back-to-back goals for the Warriors. Mia Dinunzio and Mya Waryas had the assists on Foxboro’s second goal while Val Beigel and Dinunzio notched assists on the third tally. Beigel had a standout performance in the midfield for Foxboro while Waryas and Collins both played well offensively.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin scored twice in the second quarter, and then once in each the third and fourth, to pick up a win over visiting Mansfield. After a scoreless first quarter, the Panthers got on the board just over midway through the second when Haley Wernig buried an unassisted goal. The Panthers doubled their lead with a minute left in the half as Sydney Rogan set up Kaitlyn Carney to make it 2-0. In the second half, Wernig got her second (from Chloe Essam) with less than a minute left in the third, and Payten Crandall made it 4-0 (from Carney) less than two minutes into the fourth. Devon Barry had the shutout in net for the hosts.

Stoughton, 1 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Stoughton returned from a trip to Milford with its first win of the season, recording a 1-0 victory over the Scarlet Hawks. Carly Sanda scored for the Black Knights, converting a pass from Katherine Giroux. Kerry Driscoll and Cat Melo played excellent defense throughout the game to help seal the win for the Black Knights.

Canton, 5 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Deadlocked at 2-2 at halftime, Canton used a strong second half to secure a key win on the road. Freshman Carolyn Schiavo had a hat trick to pace the offense while Audrey Koen and Ellie Bohane each scored once for the Bulldogs. Abby Macdonald and Mara Boldy (from Kelly Holmes) scored first half goals for King Philip.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to emerge from a defensive battle with Taunton for the win. Erin Cottam scored both goals for the Tigers with Julia Maclaine recording the assist each time. Olivia O’Rourke had the shutout in net for the visitors.

Volleyball
Canton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip took care of business, earning a three-set sweep of visiting Canton (25-9, 25-14, 25-15). The Warriors continued to play well at the net with a balanced attack: senior Emily Sawyer (two blocks) had 11 kills while classmates Sami Shore (two aces) Ahunna James (nine digs), and Olivia O’Neil (five digs) each chipped in with six kills apiece. For Canton, Sally Hoban and Fatima Sidibay played well at the net while Kelly Schiavo and Zoe Scibelli played good defense.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Taylor Lacerda and Makayla Kuykendall both had strong games as Franklin notched another 3-0 win (25-17, 25-17, 25-22), this time against a solid Mansfield squad. Lacerda had 11 kills in the win, adding five digs, a block, and an ace while Kuykendall recorded 16 digs, six kills, and four aces.

Foxboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final

Stoughton, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Stoughton notched one of its best wins of the season, going on the road and grabbing a 3-1 win over the Scarlet Hawks. Patrik Oliveira anchored the defense for the Black Knights with 12 digs.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames bounced back from a close first set loss to win three straight, taking a 3-1 decision (22-25, 25-7, 25-20, 25-21) over Taunton. Junior Sarah Hilliard continued her strong play at the net with 21 kills and three aces, sophomore Clare Kavoulis had 39 assists, Maddie Homer added 17 digs, Courtney Raymond chipped in with eight aces and five kills, and Addyson Smock finished with six kills and four blocks.

Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Attleboro took two in a row to fend off a stiff test from visiting Sharon, 3-1 (25-8, 21-25, 25-13, 25-17). Julia Leonardo led the offense with 16 kills, nine digs, and two aces, Ellie Shelton added seven kills, and Addie Shelton chipped in with six kills and four aces. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense with 30 assists and added five kills as well.

Golf
Taunton @ Attleboro, 2:20

Franklin, 145 @ Oliver Ames, 144 – Final – The battle of the top two teams lived up to the hype as Oliver Ames earned a one-stroke win over Franklin in a non-league clash between division leaders. The Tigers’ top four of senior Michael McGinnis, senior Daniel Paul, junior David Rodgers, and junior Sean Kearns all shot a 36 at their home course of Pine Oaks for the win. Franklin’s Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors, both firing a round of 34.

Sharon, 188 @ Mansfield, 160 – Final – Drew Urban fired a medalist round of 38 to lead Mansfield to a win and a season-sweep of now division rival Sharon on the links at Norton Country Club. Nate McClean added a 39 in the win, Jason Friedman finished with a 41, and Hayden O’Connor rounded out the scoring with a round of 42 for the Hornets.

Milford, 168 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – Senior co-captain Gavin Croke shot an even par round of 35 to earn medalist honors and King Philip took down visiting Milford at Wentworth Hills. Croke had birdies on two and six in his medalist round. Ethan Sullivan added a 38 for KP while Cam Hasenfus, Jason Silva, and Evan Regan all came in with a 39.

Canton, 160 @ Stoughton, 173 – Final – Canton hit the road and came back home from Easton Country Club with a win over Stoughton. Brendan Tourgee earned match medalist honors, leading the way for the Bulldogs with a 38. Huck McCready added a 40 in the win and both Matt Anderson and Gavin McMahon shot a 41. Stoughton’s Mason Page and Colby Strunk each shot a 41.

09/29/202209/30/2022

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/29/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
Mansfield, 49 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.
1Q: (M) Conner Zukowski 31-yard pass to Brian Butler, Travis Hennessey XP good; B. Butler 5-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
2Q: (M) Tommy Smith 1-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 56-yard pass to CJ Bell, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 16-yard pass to Ryan DeGirolamo, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) Brandon Jackman 44-yard fumble return, T. Hennessey XP good.
3Q: (M) T. Smith 4-yard rush, Sean Murphy XP good.
4Q: No scoring.

Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Mara Boldy accounted for three points to lift KP to a division win over North. Boldy scored a pair of goals and assisted on a third. Leah Santoro added a goal and an assist and Abby MacDonald also found the back of the net for the Warriors. Haley Bright (two saves) and Samantha Sweetman (one save) each played well in goal for KP.

Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield scored three times in each half to pick up the win. Francesca Smith had a pair of goals to lead the Hornets in attack. Ava Adams opened the scoring with a first quarter goal. In the second, Ella Palanza and Kristina Kipp found the back of the net for a three-goal lead at the break. Smith got both goals in the third quarter to extend the lead and Danni Cuzzi added one more in the fourth.

Golf
Mansfield, 159 @ Stoughton, 191 – Final – Hayden O’Connor was the low scorer for the Hornets, shooting a round of 38. Nate McClean was right behind him, finishing with a 39.

Milford, 168 @ Taunton, 177 – Final Noah Lawrence and Tyler Hipplito shot co-medalist rounds of 39 to lead the Hawks to the win. Taunton was led by Noah Faidell and Alex Dias, who both finished with a 43.

Foxboro, 156 @ Sharon, 174 – Final

North Attleboro, 152 @ Canton, 167 – Final – North bounced back from Wednesday’s loss to Franklin with a non-league win over Canton. Tyson Laviano had the low round of the day, shooting a 36 for the Rocketeers. Jake Gaskin (37) and Dillon Harding (38) also broke 40 for the visitors. Jordan Paradis added a round of 41. Canton’s low scorers were Teddy Shuman and Gavin McMahon, both finishing with rounds of 41. Matt Anderson had a 42 and Huck McCready shot a 43 for the Bulldogs.

09/27/202210/01/2022

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/28/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Attleboro exploded for four goals in the second half to surge past visiting Foxboro. It took the hosts less than five minutes to start the second half scoring when Lucas Marques was quick to pounce on a rebound in the box after Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter made a strong stop on a blast from Esvin Morales. Attleboro doubled the lead in the 50th minute, striking on a quick counter after a Foxboro corner. Billy Badger got the ball up to Steve Etienne, who played a streaking Luke Hagopian in on goal and his low shot found the back of the net despite Cotter getting a piece of it. Richard Ferreira linked up with Morales in the 65th minute, and Morales played a perfect switch over the top of the defense to find Kyle Neuendorf, who blasted a shot from in close that was denied by Cotter, but Neuendorf cleaned up his own rebound. The Bombardiers capped the scoring late when Ferreira headed a corner from Neuendorf off the crossbar and Clay Tyler was first to it and nodded it past the keeper.

Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip found the back of the net for the lone goal of the game in the final moments to give the Warriors an upset win over visiting Sharon. Junior Jack Morgan scored the winner in the 79th minute, finishing off an assist from classmate Neelam McGrath. Senior Connor O’Reilly recorded four saves for the shutout in net.

Mansfield, 3 @ Milford, 4 – Final – For the second straight game, Milford buried three first half goals but this time, needed one in the second half to put away visiting Mansfield, who rallied for three goals in the second half. All three first half goals came in the final 20 minutes, starting with Johnny Castro’s first career goal. Castro, who was called up from the JV team, latched onto a pass from Kevin Barbosa and got just enough to touch it past the keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Nick Ribero found Castro on the left sideline, and his through ball to Arthur Tome sent him into the box where he was able to touch past a defender before being brought down for a penalty kick. Tome finished the pen himself in the 31st minute, burying a low right-footed shot into the corner. Freshman Danny Da Silva was fouled in the final moments of the first half and Ribeiro drilled a free kick from 25 yards out, over the wall and inside the near post past the outstretched keeper for a 3-0 lead at halftime. Mansfield pulled one back in the 56th minute as Grady Sullivan’s long throw in into the area snuck under a defender’s foot and fell right to Dan Checkoway, who buried it from in close. Milford answered six minutes later when Kaua Pereira looped a header from a Ribeiro free kick over the keeper to make it 4-1. Tyler Znoj took a free kick quickly at the top of the area before the Hawks’ defense or keeper could set to bring the Hornets’ within two. Aidan Lopes had a great run before laying it off for Sam Oliver for a shot from distance that skipped in to make it 4-3 in the 79th minute.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames continued its undefeated start to the season, grabbed its fifth win of the season with a 3-0 decision on the road at North Attleboro. The Tigers built a 1-0 lead in the first half when sophomore Casey Milliken buried a free kick from just outside the area for the lone goal of the first half. Ryan Linhares doubled the visitors’ advantage, finishing off a deflected pass from Milliken. Michael MacAdam capped the scoring, converted a penalty kick that he earned himself after being brought down in the box. Drew Hall notched his third shutout of the season while defenders Hector Bucio, Jake Williams, Diego Rivera, and Jackson Mercieri played well in front of him.

Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Behind a pair of goals in each half, Franklin pushed its unbeaten streak to six games with a win over visiting Canton. Trey Lovell and Andrew O’Neill each had a goal and an assist in the win, bookending the scoring for the hosts. The two hooked up for the opener as O’Neill set Lovell in the 13th minute to make it 1-0. Lovell then assisted on Franklin’s second goal from center back Rex Cinelli to double the advantage. Sophomore Vignan Kamarthi opened his account in the 60th minute, taking a pass from Bradley Herndon for the Panthers’ third goal. O’Neill capped Franklin’s scoring, notching a goal in the second straight game off an assist from Garrett Scagliarini in the 75th minute. Franklin coach Fran Bositis praised the play of his midfield, noting the strong efforts from Noah Cain along with centerbacks Will Klawson and Cinelli.

Stoughton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Taunton emerged from a back-and-forth, competitive contest on its brand new turf field with two points behind a brace from Javonte Fernandes and a late-winner from Josh Letourneau. The visitors notched the first goal of the game as Sam Santos worked his way behind the defense in the 10th minute and slid one past the keeper one-on-one for the early lead. The Tigers pulled level in the 20th minute as senior Aidden Fitting made a great run from his outside back spot and was taken down in the area for a penalty kick. Fernandes stepped up and converted with a low shot to the corner. Taunton took its first lead just five minutes into the second half when Fitting sent a long ball into the area that was flicked on by Riley Rebello. Fernandes was able to collect in the area and blast a deflected shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead. Similar to Stoughton’s first half, Taunton’s advantage didn’t last long. The Knights sent two to the corner, and with just one Taunton defender, were able to use a quick one-two with Matheus Groberio open for a shot, which he blasted past the keeper. The winner game in the 70th minute after 20 minutes of near chances from both sides, including one off the post from Fernandes that prevented his hat trick. A throw from Rebello bounced past the Stoughton defense and Letourneau latched on, keeping it in play on the end line before using a tidy finish to the far post to make it 3-2. Taunton keeper Jack Buffington made a save in the final minutes on a good header from Joao Marotti. Ben Shirey played well in net for Stoughton, including a one-on-one save on Fernandes in the 60th minute.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro put in what head coach Steve Santos described as a complete team performance on both ends of the field to pick up the road win over Foxboro and move back to .500 on the season. Jamie Davies scored the winner from the spot after Tatum O’Brien’s slaloming run drew a foul in the box. In the second half, Zenda Gjoni headed in a Kacey Parker free kick to secure the two points for the Bombardiers. Alexis Campbell had another strong game in net to earn the clean sheet. Lindsey Resnick had a good game for the Warriors in the back and delivered several dangerous set pieces, while Lauren Miley had a strong game in midfield, but Foxboro couldn’t find the finishing touch.

Franklin, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – KP continued its scorching form in front of goal, scoring seven times on the grass at Sharon. The Warriors have scored 20 goals over the last three games. Ella Pisani sparked the attack again on Wednesday, scoring one goal and assisting on four others. Sofia Goclowski scored both Sharon goals and Autumn Simon recorded an assist. KP grabbed the lead in the fifth minute, as Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn took a pass from Pisani and found the back of the net from 30 yards out. Pisani teed up Rachel DeFlaminis for her fourth goal in the last two games to make it 2-0 at the midway point of the first half. Seconds before the break, Pisani got a hat trick of assists, playing Heidi Lawrence in behind the defense. Pisani got a goal of her own four minutes into the second half, with DeFlaminis picking up the helper. DeFlaminis added another assist six minutes later with a cross that Mikayla Thompson put away. Eilish McGowen blasted a 25-yard shot with 20 minutes to play (assisted by Pisani) and Olivia Florindi scored off a pass from Ally Smith to make it seven.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames tallied a pair of goals in each half to earn its sixth win of the season, a 4-1 verdict over visiting North Attleboro. Mary Cross wasted little time to give the hosts the lead, converting just five minutes in for a quick 1-0 lead. Sophia Byron netted an “olimpico” in the 26th minute, curling in a corner kick directly in to double the Tigers’ advantage. In the second half, Jessica Keane added to OA’s lead off a feed from Emma Gavin in the 65th minute, and Carly Gibson (from Lucinda Li Cotter) capped the hosts’ scoring in the 72nd minute.

Taunton, 2 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Stoughton senior Shayla Ford and sophomore Makenzie O’Connor each scored twice to lead the Black Knights to a 5-2 win over visiting Taunton. Sophomore Bianca Casna opened the scoring in the 11th minute, combining with Emma Tran just outside the area before unleashing a shot to the near post for a 1-0 lead. Stoughton doubled its lead less than 10 minutes later as Ford took down a throw in from classmate Isabella Rodrigues, cut around a defender and blasted a shot that hit off the far post and in to give the hosts a 2-0 lead, which they carried into halftime. O’Connor made it 3-0 in the 44th minute but Taunton junior Ava Alves answered, looping a high arching shot that bounced off the crossbar and in. Four minutes later, Taunton goalie Hayleigh Porter made a nice one-handed save on a free kick from Stoughton’s Emma Tremblay, but the ball hit off the crossbar and Ford was the first too the rebound and buried it in the 50th minute. Taunton eighth-grader Kaylee Lopes won an individual battle before slotting a shot to the far post in the 57th minute, but a last minute goal from O’Connor capped the scoring at 5-2. Freshman Molly Fox made seven saves in net for the win for Stoughton.

Field Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton took the led on an early goal in the first quarter, but Franklin rallied with three straight to grab the lead and a win over its fellow division leader. Izzy Digirolamo put the Bulldogs in front after two minutes, but Payten Crandall tied it with the first of her three goals. The game remained tied until the third quarter. Haley Wernig put the Panthers in front off assists from Sophia Cuneo and Shaw Downing. Crandall’s second unassisted goal of the night made it 3-1 in the fourth but Canton answered back on a goal from Carolyn Schiavo. Crandall capped her hat trick and sealed the points by finishing off a pass from Emily Carney in the final minute. Devon Barry made one save for the Panthers.

King Philip, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – King Philip junior Mara Boldy recorded three points to lead the Warriors to a win against visiting Sharon. Boldy had one goal and a pair of assists in the win while both Leah Santoro and Ella McDonell scored a pair of goals. KP senior Kari Calderone notched her first career goal in the win.

Attleboro, 0 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final

Taunton, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Taunton got back in the win column for the second time this season after collecting a 5-1 victory on the road at Stoughton. Kaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals and added an assist to pace the Tigers’ offense while Caroline Vallarelli scored twice and Ayla Jackson had one in the win. Morgan Groppi scored off an assist from a Katherine Giroux for the Black Knights, while Kerry Driscoll, Cat Melo, and Jordan Coleman played excellent defensively.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After rolling to a two-set lead, Sharon surprised the visiting Warriors with a third-set win but King Philip finished strong to earn a 3-1 win (25-12, 25-16, 22-25, 25-9). Sami Shore dazzled at the net in the win, landing 16 kills along with a pair of aces to pace the KP offense. Emily Sawyer added six kills, four aces, and three blocks, Ahunna James notched seven kills, two aces, and eight digs, and sophomore Madison Asprelli had 22 assists and six aces in the win.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames defended home court with a clean sweep, 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-18), of visiting North Attleboro. Sophomore Caroline Hansen had a standout performance, notching 10 kills for the Tigers. Clare Kavoulis dished out 25 assists, Sarah Hilliard landed 20 kills, Maddie Homer notched 19 digs, and Courtney Raymond chipped in with five aces and three kills.

Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Attleboro went on the road to Foxboro and came back home with a win, sweeping the Warriors 3-0 (25-12, 25-21, 25-18). Natalie Brojek continued to shine for the Bombardiers with 20 assists, eight digs, and four aces, Julia Leonardo added 14 digs, nine kills, and four aces, and Sadie Whitmarsh was strong defensively with 15 digs. Addie Shelton (six kills) and Ellie Shelton (four kills) were strong at the net. For Foxboro, Alysa Cloherty had 16 assists along with four digs, two aces, and two kills, and Sami Sloan notched eight digs and seven kills.

Milford, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

Taunton, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton fended off a challenge from visiting Taunton, emerging with a 3-1 win over the Tigers. Junior Maya Ashu (eight kills) and senior Jessie Queeney paced the offense for the Black Knights.

Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Franklin returned from a trip to Canton with a dominant 3-0 (25-11, 25-13, 25-15) sweep of the Bulldogs. Taylor Lacerda continued to do it all for the Panthers, notching 12 digs, 10 kills, and a pair of aces while Makayla Kuykendall had a strong game with 11 kills, nine digs, and four aces. Sophomore Zoe Scibelli and junior Kelly Schiavo played great defense for Canton, adding six aces.

Boys Cross Country
Taunton, 21 @ Milford, 37 – Final – Twins Brayden and Andrew Cali took the top two spots, less than 10 seconds apart, to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting Milford. Brayden Cali was first overall in 17:24 while Andrew Cali clocked in at 17:32. Senior Jack Pawlowski was fifth overall, junior Daris Alves took sixth, and senior Aiden Zamora was Taunton’s fifth scorer and seventh overall.

Canton, 16 @ Stoughton, 46 – Final – Canton took the top four spots on its way to a win on the road at Stoughton. Luke Darling led the pack, taking first in 18:54 for the Bulldogs. Sam Vail, Austin DiBiaso, and Dom Gray took the next three spots for the visitors. Maks Alves also had a strong race for the Bulldogs, setting a new personal best.

Mansfield, 19 @ Foxboro, 40 – Final

Oliver Ames, 20 @ Sharon, 35 – Final

North Attleboro, 40 @ Attleboro, 21 – Final

King Philip, 31 @ Franklin, 27 – Final

Girls Cross Country
Taunton, 26 @ Milford, 29 – Final – By taking second, third, and fourth overall, Taunton pulled out a close win over the Scarlet Hawks. Milford’s Sydney Kalil took first but Taunton’s Colby Dunham (20:34), Emersyn DePonte, and Kiley Quinlan took the next three spots for key points. Sophomore Arianna Abatangelo added a seventh place finish and senior Jakhai Nicholson finished 10th to give the Tigers the win.

Canton, 34 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final – Canton was led by Johanna Bouwmeester (24:18), who took fourth overall, followed by Tahlia Weaver and Tema Manzonson. Klara Redquest had a solid race for the Bulldogs, running a season best time (25:51).

Mansfield @ Foxboro, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 15 @ Sharon, 50 – Final

North Attleboro, 19 @ Attleboro, 36 – Final

King Philip 45 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – For King Philip, senior Kate Burban took third overall in 21:10 while senior Leah Burke (10th) clocked in at 22:35 and junior Rachel Bailer (12th) came in at 22:51.

Golf
Milford, 147 @ Stoughton, 161 – Final – Stoughton had one of its best performances in program history but fell to a strong Scarlet Hawks squad. Junior Anthony LaPierre continued to shine for Milford, earning medalist honors with a one-under round of 35 while Nate Lawrence came in with an even par round of 36. Jacob Hipolito added a 37 in the win for Milford. Stoughton was led by juniors Colby Strunk (37) and Mason page (39).

Sharon, 169 @ Oliver Ames, 147 – Final – Behind a one-under round from junior Sean Kearns, Oliver Ames moved to 8-0 on the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Kearns was the match medalist after carding a 33, recording a birdie on three holes (1, 4, and 9). Seniors Daniel Paul (37), Michael McGinnis (38), and David Rodgers (39) rounded out the scoring for OA. James Spoto and Dylan Cummings led the Eagles at Pine Oaks, each coming in with a 41.

Foxboro, 157 @ Canton, 159 – Final – Foxboro senior Josh Connolly fired a team-low round of 38 and both freshman Zac Georgantas and senior Louis Caranglo came in under 40 as the Warriors secured a rare win at Blue Hill Country Club, sweeping the season series against the Bulldogs. Georgantas and Carangelo both shot a 39 while seniors Reese Curreri and Mat Sullivan came in at 41 to help the Warriors get the close win. Canton sophomore Huck McCready had another medalist round, shooting a 37 to lead all golfers. Matt Anderson added a 39 for the hosts, Brian Middleton shot a 41, and Brendan Tourgee rounded out the scoring with a 42.

North Attleboro, 164 @ Franklin, 155 – Final – In a crossover clash between two of the top squads in the Kelley-Rex division, Franklin defended its home turf with a win over visiting North Attleboro. Tyler O’Brien and Jack Hagerty shared medalist honors in the win, each shooting a 37 on the day. CJ Steel added a 40 in the win and Caden Sullivan rounded out the Panthers’ scoring with a 41. Jordan Paradis led the visiting Rocketeers with a team-low round of 38.

Taunton, 185 @ Mansfield, 162 – Final – Mansfield emerged from its crossover match with Taunton with a big win at Norton Country Club. Nathan McClean led the Hornets with a medalist round of 39, Drew Urban added a 40, and Davon Sanders chipped in with 41 after a strong finish. Brendan Vokey and Cody Nieratko each shot a 41 to round out Mansfield’s scoring.