Tag: Mike Griffin

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only teams that responded to HockomockSports.com with information regarding their team and the upcoming season are listed in this year’s preview.

Attleboro

2019 Record: 4-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton

Attleboro is a young program and, after the two-year break, also has a young roster, but the Bombardiers have a group of experienced players to lean on at both ends of the field to try and build on the four wins from 2019.

Senior Michael Strachan will lead the Attleboro attack and he’s joined up top by junior Keigan Conley, who played two years ago as a freshman, and sophomore Carter Shelton. In the midfield, senior Dan White and Matt Perry will be joined by junior Ryan Betts. Attleboro has a lot of depth in the midfield with juniors Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlaca and senior Elijah Turner, who has transferred in from Xaverian. Junior Freddy Wheaton and senior goalie William Runey will be the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Wheaton’s brother John and freshman Bobby Sawyer will also jump in on defense. Senior Jack Nagy and freshmen Ethan Lyons and Shane Evans will also see action in defense this season. Freshman Harry Wheaton will be the backup goalie this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“After missing last season due to pandemic, our team (like all others in the league) is young,” said Attleboro coach Kevin Patton. “However, we do have a lot of varsity experience on the team from returning players. This coupled with leadership from our captains has me excited for the season.”

Canton

2019 Record: 12-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Interim Coach: Tommy Galvin

Canton came close to winning its third league title in program history in 2019, finishing just a game back of Foxboro, and now the Bulldogs return a veteran spine for the new coaching staff to build around. With a few exciting newcomers, especially in attack, Canton could be ready to challenge for its third title in the past eight seasons.

Experience will be key for the defensive unit. Senior goalie Dylan Coyne provides a big frame and a tough, physical presence in goal. In front of him, senior Jack Albert is a strong on-the-ball defender and freshman LSM Colin Blake should be able to step right in and make an impact. Canton is hoping to limit the transition game and use its strength to keep the opposition away from goal. Senior midfielder Jeff Fitzpatrick is strong on the faceoff ‘X’ and can jump into the attack. Junior Sam Carlino has been explosive through the first two games, with 12 goals already, and he leads a relatively young attacking crew. Sophomore attacker Jeff Chaput and freshman midfielder Brendan Tourgee should contribute to Canton’s offense right away.

“We have a mix of veteran players and new players and I am very excited to see what this group can accomplish this year,” said Canton interim coach Tommy Galvin. “We have great leadership and are a gritty team who plays until the final whistle.”




Foxboro

2019 Record: 12-7
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Matt Noone

Foxboro is in search of a three-peat of Davenport division titles, but the Warriors will also be looking to the future with a relatively young and inexperienced roster. There are only three seniors on the roster this season, so underclassmen will be getting the chance to contribute right away at both ends of the field.

Senior Nick Penders has been on varsity since his freshman season and will be an important contributor both at the faceoff ‘X’ and in the attack. He will be joined in the midfield by classmate Max Biegel, whose athleticism makes him a factor on offense and defense. Junior Tommy Sharkey, sophomore Finn Stapleton, and freshman Tony Sulham will round out the midfield unit. At the back, senior Paul Andrews will add leadership once he returns from a football injury. Junior Jack Avery saw some time as a freshman and he’ll get help in the attack from sophomore Conor Noone and freshman Lincoln Moore. Juniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts will lead the defensive corps until Andrews returns and freshman Adam Addeche will continue a family legacy as he steps in at goal.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“Right now we are shaking a lot of rust off,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “We are young, but we will be tough! I look forward to this young team as they grow and come together.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 18-3
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Lou Verrochi

Franklin has developed not only into a league power, having won the outright Kelley-Rex division title in each of the past five seasons, but is showing that it can compete with the top programs in the state. In 2019, the Panthers reached the South semifinal and lost by just one to perennial power Duxbury. This year’s team expects to be just as skilled and athletic as usual with sights set on another league crown.

The centerpiece of the Franklin attack will be senior Matt Lazzaro, an All-American in 2019, and he will be partnered up top by sophomore Luke Davis, whose brothers Will (goalie) and Jake (attacker) are both playing college, and sophomore Jayden Consigli, who moved from Northbridge. The midfield is loaded with athletes, including Owen Kielty, Joe Consigli, Tim Walsh, and Mike Griffin. Zach Harvey will lead the defensive unit along with Ben Harvey and Kyle Palmieri. Senior Jack Maguire will step in between the pipes with freshman Matt Corvi also ready to jump in and play goal when needed. Justin Alexander will be taking faceoffs, following in the footsteps of his brother Jacob who was the league MVP in 2019.

“We have a very competitive group of lacrosse athletes this year,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “We are looking forward to see what this group can do during our Hock schedule and hopefully advance in the state tournament.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 8-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Frias

Mansfield reached the postseason in 2019 only to have to face Franklin in the first round. With 10 seniors returning this spring, the Hornets will be hoping to lean on their experience to challenge the Panthers in the race for the Kelley-Rex division crown and get playing time for a large and talented sophomore class getting its first taste of varsity action.

The Hornets should have the speed to burn and plenty of aggressive play in the middle of the field with seniors Nico Holmes, Ethan Bruce, and Joe Gormley. Seniors Thomas Norton, Jake Quirk, and Dylan Morris will give Mansfield some versatility and dynamism in the attacking zone. Seniors Ben Johnston, Frankie Kennedy, and Ben Tatusko will be the leaders in the defensive corps. Sophomore Ryan DeGirolamo will step into the cage and anchor the defense.

“There are a number of key young players we look at to play an integral part in this year’s team,” said Mansfield coach Tim Frias. “Our strength will be speed and size.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 10-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Kevin Young

North Attleboro finished a game out of first in 2019 and now two years later the Rocketeers will be looking to take that next step and snatch back the Davenport division title from Foxboro. North has a good blend of experience and new faces, strength in defense, and dynamic attackers to challenge for the league title this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Defense is going to be a key for the Rocketeers. Senior Tyler Sarro has been a starter since his freshman year and the St. Michael’s-commit is going to be the leader in the defensive end of the field. Senior LSM Sam Gugliotta will add more experience at the back, while Eric Hobbs and James Brennan look ready to step into bigger roles. In the attack, juniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Rupert, and Clayton Billingkoff will try to build on the experience they had as freshmen to shoulder the scoring load this season. Midfielder Jared Vacher is going to step in at the faceoff ‘X’ and North has a pair of new goalies, Ethan McGrath and JT Gallagher, who have had solid preseasons and look ready to compete at this level.

“COVID has hit all sports hard,” said North coach Kevin Young. “We are focusing on getting all players ready to step into any role. It will be a challenging year but, we’re glad to be back.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 14-5
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Devlin

Oliver Ames won 14 games in 2019 and finished tied with King Philip for second in the Kelley-Rex division, but two years later only one player from that team is back as the Tigers look to make noise in the Davenport. Despite its inexperience, the Tigers will be hoping that the underclassmen can step in and help OA challenge for a league title.

The lone player with varsity experience is senior attacker Remi Creighton. One of the league’s most creative players, Creighton had 60 points as a sophomore and will be the spearhead of OA’s attack. Seniors Doug Oliveira and Ross Carroll will also add to the offensive punch and sophomore attacker Ben Reardon will make his varsity debut this season. Juniors Wyatt Frichtman and Wes Tower will both step in after a year with JV in 2019. Senior Brendan Cross and Michael Branagan will be joined on defense by sophomore Jake Manthous and freshman LSM Landon Grothe. Sophomore Noah Isleib and junior Cam Tower will battle for the starting goalie spot.

“It’s tough to replace what OA lax graduated last year,” said OA coach Ben Devlin. “We now have a lot of kids that haven’t played together before and many who haven’t played a lacrosse game in over two years. We’ll be focused on getting these guys on the same page and working off some rust while incorporating a lot of young players.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 7-11
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jon Shocket

Sharon has a team loaded with upperclassmen this season and, despite missing last spring, the Eagles are hoping that experience will carry them up the standings to challenge Foxboro at the top of the Davenport division.

The Eagles will be hoping to bolster the attack this season, led by senior Drew Litner, who played a part in more than half of the team’s goals as a sophomore. Junior Brady Daylor will be taking on a bigger role in the midfield this season and his classmate Ben Shocket could be ready for a breakout season on the faceoff ‘X’ after being third in the league in faceoff wins as a freshman. Defensively, senior Shea Letendre will be the vocal leader and senior Adam Rabb is back in goal to anchor things at that end of the field.

“We’re very excited about the upcoming season,” said Sharon coach Jon Shocket. “We have several returning starters with a majority of our team seniors and juniors.”

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/06/21

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton junior Andrew Middleton tossed a perfect game, recording 16 strikeouts along the way to lead the Bulldogs to a season-opening win.

Taunton, 11 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Taunton broke open a two-run game with a big sixth inning and never looked back to start the season with a win, running the program’s current win streak to 10 games dating back to the 2019 season. The Tigers scored once in the top of each the first and second innings before exploding for seven runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh inning. Senior Danny MacDougall got it done both offensively and on the mound for the visitors, knocking in a pair of runs and scoring twice while tossing five scoreless innings. He struck out six with just one hit allowed and no walks to earn the win. Matthew Ferrara pitched two scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts. Sophomore Ryan MacDougall had a strong debut for Taunton, going 3-for-4 with a walk, two runs scored and an RBI, Jack Gobin added two hits, and senior Bretton Heggs started his final season in style by going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two walks.

Sharon, 6 @ Milford, 3 – Final (9 Inn.) – Sharon’s Elliot Pototsky knocked in a pair of runs with a base-hit in the top of the ninth inning to break a tie game and help the Eagles open the season with a win. JD Rittenberg, who had two hits including a double, came on in relief and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out seven to get the win. Justin Brown also had two hits for the Eagles, including a triple, while Dylan Labbe was solid on the mound, striking out seven with one earned run allowed in five innings of work. For Milford, Mario Lee (double, two walks), Tyler Lane (triple, run scored), and Sean McGee (RBI) each had two hits.

Franklin @ Foxboro – Postponed to Friday, 5/7 at 4:00
Mansfield @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Friday, 5/7 at 3:45
King Philip @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Friday, 5/7 at 3:45 at Community Field.










Softball
Canton, 2 @ Attleboro, 14 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro’s offense was in midseason form, belting out 17 hits in a season-opening win over visiting Canton in the first game played on the new turf field on Drummond Street. Haley Perry set the tone from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with a pair of runs scored. Lindsey Perry, who had two hits including a two-run homer, earned her first win in the circle after giving up two unearned runs in five innings of work. Lora Woyton belted a three-run homer for the Bombardiers while freshman Riley Camacho (3-for-4, two-run home run) and Kayla Goldrick (2-for-3, two doubles) played well in their debut games.

Foxboro, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Eighth grader Emma Callahan tossed a complete game shutout in her varsity debut, striking out one to help the Warriors win on the road. Senior Morgan Sylvestre paced the Foxboro offense (10 hits as a team), going 4-for-4 with two RBI while Peyton Feldman added two hits in the win. Senior Nicole Theriault came through with a big sacrifice in the third to set the Warriors up for runs.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 11 – Final – Mansfield rallied from an early deficit, using a big fourth inning to grab control and start the season with a home win. OA jumped in front with three runs in the top of the first. The Hornets got one back in the home half, but Mansfield took the lead with an eight-run fourth inning. Five straight singles, a hit-by-pitch, a walk, and then back-to-back singles turned things around for Mansfield in a big rally. Freshmen Callie Lake (3-for-4), Jill Koppy (2-for-5), Olivia Madeira (2-for-4) and Molly Kucharski (1-for-3) each had hits in their debuts. Alanna Conley, Ashlyn Conley, and Nicole Kabosa had two hits apiece and Ashlyn Conley struck out six Tigers to pick up the win. The Hornets outhit OA 16-10. For OA, Maddie Homer went 4-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs scored while both Grace Simone and Lexi Galsband had two hits and a run scored.

North Attleboro, 9 @ King Philip, 11 – Final – KP opened the season with a win in a shootout against defending Davenport champ North Attleboro. It was an ideal start for the Warriors, who plated five runs in the first and went on to score in the second, third, and fifth innings. Senior Paige Berdos had three hits, including an RBI and a run scored, as KP totaled 13 hits as a team. Sophomore Libby Walsh (two RBI) and freshmen Jordan Bennett (run) and Maddie Paschke (two RBI) each had two hits for KP while junior Mia Bennett launched a three-run home run. For North, Kelly Colleran led the Rocketeers with four hits and drove in two. Zoey McDonough had a pair of hits, including a three-run homer, and Shaelyn Burns smashed a grand slam for North. Emily Nardelli and Ally Levine each had two hits and Mandi Hanewich scored a pair of runs in the loss.

Stoughton @ Taunton, 3:45

Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Sharon grabbed a 3-2 lead after the first inning and never relinquished its advantage the rest of the way. For Milford, Camille Bonina (two RBI) and Grace Bonina each had two hits while Olivia Morelli struck out five with just one earned rune allowed in six innings of work.




Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 19 @ Attleboro, 9 – Final

Foxboro, 6 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Sophomores Luke Davis and Jayden Consigli combined for 10 goals in their Franklin debuts and senior Matt Lazzaro had five points, as the Panthers opened the season with a dominating home win. Davis got the Panthers off to a great start with a first quarter hat trick. Tim Walsh, Owen Kielty, and Consigli each added one as well for the Panthers and freshman Lincoln Moore got his first varsity goal for the Warriors who trailed 6-1 after one. Tommy Sharkey scored a man-up goal to start the second, but Franklin answered with seven straight goals to open a double-digit lead. Consigli had a hat trick in the second, two of them assisted by Davis, who added two goals of his own in the quarter. Mike Griffin and Lazzaro also scored in the run, before Foxboro got one back to make it 13-3 at the half. Lazzaro and Davis traded assists on each other’s goals to start the third, but freshman Connor Noone got his first career goal and Moore added his second. Conor O’Neil scored back-to-back goals to push the lead up to 12 in the fourth. Noone got his second of the day, but Ravin Chaudhury capped the scoring with his first with two minutes to go.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – Mansfield opened the season in impressive fashion with a 15-5 win over visiting Oliver Ames. Senior Nico Holmes set the tone with a great game at the faceoff X and scored five goals. Thomas Norton added two goals and five assists, Jake Quirk scored a hat trick and added one helper, and Ryan DeGirolamo was terrific in goal for the Hornets, allowing just two even strength goals. OA junior Wyatt Fritchman led the offense for the Tigers with three goals and two assists while senior Ross Carroll added two goals and an assist.

North Attleboro @ King Philip, 3:45

Sharon, 16 @ Milford, 3 – Final




Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 11 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final

Foxboro, 10 @ Franklin, 19 – Final

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Mansfield, 12 – Final – Mansfield broke open a tied game with a strong second half to pull out the win, the first for the Hornets under new coach Brittany Sherry. Ava Adams made an instant impact with four goals in her first varsity game. AnnMarie McCoy pulled down seven draw controls and Caitlyn Zajac made 11 saves for the Hornets, who outscored OA 8-3 after halftime.

North Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 16 – Final

Sharon, 12 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Sharon opened the season with a road win. Jenna Goldstein led the way for the Eagles with four goals. Cass Barbera added a hat trick and Tess Letendre made nine saves to preserve the win. Molly McAlevey had a strong game in midfield for the Eagles.




Boys Tennis
Canton, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton went on the road and grabbed a win in its first match of the season, taking down the host Bombardiers. Junior Suraj Ramanathan and freshman Max Kupferman each won in straight sets in singles while senior Minh Duong picked up a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Ethan Nguyen and Jalen Townsend earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Elias Jabbour and Charlie Doody teamed up for a 6-0, 6-2 win at second doubles for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept both doubles matches in straight sets and added two more wins in singles action to open the season with a win over Foxboro. Senior Liam Marr won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles while junior Vayshnav Malhotra secured a 6-0, 6-2 decision at second singles. The team of Anish Gundimeda and Sameen Shaik earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles for the Panthers while Thomas Broyles and Jay Gorgas picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles. Foxboro’s Jason Kandula won 6-2, 6-2 at third singles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – The Hornets won all three singles matches in straight sets and didn’t lose a game in doubles action to beat the visiting Tigers of Oliver Ames. Freshman Kailash Elumelai picked up a 6-3, 6-0 win at first singles, senior Dheeraj Valluru notched a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles, and senior Kai Schirmacher registered a 6-2, 6-2 decision at third singles. The team of senior Nikhil Lankipalle and sophomore Benson Delaney won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles while senior Adam Elsner and junior Jonah Fine won by the same score at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – North Attleboro went on the road and opened the season in style, sweeping all five matches against King Philip. Seniors Jonah Manso (6-0, 6-2) and Sam Gallagher (6-1, 6-1) each won in straight sets at first and second singles, respectively, while junior Will Folan rallied for a 6-7 (4-7), 6-2, 10-6 win at third singles. Seniors Connor Willis and Sayf Siddiq earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at first doubles while senior Niteesh Saravanan teamed up with sophomore Brody Carter for a 6-4, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Brothers Waseem and Rayan Sablon each won in straight sets without dropping a game to lead Stoughton to a season-opening win on the road at Taunton. Waseem notched a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Rayan won by the same score at second singles.

Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Sharon picked up right where it left off in league action, grabbing a 5-0 win on the road over Milford. Ruemon Bhattacharyya earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles for the Eagles while both Mehul Bhattacharyya (second singles) and Max Chen (third singles) took 6-0, 6-0 decisions. Sharon’s first doubles team of Matt Lally and Rithvik Neti claimed a 6-1, 6-0 win while the team of Mitch Weiss and Deyan Kassev prevailed 6-1, 6-2 at second doubles for the Eagles.




Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton was on the winning end of a pair of marathon singles matches, defending home court with a 4-1 win over Attleboro. Rachel Kupferman (first singles, 6-0, 6-1) and the team of Lily Hazam and Olivia Durham (first doubles, 6-1, 6-2) both won in straight sets for the Bulldogs. Laura Correal prevailed 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2 at second singles and Grace Powers came through with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 win at third to help secure the win. Attleboro’s Kyra Johnson and Maddie Fulsado picked up a 6-4, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro didn’t drop a game in singles action, sweeping all three matches and adding another win in doubles play to beat visiting Franklin. Athena Li (first singles), Pam Nelson (second singles), and Sarah Prag (third singles) all won 6-0, 6-0 while the team of Maggie McAuliffe and Abby Costa secured a 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles. Franklin’s Amulya Jayam and Shriya Rajesh earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Mansfield, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Mansfield’s Alex Burnham prevailed in three sets at first singles, winning the match-clinching point as the Hornets won on the road at OA. Mansfield had wins from Aryanna Khosravani (6-3, 6-2) and Kate Martin 7-6 (7-1), 6-4 at second and third singles, respectively, while OA swept doubles action. Burham’s 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 win at first singles clinched the third point for the win. OA’s Kate McLaughlin and Grace Houser won 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 at first doubles while Morgan Vailiou and Caroline Peper didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip won all three singles matches in straight sets and added another win in doubles action to take a win on the road at North Attleboro. The team of Ahunna James and Shea Mellman dropped just two games in a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Warriors. In sweeping singles action, Katarina Schneider won first singles 6-0, 6-0, Mia Valencia record a 6-2, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sammie Taylor secured a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. North Attleboro’s Ashlyn Cziria and Teresa Fan won 6-3, 6-3 at second doubles.

Taunton @ Stoughton, 3:45

Milford @ Sharon, 3:45




Boys Outdoor Track
Foxboro, 73 @ Canton, 59 – Final – For Canton, Kyle Downing was a triple-winner and Deyontai Dennis won a pair of events and took second in another. Downing was first in the 1 Mile, the 2 Mile, and the high jump while Dennis won the triple jump and the 400M hurdles, adding a second place finish in the long jump.

Sharon, 40 @ Oliver Ames, 90 – Final

Girls Outdoor Track
Foxboro, 60 @ Canton, 76 – Final – Canton’s Maddie Rousseau broke her own school record in the 100M hurdles, taking first place with a time of 15.1 to lead the Bulldogs to a win over Foxboro. Rousseau also was first in the high jump (4’10) and took second in the 200M (26.4) and the long jump (15′ 6.5″). Kiara Cerruti was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, crossing first in both the 1 Mile (6:02.8) and the 800M (2:41.1).

Sharon, 50 @ Oliver Ames, 79 – Final

Football: 2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Preview

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview
Mansfield can’t defend its D2 state title, but the Hornets will be looking to bring home a third straight league title when the new Fall II season kicks off. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Football Preview

Attleboro

2019 Record: 6-5
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Mike Strachan

Key/Returning Players: Christian Dame, Jr., TE/DE; Alvin Harrison, Jr., OL/DL; Chris Leonardo, Jr., OL/DL; Kaiden Murray, Jr., RB/FS; Trainor Sherck, Sr., OLB; Michael Strachan, Sr., LB/RB; Freddy Wheaton, Jr., LB

Outlook:
Attleboro was able to incorporate a number of underclassmen last season and will be hoping that experience pays off with the junior class being asked to step up all across the field this season, as the Bombardiers look to challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Size won’t be an issue for Attleboro and the offensive line should be a strength this season led by junior tackles Chris Leonardo (6’3, 275 pounds) and Alvin Harrison (6’3, 255) along with seniors Trainor Sherck and Ryan Grover and junior Adam Struminski. The Bombardiers are going to use that line a lot this season with new quarterback Blake Garzaro, who saw some action as a sophomore, handing the ball off frequently to junior Kaiden Murray, who looks poised for a breakout season, and bruising fullback Michael Strachan. Junior Freddy Wheaton is another physical back who will get touches this year. In the passing game, Garzaro can look for 6’4 tight end Christian Dame, who leads a largely new cast of receivers.

The strengths on offense should mirror the strengths for Attleboro’s defense as well. Leonardo, Dame, and Harrison will be the core of the defensive line with junior Isaac Pereira another big body that will be tough for opposing teams to run against. Strachan leads the linebacking corps. The URI-commit is the program’s all-time leading tackler and he’s a four-year varsity player. Wheaton will join Strachan at inside linebacker and Sherck and Ryan Betts will be on the outside. The secondary will have several new faces, but Murray is a tough tackler at free safety and William Runey will be one of the more experienced cornerbacks on the roster.

Franklin

2019 Record: 7-4
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Eian Bain

Key/Returning Players: Jared Arone, Jr., QB; Parker Cheuvront, Sr., K; Dan Cormier, Sr., LB; Brady Duncan, Sr., OL; Mike Griffin, Sr., WR/S; Mack Gulla, Jr., RB; Xander Honor, Sr., LB; Isaac Hughes, Sr., WR; Shane Kindred, Jr., WR; Vincent Lackey, Sr., T; Jonathan Martins, Jr., DE; Jake O’Brien, Sr., WR; Anthony Quintina, Sr., DL;

Outlook:

Franklin is coming off an impressive run to the Div. 1 South final but the Panthers also graduated a host of important pieces from last year’s team, particularly at the skill positions, and will need some younger players to step in to stay competitive in the Kelley-Rex this season.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Junior Jared Arone will step in at quarterback this season, hoping to have the same level of success running Franklin’s up-tempo style as Thomas Gasbarro did last year. Junior running back Mack Gulla got some time in the backfield last season but will be getting the bulk of the touches this year. A new receiving corps will also have to learn on the job, including senior Jake O’Brien and junior Shane Kindred, and junior tight end Jonathan Martins, but there is potential for this to be an explosive group. Seniors Brady Duncan and Vincent Lackey will be counted on to provide leadership on the offensive line. The consistency of senior kicker Parker Cheuvront will be a huge boost to a Franklin offense that may have some growing pains early in the season.

Defensively, the Panthers return several players and will rely on that experience to combat the top offenses in the league and to allow time for the younger players to get up to speed. Seniors Xander Honor and Dan Cormier will spearhead the defense from their linebacker positions, while seniors Anthony Quintina and Lackey are stout in the middle of the line. Martins will be a force at defensive end and Griffin is a playmaker at safety.

“We need to focus on getting better every day,” said Franklin coach Eain Bain. “Appreciate, and focus on, the here and now. Don’t look ahead or behind, but stay in tuned to the task at hand. And always, Row the Boat.”




King Philip

2019 Record: 8-3
2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Brian Lee

Key/Returning Players: Crawford Cantave, Jr., RB/SS; Drew Danson, Jr., TE; Mike Malatesta, Sr., MLB; Kevin Pierro, Sr., C; Nick Viscusi, Jr., SS; Michael Zagrodney, Sr., WR; Patrick Zarba, Sr., G/DT

Outlook:
This is an atypical season in so many ways, not least of all because King Philip, one of the perennial powers in the Kelley-Rex, is going through a transition. The Warriors will have a lot of new faces this year, using a number of underclassmen who will have to quickly learn the KP style of play through a tough slate of divisional games.

KP returns only two starters on offense from last year’s team that reached the D2 South semifinal. Senior guard Pat Zarba and junior tight end Drew Danson will be the lone holdovers, although several other players did see action at times. Junior Crawford Cantave filled in for an injured Ryan Halliday at running back last year and has the potential to be next in a long line of standout backs at KP. Mike Malatesta will also be in the backfield at fullback and sophomore Ryan Gately is a newcomer to keep an eye on. Junior Charlie Grant is set to be the new quarterback and will have Danson, senior Michael Zagrodney, and junior Nick Viscusi as targets in the passing game. Senior Kevin Pierro will be the center to add some experience to what is otherwise a largely new group on the line.

Defense has always been a priority for KP and this year’s group has a lot of players who will be learning on the job. Zarba and Danson will be on the defensive line, along with junior Hunter Hastings and senior Harry Brown. Malatesta and Gately will be joined by junior Jake Sullivan at linebacker. The secondary is young but has some experience, as Cantave and Viscusi both are coming off strong sophomore seasons at safety.

“I am hoping that our weakness (inexperience and lack of seniors) will be a strength in the fall as we are forced to play a lot of juniors and sophomores now,” said KP coach Brian Lee. “I’m also worried about injuries, as we have not been in our weight room in a year.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 11-1 (Kelley-Rex Division Champion)
2019 Finish: Won D2 Super Bowl
Coach: Mike Redding

Key/Returning Players: Nick Bertolino, Sr., CB/WR; Matt Boen, Sr., WR/QB/DB; Anthony Comer, Sr., RB/DB; Mark DeGirolamo, Jr., G/DT; Joe Forte, Jr., C/NG; Cincere Gill, Sr., RB/DB; TJ Guy, Sr., OT/DE; Nico Holmes, Sr., FB/LB;Everett Knowlton, Sr., TE/DE; Jake McCoy, Sr., G/DT

Outlook:
It has been 15 months since Mansfield rolled to a D2 state title at Gillette Stadium and the Hornets are excited to get back on the field, searching for a third straight league title and looking forward to a 90th anniversary game against Foxboro at Alumni Field to close out the season.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

While Mansfield graduated a number of key players from last year’s state championship-winning team, the Hornets return plenty of offensive firepower, especially in the backfield. Senior Cincere Gill will be the focus after racking up nearly 1,000 rushing yards last season, but he will get plenty of help from classmates Anthony Comer and Nico Holmes and newcomer sophomore Rocco Scarpellini. In addition, the Hornets will have Matt Boen and Nick Bertolino back at receiver and Everett Knowlton returns at tight end. Juniors Jake Wall and Dana Johnson will add to the depth in the passing game. The offensive line should be a strength for Mansfield this season with three returning starters, seniors TJ Guy and Jake McCoy and junior Joe Forte. Juniors Jimmy Gilleran and Braedon Veno will fill out the rest of the line.

The Hornets were dominant on defense last season and they remain solid on that side of the ball, particularly in the front seven. With Guy on the end and junior Mark DeGirolamo and McCoy in the interior of the defensive line, Mansfield will be stout up front. Holmes is a standout at linebacker and senior Sean Weber will be a player to watch in his outside linebacker position. The secondary has depth with a handful of players fighting for three defensive back spots.

“Toughest part is mentally, everything’s backward with the weather – feels like November and the end of a typical season, but it’s pre-season,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “Just hoping Friday nights under the lights feel the same once games get going and it feels like we’re starting to finally get into a groove with execution. We’re all thankful to be playing and trying to enjoy every day we can go out and be a team.”




Milford

2019 Record: 4-7
2019 Finish: Reached D3 South First Round
Coach: Dale Olson

Key/Returning Players: Evan Hazard, Sr., SS; Josh Kravets, Sr., DL; Mario Lee, Sr., DL; Max Martin, Sr., WR; Sean Murray, Sr., OL; Kevin O’Connor, Sr., LB; Brady Olson, Sr., QB; Angelo Romero, Jr., LB; Dom Schofield, Sr., DE; Carter Scudo, Sr., WR; Grant Scudo, Jr., DB; Matt Varteresian, Sr., WR; Nick Yohn, Sr., OL

Outlook:
There are a lot of changes at Milford this season, with a new coaching staff taking over and the Hawks making the switch to the Kelley-Rex for the first time, but there is a lot of experience on the field to make that transition with nine starters returning on both sides of the ball.

One of the biggest changes for Milford will be under center, as Brady Olson takes over following his transfer from Bishop Feehan. The UMass-commit will have plenty of targets to aim for, as Milford returns arguably the deepest group of receivers in the league led by seniors Carter Scudo, Max Martin, and Matt Varteresian. They combine deep threat potential with the willingness to make the tough catches in traffic. Up front, Sean Murray and Nick Yohn will lead the protection for Olson and try to open up lanes for a new crop of running backs.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

Experience will be a strength on the defensive side of the ball as well. Dom Schofield highlights a tough defensive line. Another of the team’s UMass commits, Schofield will be a force at the defensive end position, while Mario Lee and Josh Kravets return in the heart of the line. Milford lost a couple of standout linebackers from last year’s squad, Luke Rosa and CJ Cerrella, but Kevin O’Connor and Angelo Romero are playmakers who should be ready for breakout seasons. Grant Scudo and Evan Hazard are back in what should be a strong secondary for the Hawks.

“I have a strong senior class that has played a ton of football and we’ll lean on them to help us compete in the Hock large this year,” said new Milford coach Dale Olson.

Taunton

2019 Record: 4-6
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Brad Sidwell

Key/Returning Players: Tommy Ambrose, Sr., OL/DL; Nathan Arieta, Sr., TE/DE; Nigel Choate, Sr., WR/DB; Bretton Heggs, Sr., RB/DB; Josh Lopes, Sr., RB/LB; Dan Macdougall, Sr., QB/DB; Jorden Manning, Sr., OL/DL; Deandre McPhail, Sr., DL; Kedrick Santos, Sr., LB/WR; Trent Santos, Jr., WR/DB; Nolan Tomaszycki, Sr., WR/DB

Outlook:
With 10 returning starters and 18 returning lettermen, Taunton will be relying on its senior leadership to stay competitive against what has the potential to be a daunting Kelley-Rex division schedule.

The Tigers have plenty of athleticism on both sides of the ball and also versatile players who can line up in multiple positions, making it difficult for opponents to match up. Senior Danny MacDougall moves under center this season, although he has also lined up at receiver in the past. Seniors Josh Lopes and Bretton Heggs give Taunton a pair of dangerous backs, while Trent Santos, Kedrick Santos, Nigel Choate, and Nolan Tomaszycki are weapons in the passing game. Senior Nathan Arieta, at 6-foot-5, is a big target at tight end. Seniors Tommy Ambrose and Jorden Manning are two returning starters on the offensive line. The depth on the line will be tested, as Taunton has several underclassmen with the size to step in but not a lot of experience.

Defensively, Taunton relies on its quickness and athleticism, but also has plenty of size up front. Ambrose, Manning, and Arieta will all play on the defensive line, along with classmate Deandre McPhail and junior Faisal Mass. Lopes, Kedrick Santos, Caleb Nicholson, and Evan Perrotta have experience in the linebacking corps. The secondary is filled with playmakers, including Trent Santos, MacDougall, Heggs, Tomaszycki, and Choate.

2020 (Fall II) Kelley-Rex Division Football Preview

KP’s Griffin Named State’s Gatorade Runner of the Year

Mike Griffin
King Philip senior Mike Griffin was named the Gatorade Cross-Country Runner of the Year for the state of Massachusetts after winning the D1 title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


King Philip senior Mike Griffin was today named the state’s Gatorade Runner of the Year for Cross-Country. It is the first time that a KP athlete has received this honor in any sport. Griffin is also a finalist for the national runner of the year award, which will be announced this month.

He is the third Hockomock runner to receive this honor, following Mansfield Patrick McGowan (2010) and Oliver Ames’ Mike Moverman (2009). Griffin is the 19th Hock athlete to be named a Gatorade Player of the Year in any sport and the first since North Attleboro’s Meg Colleran won for softball in 2014.

Per the press release from Gatorade, “The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Griffin as Massachusetts’ best high school boys cross country runner.

Griffin won the Hockomock League Championship meet at the Wrentham Development Center for the second year in a row, winning the race by 18 seconds ahead of Franklin’s Tyler Brogan. The University of Tennessee-commit concluded his impressive four-year cross-country career by winning the Div. 1 state meet in a time of 16:06, which was seven seconds faster than the second-place finisher.

He also finished eighth at the Foot Locker East Regional meet and then 36th in the national championships.

KP boys cross-country coach Chris Elgar said, “Mike’s Gatorade AOY recognition to me reflects the culmination of hard work and persistent determination since day one in August of 2016. What may be over looked in all of this is how humble and selfless he is.

“He is loved by his teammates and respected by his opponents. He is so deserving of every accolade that he has earned. Personally it has been an absolute honor working with him.”

In addition to his success in cross-country, Griffin also won the 1,000 meters at this past weekend’s league indoor track championships and ran the final leg for KP’s first place 4×800 relay team.

As part of the Gatorade award, Griffin will be able to donate $1,000 to a local or national youth sports organization of his choice.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/30/20

Today’s games are listed below.

Wrestling
King Philip, 30 @ Franklin, 45 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet. Despite having to forfeit three weight classes and starting the match down 12-0, Franklin rolled to a win that clinches the outright league dual meet title. It is the third Kelley-Rex title in the last four years for the Panthers. Drew DiFillipo started the comeback at 120 with a 10-2 win that cut the KP lead to 12-4. Devin Bramson got the hosts within two with a first round pin at 126 pounds and then a forfeit at 132 put the Panthers ahead 16-12. Jackson Kelley wasted little time putting the Warriors in front with a first round pin, but Alex Fracassa put Franklin ahead for good with a 10-2 win at 145. Following a KP forfeit at 152, Dom Sackley added six more points with a first round pin. At 170, Liam Cogavin jumped ahead 7-2 after two periods, but Cole Ricci battled back in the third with a takedown cutting the lead to three and then forcing Cogavin to hold on for the win and three points. Dylan Nawn put Franklin ahead 41-18 with a second round pin at 182, but Shawn Conniff answered back with a first round pin at 195. It was Conniff’s 130th career win and his 100th career pin. He is now two wins shy of the program record. Matt Walker closed out the meet with a 13-2 win at 220 before another forfeit at 285.

Swimming
Hockomock League Dive Championships, 4:00 (@ Massasoit)

Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Attleboro, 39 – Final – Oliver Ames took first and second in three events and had six more first place finishes, including one relay, to earn a win over Attleboro. Junior Kyle Sarney clocked in at a league-best 9:44.64 to win the 2 Mile and sophomore Owen McMorrow (10:01.38) was second (third best in the Hock), senior Rory McLaughlin (4:40.07) and junior Nathan Reservitz (4:46.44) took first and second in the 1 Mile, and sophomore Ashton Hart (6.92) and junior Jaiden Daly (6.93) were the top two finishers in the 55M to lead OA. Hart also won the long jump (19-07.75), junior Ryan Petrillo was a double-winner, taking first in the high jump (5-10.00) and 55M hurdles (8.41), junior Jimmy Keane won the 1000M (2:49.88) and senior Ryan Hilliard crossed first in the 300M (37.87). Attleboro junior Nathan Seybert won the 600M (1:29.47) with classmate Joey Soucy taking second (1:32.81), and junior Ethan Crosby won the shot put (46-02.00).

Milford, 46 vs. Canton, 54 – Final – Canton swept both the 55M dash and the 300M race, taking first in three other events to earn a win over Milford. Jonathan Chery had another stellar showing, winning both the 55M (league-best 6.61) and the 300M (36.87). Junior Sainvil (6.76) and Cam Sanchez (6.87) took second and third, respectively in the 55M dash while Zachary Goldstein (37.12) and Andrew Butler (40.03) did the same in the 300M. Sophomore Kyle Downing won the 2 Mile (10:36.77), junior Deyontai Dennis took first in the high jump (5-10.00), and senior Nate Quan won the long jump (18-03.75). Milford senior Max Manor was a double winner, taking first in both the 1000M (2:52.70) and the 1 Mile (4:52.56).

Foxboro, 34 vs. North Attleboro, 65 – Final – The Red Rocketeers registered sweeps in both the shot put and the high jump on their way to a win over Foxboro. Emmett Ruote took first in the shot put with a toss of 43-08.25 while Joseph Beckett (39-10.00) and Jack Perriello (37-03.50) were second and third, respectively. Nick Taylor (5-08.00) took first in the high jump with Colby Feid (5-06.00) and Isa Siddiq (5-02.00) following. Kyle Robinson was a double-winner for the Big Red, crossing first in each the 1 Mile (4:59.14) and the 2 Mile (10:40.98) while Jack MacLaughlin earned a first place finish at 1:32.66 in the 600M. Foxboro’s Adam Connolly won both the 55M (7.06) and 300M (37.71), Ryan Proulx crossed first in the 1000M (league-best 2:40.43), Ali Nasri won the 55M hurdles (8.52), and Tyler Hagan set a new PR in a win at the long jump (19-00.00).

Franklin, 63 vs. King Philip, 36 – Final – Senior Jacob Cummings and junior Shane Bissanti each took home a pair of individual wins and the Panthers won three more events, plus both relays, to earn a win over King Philip. Cummings won both the long jump (19-09.25) and the 300M (37.98) while Bissanti crossed first in the 55M hurdles (9.44) and won the high jump (5-04.00). Alec Hanley (1:27.53) and Camden Harrington (1:27.95) went 1-2 in the 600M while Griffin Sieczkiewicz (10:47.01) and Joseph Zercie (10:49.74) did the same in the 2 Mile race. KP’s Mike Griffin and Franklin’s Tyler Brogan put on another show in the 1 Mile Race with Griffin (4:18.22) edging out Brogan (school-record 4:18.95), with KP’s Michael Norberg (4:24.56) taking third, the three clocking in the best three times among Hock runners on the night.

Stoughton, 52 vs. Sharon, 48 – Final – Stoughton won one of two relays and got key points from each the shot put, high jump, and long jump to edge out Sharon in a battle of unbeatens and win the Davenport division title. The Black Knights took first and second in both the high jump (Elisha Claude, 6-06.00 and Nathaniel Peters, 5-10.00) and the long jump (Claude, 21-06.25 and David Peters (21-02.25) while taking first and third in the shot put (Mark Edge, 46-11.25 and Jaden McCall, 39-07.00) to earn a close win. David Peters also won the 300M (36.40, PR) and the 55M hurdles (7.40, PR), Nathaniel Peters took first in the 600M (1:24.47), and Anthony Pizzano earned key points with a second place finish in the 55M hurdles (8.00). Sharon’s Patrick McManus won the 55M (6.70, PR), juniors Jordan Saks (2:48.33, PR) and Mark Starovoytov (2:48.79) took first and second in the 1000M, Starovoytov (4:58.73), Siddarth Reddy (5:00.98), and Bradley Weiss (5:02.67) swept the 1 Mile, and the Eagles swept the 2 Mile with Reddy (10:44.52) taking first, James Kong (10:59.69) crossing second, and Weiss (11:20.40) taking third.

Mansfield, 78 vs. Taunton, 22 – Final – The Hornets took first in all but one event to cruise to a win over Taunton and the 2020 Kelley-Rex division championship. Senior Andrew Williams continued his dominance, taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.36), the high jump (6-00.00), and the long jump (20-06.75). Mansfield swept the long jump with Jake Wall (20-02.50) and Joe Cappelletti (19-04.75) rounding out the top three as well as the 55M hurdles as Dylan Buchanan (8.61) and Chris Verros (9.03, PR) took second and third. Wall took first in the 55M dash (6.91, PR), Jack Rivard won the 300M (36.89), Peter Oldow placed first in the 600M (1:29.12), Mike Mullahy clocked in at 2:43.66 to win the 1000M, sophomore Chris Leonard set a new PR at 4:55.79 to win the 1 Mile (by 0:00.01 over Taunton’s Nolan Tavares), and Nico Holmes won the shot put (41-06.00). Taunton junior Ty Cali ran a PR in the 2 Mile, taking first in 9:56.61.










Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 47 vs. Attleboro, 53 – Final – Attleboro swept the 55M hurdles and took first and second in both the 300M and 1 Mile races to earn its first win of the season. Junior Meghan Panzer set a new PR, clocking in at 9.68 to win the 55M hurdles with sophomore Angela Cooney (10.00, PR) and junior Eleanor Graber (11.18) taking second and third, respectively. Junior Diana Blouin clocked in at 5:43.55 to win the 1 Mile while classmate Kelly Neuendorf took second in 5:51.96. Junior Cassondra Stuger crossed first in the 300M (43.49) and senior Jessica Matheson took second, setting a new PR (47.30). Neuendorf also earned key points by winning the 2 Mile (12:11.48) while Stuger took second in the 55M dash (7.97). Oliver Ames’ Madison Perry won a pair of events, taking first in the 55M dash (7.76) and the long jump (14-11.00).

Milford, 68 vs. Canton, 30 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks swept the 300M race and took first place in seven more races plus one relay to pick up a win over Canton. Sophomore Sarah Flanagan clocked in at 43.30 to take first place with classmate Maren Halpin (46.92) and senior Juliana France (48.09) crossing next. Flanagan also won the 55M dash (league-best 7.48), Sara Comisky won both the 1000M (3:34.36) and the 1 Mile (6:04.03), Kerry O’Connor placed first in both the long jump (16-02.25) and the 600M (1:40.58), Sarah Brogioli was a double-winner with first place finishes in each the 55M hurdles (9.27) and high jump (4-08.00), and freshman Sydney Kalil took first in the 2 Mile (13.29.57). Milford’s 4×400 relay team of O’Connor, Bella Gonzalez, Flanagan, and Halpin broke the school record by seven seconds, clocking in at 4:10.57. Canton’s Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (33-10.00) while the 4×200 team of Mia Walsh, Morgan Quinn, Leah Murphy, and Kiley Hanlon won in 1:57.59.

Foxboro, 25 vs. North Attleboro, 66 – Final – By sweeping both the high jump and 55M hurdles, and taking first and second in each the shot put and long jump, North Attleboro earned a win over Foxboro. Olivia Etienvre won the high jump with a leap of 5-02.00 with Ari Preacher (4-10.00) and Cassidy Becker (4-10.00) rounding out the top three while the same three swept the 55M hurdles in the same order, Etienvre winning in 9.07. Etienvre (16-06.50) and Becker (15-11.50) went 1-2 in the long jump while Alivia Byrne (30-01.00) and Arianna Newth (27-01.00) did the same in the shot put. Foxboro junior Emma Dahl took first in the 600M (1:45.67, PR) and freshman Emilia Lacy won the 1 Mile (6:03.88, PR).

Franklin, 42 vs. King Philip, 58 – Final – Franklin swept a pair of events but King Philip showed off its depth, taking wins in both relays and six other events to get the win. Junior Sofia DelVecchio won the 55M dash (7.66), junior Allison Beltramini took first in the 300M (45.03), juniors Isabelle Crocker (3:18.29) and Charlotte Majer (3:19.87) went first and second in the 1000M, sophomore Maya Evans won the 2 Mile (12:32.69), junior Milan Simmons (9.42) and senior Victoria Priestley (9.53) went 1-2 in the 55M hurdles, and seniors Sarah Vigevani (30-01.00) and Bailee Ziolkowski (29-10.00) took the top two spots in the shot put. Franklin swept the long jump with sophomore Jillian Fenerty (14-11.00) taking first and sophomore Ava Fraulo (14-10.50) and junior Katelyn Guidi (14-03.00) following as well as the 600M race, won by senior Samantha Powderly (1:45.84) and Sydney Hawkins (1:48.31) and Riley Fitzpatrick (1:50.06) rounding out the top three.

Stoughton, 40 vs. Sharon, 60 – Final – Sharon won eight events plus one relay to earn a win over Stoughton and clinch the Davenport division crown. Elizabeth Lee and Jada Johnson each won a pair of events for the Eagles, with Lee taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.65) and the 300M (44.95) while Johnson won both the high jump (5-02.00) and the long jump (17-04.75). Other winners for Sharon included Wendy Wooden in the 55M dash (7.78), Carolyn Bayha in the 600M (1:50.13), Daphne Theiler in the 1000M (3:12.79), and Taylor Saks in the 1 Mile (5:38.70). Stoughton picked up wins from freshman Elaine McCarty in the 2 Mile (13:52.97, PR) and senior Chinazo Odunze in the shot put (30-09.00).

Mansfield, 36 vs. Taunton, 63 – Final – The Tigers used a sweep in the 300M, took first and second in three other events, and won both relays to earn a win over Mansfield and force a three-way tie for the Kelley-Rex division title with the Hornets and KP. Junior Morgan Zakrzewski (44.08) won the 300M while Kerla Sylvestre (44.38) and Abieyowa Olaye (45.72) rounded out the top three. Junior Olivia Dias won the 600M in 1:43.04 while Nia Mainer-Smith (1:43.91) took second, Braelyn Nichos won the 1000M in 3:17.15 while Tatyana Mainer-Smith (3:18.05) took second, and Jaylin Couto took first in the shot put (28-07.50) with Olyvia Mendonca (28-05.00) taking second for the Tigers. Taunton also got wins from Amanda Labrecque in the 55M hurdles (9.28), Julia Labrecque in the high jump (5-00.00), and Victoria Gravel in the long jump (16-01.25). Mansfield swept the 1 Mile race with Tessa Lancaster clocking in at 5:38.07 for first, and Grace Doyle (5:51.15) and Celia Puleo (5:51.40) following behind. Jessica Alestock won the 2 Mile (12:46.14) and Gabrielle Devlin took first in the 55M dash (7.84, PR)

Girls Gymnastics
Canton, 121.3 @ Oliver Ames, 137.4 – Final

Player of the Week: Mike Griffin, King Philip XC

Mike Griffin
 
By HockomockSports.com Staff

King Philip senior Mike Griffin has been selected as the HockomockSports.com Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, for Nov. 10 through Nov. 16. Griffin is the 11th player chosen as Player of the Week for the 2019-20 school year.

Griffin concluded his stellar four-year cross-country career by winning the Div. 1 All-State Meet at the Gardner Municipal Golf Course on Saturday afternoon. He finished in 16:06, which was seven seconds ahead of the second-place finisher from Concord-Carlisle (and 20 seconds ahead of teammate Mike Norberg, who finished fifth overall) to bring home the title. His time was nearly 50 seconds faster than last year’s meet at Stanley Park, where he finished ninth overall.

“His state title was the culmination of over three years of hard work and dedication to running,” said King Philip head coach Chris Elgar. “While undeniably he has a natural talent, you could even say gift for running, but that does not credit enough how much his work ethic contributes to his success. One small example was his confidence in a well thought out ‘agenda’ for how to race this course to his best ability. Because he is a student of his craft, he knew exactly what he needed to do on Saturday. He would also be the first person to recognize the support his co-captain and close friend Mike Norberg has on his success. They really help each other reach for the highest of standards.”

Griffin has been a dominant cross-country runner since his freshman season and a few weeks ago brought home his second straight individual title at the Hockomock League Cross-Country Championships at the Wrentham Development Center. The University of Tennessee-commit finished 18 seconds ahead of Franklin’s Tyler Brogan. In four years, Griffin never finished worse than third in the league meet and improved his time by more than 40 seconds from his freshman to senior seasons.

Click here for a photo gallery from the 2019 Hockomock Cross Country Championships.

The Player of the Week, presented by Morse Insurance, is selected by the HockomockSports.com staff. Nominations can be submitted throughout the week up until Saturday night at midnight. There may be a poll posted on every Sunday with the nominations. The results of the poll influence the selection but do not strictly dictate the decision.

Rivalry Pushes Hockomock Runners Into Top Gear

Hockomock Runners
Franklin’s Tyler Brogan (left) and King Philip’s Mike Griffin have developed a rivalry over three years of competing against each other in cross-country and track. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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On Saturday morning at the Wrentham Development Center, one of the top individual rivalries in the Hockomock League had its latest chapter, as King Philip’s Mike Griffin and Franklin’s Tyler Brogan squared off at the annual league cross-country meet. Griffin took first place (by a commanding 16 seconds) for the second straight season and for the third straight fall Brogan took second.

They are two of the top distance runners not only in the Hock but in the state and both admit that having another Div. I-caliber runner (Brogan committed this week to Northeastern, while Griffin has narrowed his choices to Arizona State or Tennessee) to compete against multiple times a season, in cross-country as well as indoor and outdoor track, has propelled them to reach new levels of success.

“Having someone of that caliber of a runner to pretty much always be there to push you has made me a much better runner,” Brogan said. Although he finished second on Saturday, Brogan recently beat Griffin in an invitational meet and edged him this summer in the Tommy Cochary High School Mile in Falmouth. “Sometimes it’s frustrating where we go back-and-forth,” he added, “but the most important thing is having him has made me much more competitive and just overall a better runner.”

Griffin added, “Being able to compete with one of the other best runners in the state obviously makes me go faster.” He compared himself to other elite runners that may not have the same level of competition within their league. He said, “Because I have Brogan and because I have my teammate Mike Norberg, I have to try to win.”

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by the coaches how much the rivalry has enhanced each runner’s performance and preparation.

“I think the rivalry has kept both of them sharp as neither one can really get an easy win within the league,” said Franklin cross-country coach Nicholas Bailey. “When you think that one has gotten an upper hand, the other will come right back and the roles will be swapped. It’s been a lot of fun to coach Tyler and watch this rivalry unfold over the past few years.”

The rivalry didn’t begin until the spring season of their freshman year. Brogan was a soccer and basketball player coming into high school, while Griffin made his mark as a runner immediately, finishing third at that fall’s league meet and setting freshman records. In spring track, the league got its first inkling of what a dynamic rivalry it would become.

“Cross-country freshman year, the only freshmen that could compete with me were from other states,” Griffin explained. “I remember I was doing some run with my teammates and they were like this freshman kid from Franklin gave one of the top milers in the league a run for his money and almost beat him. I was so excited because I was like, wow I have someone who’s going to be racing with me the next three years who’s my speed.”

Brogan said, “During spring track, I did really well. At the end of that season or maybe in the summer I thought, okay I like basketball and soccer but I’m not that good. I know I’m not going to college and play basketball or anything, so I started running all three seasons.”

He added, “Three years later, we still race each other all the time. I feel like we just go back-and-forth, back-and-forth every meet.”

It is a friendly rivalry. While there is always the desire to win (for instance, Brogan couldn’t contain his frustration when he spoke about his performance in Saturday’s meet), there is mutual respect. They both know that without the other, they might not have pushed as hard, might not have put in the extra time to turned potential into consistent success.

After every race, there is a moment when the two runners, no matter who came in first, come together and acknowledge how much they had to push to achieve the times that they posted.

“Even though we’re competing, even though we’re rivals, we’re doing the same exact thing and just have a lot of respect for the guys who can do what I do, put themselves through the pain of running as fast as we do, and still come out with a great result,” Griffin said.

“He’s not someone to go around and brag about winning or stuff like that,” Brogan said. “That makes it even better, someone of that caliber who does win a lot and who can maintain not being extremely cocky or showboating. There’s sometimes where I beat him, I know he won’t be sulking or anything like that.”

Both guys talked about how a love for running began in middle school with gym class miles and fitness tests. As you would expect, they both stood out among their peers. That has continued throughout their high school careers and across multiple events. Whether it is mid- or long-distance, they never seem to be far apart at the finish line.

“I have not traced their head to head record against each other over the seasons but I am willing to bet it is as close to a 50-50 split as it comes,” said KP cross-country coach Chris Elgar. “They can beat each other in every single event, which is a rarity. You usually have a situation where one excels in the shorter races while the other has the advantage in the longer races; not so with these guys.”

The expectation that a fast time is going to be needed to take first every race ups the expectation, the adrenaline, and the enjoyment of those head-to-head meetings. Not only does it help to have someone just as fast to push you to another gear, but it is also more fun.

“It definitely increases the amount of nervousness you feel,” Brogan said, “but it also increases that sense of I’m going to go out and run a good time because that’s what we all want. That’s why I like these high-level meets where these times can be fulfilled.”

It is no surprise that after facing each other so many times over the past three-plus years, Brogan and Griffin need no time to point out each other’s strengths.

“His short kick,” Griffin replied immediately when asked about Brogan’s biggest strength “If he’s able to stick on someone the whole race and you’re with him with 100 meters to go, he’s going to beat you. He has a short final kick but it is killer.” He added with a chuckle, “A lot of the times, he likes to push me to the lead and I get stuck in the lead always hearing him right on my heels.”

Brogan highlighted Griffin’s versatility, being able to excel at multiple distances, as one of his biggest strengths, but also noted his personality. “I never really see him getting nervous before races and stuff like that,” Brogan said. “They have a boombox, the KP team, and they’re always going around like that and having fun. I’m sure he still has some [nerves], but he never shows it.”

As the runners head into the final cross-country postseasons of their high school careers, the rivalry is still far from the finish line. The duo will face off numerous times over the winter and spring. Each race, their names will be the ones that draw the most attention and, most likely, will be the first two mentioned on the podium – only the order left to be decided.

Click here for a photo gallery from the 2019 Hockomock League Boys Cross-Country Championships.

Click here for a photo gallery from the 2019 Hockomock League Boys Cross-Country Championships.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/02/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames scored inside the final five minutes of each half to grab two points on the road at Franklin. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute when Jacob Cummings nodded in a cross from Donny Tappin. OA got on the board just before halftime when Colin Milliken buried his chance in the 37th minute, scoring after Anthony DaCosta headed on a cross from Brady deVos free kick. Milliken set up the game winner, feeding Jimmy Keane in the 75th minute to make it 2-1.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Mansfield’s Evan Eames, Cam Eddy, Adam Elsner, Colin Caridi, and Michael Caridi all played well defensively in front of Hornet keeper Anthony Salisbury (shutout).

Taunton @ Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, October 9th at 3:45.
Foxboro @ Sharon – Postponed to Saturday, October 5th at 2:00.
Stoughton @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, October 9th at 4:00.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 5 – Final – North Attleboro’s Steph McKenna scored twice but the Rocketeers suffered a setback on the road. Olivia Wills had the assist on both goals while Summer Doherty, Ari Rice, and Colette Petitt played well for North.

Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Kailee McCabe, Katelyn Mollica, and Jordyn Collins each scored a pair of goals to help Foxboro earn a big win at home. Jordan Carman and Caroline Rongione each scored once while McCabe, Mollica, Kendra Wentling, Lizzy Davis, and Reagan Buckley all had an assist for the Warriors.

Franklin, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Seniors Leah Johnson and Abby Hodges played well for the Tigers while Emily Meyers had a strong showing in net to grab the shutout for OA.

King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of first half goals and added an insurance tally late to secure two points on the road at Mansfield. Ally Stanton opened the scoring in the 15th minute, finishing off a feed from Avery Snead. Chloe Layne doubled the lead in the 30th minute, heading in a corner from Makayla Griffin. Ava Tormey added an insurance goal in the 75th minute off a scrum inside the area. Olivia Salisbury played well for Mansfield, making two incredible saves.

Attleboro @ Taunton – Postponed to Wednesday, October 9th at 3:45.
Milford @ Stoughton – Postponed to Wednesday, October 9th at 4:00.

Volleyball
King Philip, 2 vs. Medway, 3 – Final – King Philip won a pivotal fourth set to force the match to five but saw its eight-match win streak snapped by the visiting Mustangs, 3-2 (25-15, 23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 13-15). Nicole Coughlan (14 kills, three aces) and Catherine Waldeck (13 kills, six blocks) continued to pace the Warrior offense while Lauren Peterson dished out 18 assists and had four aces.

Boys Cross Country
King Philip, 25 @ Attleboro, 32 – Final – King Philip had four of the top six runners to pick up a close win on the road at the new Highland Park course. Mike Griffin crossed the finish line first in 16:29 for the Warriors while Mike Norberg was shortly before in 16:34 for second overall.

Sharon, 19 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Mark Starovoytov took first place by one second and the Eagles had seven of the top eight runners in a win over Canton. Starovoytov won in 18:39 while Canton’s Kyle Downing took second in 18:40. The Eagles had six more runners finish under the 19-minute mark.

Results: 1. Mark Starovoytov, Sh (18:39) 2. Kyle Downing, Can (18:40) 3. James Kong, Sh (18:45) 4. Bradley Weiss, Sh (18:51) 5. Jacob Dubin, Sh (18:54) 6. Siddharth Reddy, Sh (18:55) 7. Jordan Saks, Sh (18:57) 8. Peter Milne, Can (18:59) 9. Balint Mihajlovits, Sh (19:08) 10. Elias Jabbour, Can (19:37).

Stoughton, 35 @ Foxboro, 22 – Final

Mansfield @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

Milford, 27 @ North Attleboro, 28 – Final

Franklin @ Taunton – Postponed to Thursday, October 3rd at 3:45.

Girls Cross Country
King Philip, 23 @ Attleboro, 35 – Final – Despite only having one of the top three runners, King Philip’s depth was on display as the Warriors had six of the top right finishers to earn a win on the road. Sophomore Maya Evans won the race in 20:36 for KP.

Results: 1. Maya Evans, LP (20:36) 4. Ava Pisani, KP (22:03) 5. Meg Sherwood, KP (22:31) 6. Dayna Aubin, KP (22:48) 7. Abigail Simmons, KP (22:57) 8. Erin Regnier, KP (23:43)

Sharon, 20 @ Canton, 37 – Final – Sharon’s trio of Daphne Theiler, Eliana Boxerman, and Juliana Dudziak continued their strong start to the season, sweeping the top three spots, in that order, to help the Eagles to a win. Theiler won the race in 21:31 while Boxerman and Dudziak followed a second later.

Results: 1. Daphne Theiler, Sh (21:31) 2. Eliana Boxerman, Sh (21:32) 3. Juliana Dudziak, Sh (21:32) 4. Marie Messinger, Can (22:42) 5. Johanna Bouwmeester, Can (23:25) 6. Margaret Li, Sh (23:31) 7. Kayla Wong, Can (23:40) 8. Berta Faktorovich, Sh (23:53) 9. Sierra Robisfon, Sh (23:53) 10. Kate Kelleher, Can (23:57).

Stoughton, 45 @ Foxboro, 18 – Final

Mansfield, 31 @ Oliver Ames, 24 – Final

Mansfield, 19 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 38 – Final

Milford, 26 @ North Attleboro, 31 – Final
Franklin @ Taunton – Postponed to Thursday, October 3rd at 3:45.

Golf
Milford, 186 @ Sharon, 172 – Final – Sharon’s Ethan Skelly earned match medalist honors, shooting a match-low 40 to lead the Eagles to a win at home. Nathan Daley added a 42 for the Eagles while Andrew Glaser and Eric Carter each shot 45. Ed Madden paced Milford with a team-low round of 42.

North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to Wednesday, October 16 at 3:30.
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield – Postponed to Wednesday, October 16 at 3:30.
Taunton @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/17/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon senior Michael Baur headed in a corner kick from classmate Brian Higgins in the 78th minute to deliver a win for the Eagles.

Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman Catie Wilson scored a brace in a two-minute span midway through the first half to spark the Tigers to a road win. Senior Erin Holmberg (assist), senior Abby Hodges, junior Emma Pereira, and sophomore Allison Evin (assists) also scored for Oliver Ames. Seniors Olivia Carroll and Leah Johnson had strong games for the Tigers while sophomores Emily Meyers and Maisy Hakimdin combined for the shutout in net.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – North scored twice in the second half to break open a scoreless game and pick up the road win. Twelve minutes after the break, Alex Moulson’s shot was deflected to Ari Rice at the far post and she knocked it in for the eventual game-winner. Twelve minutes from full time, North sealed the win when Steph McKenna’s through ball found Olivia Wills, who slotted it past the keeper. Regan Fein earned her third clean sheet of the season for the Rocketeers, while North coach Bill Wallace said Colette Petit, Abi Slaney, Lily Cameron all played inspired for North.

Boys Cross Country
Attleboro, 33 @ Mansfield, 23 – Final – Mansfield’s Michael and Owen Mullahy took first and second, respectively, to lead the Hornets to a win over Attleboro in the season opener. Michael Mullahy won the race in 17:07 with Owen finishing just one second later at 17:08. The Hornets also got top five finishes from Benjamin Giffen (fourth, 17:50) and Collin Stevens (fifth, 17:55). Attleboro’s Nathan Seybert was the top finisher for the Bombardiers, taking third overall in 17:32.

Results: 1. Michael Mullahy, Mans (17:07) 2. Owen Mullahy, Mans (17:08) 3. Nathan Seybert, Att (17:32) 4. Ben Giffen, Mans (17:50) 5. Collin Stevens, Mans (17:55) 6. Francis Wenner, Att (17:56) 7. Ethan Sylvia, Att (18:00) 8. Neil Bowie, Att (18:10) 9. Zach Martin, Att (18:34) 10. S. Cataloni, Att (18:43)

Canton, 26 @ Foxboro, 31 – Final – Results: 1. Ryan Proulx, Fox (16:36) 3. Nate Palter, Fox (18:51) 6. Jake Parkman, Fox (19:32) 10. Nicolas Olson (20:04)

Franklin, 25 @ King Philip, 34 – Final – King Philip had two of the top three runners but Franklin had four of the top six finishers to pick up a win on the road over the Warriors. KP’s Mike Griffin (14:34) won the race with Mike Norberg (14:51) taking third place. Franklin’s Tyler Brogan was second overall while Nicholas Calitri, Camden Harrington, and Declan Walmsey all scored key points for the Panthers.

Results: 1. Mike Griffin, KP (14:34) 2. Tyler Brogan, Frank (14:51) 3. Mike Norberg, KP (14:51) 4. Nicholas Calitri, Frank (15:12) 5. Camden Harrington, Frank (15:50) 6. Declan Walmsey, Frank (16:03) 7. Dan Botte, KP (16:04) 8. Clancy Golden, Frank (16:39) 9. Griffin Sieczkiewicz, Frank (16:45) 10. Joseph Zercie, Frank (16:48)

Milford, 33 @ Sharon, 26 – Final – Depth was the key for the Eagles in their season opener as Sharon took second, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth to earn a win over the visiting Hawks. Milford’s Max Manor crossed first in 15:22 but the Eagles’ Mark Starovoytov took second while Bradley Weiss and Jordan Saks grabbed key points by finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Results: 1. Max Manor, Mil (15:22) 2. Mark Starovoytov, Shar (15:51) 3. Liam Bennet, Mil (15:56) 4. Bradley Weiss, Shar (16:00) 5. Jordan Saks, Shar (16:07) 6. James Comisky, Mil (16:15) 7. James Kong, Shar (16:20) 8. Jacob Dubin, Shar (16:21) 9. Siddhath Reddy, Shar (16:25) 10. Balint Mihajlovits, Shar (16:41)

North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Oliver Ames @ Taunton, 3:45

Girls Cross Country
Attleboro, 36 @ Mansfield, 23 – Final – Mansfield’s depth was on full display in its season opener. Tessa Lancaster set a new home course PR, clocking in at 20:23 to win the race. Mansfield took fourth through seventh and added two more top 10 finishes to beat Attleboro. Attleboro’s Kelly Neuendorf was the top runner for the Bombardiers, taking second play in 21:16.

Results: 1. Tessa Lancaster, Mans (20:23) 2. Kelly Neunendorf, Att (21:16) 3. Kimberly Esteban, Att (21:33) 4. Jessica Alestock, Mans (22:03) 5. Emma Lamson, Mans (22:21) 6. Anne Riley, Mans (23:15) 7. Devin Anderson, Mans (24:35) 8. Morgan Coleman, Att (24:36) 9. Alexis Divasta, Mans (25:11) 10. Grace Benton, Mans (25:40)

Canton, 34 @ Foxboro, 23 – Final – Results: 1. Abby Hassman, Fox (19:57) 2. Jenn Yeomans, Fox (21:35) 5. Emily Steele, Fox (22:24) 7. Isabel Hallal, Fox (22:58) 8. Mabel Linck, Fox (23:20) 10. Sophia Sougaris, Fox (23:52)

Franklin, 26 @ King Philip, 33 – Final – Franklin had seven of the top 10 runners, including seventh through 10th, to edge King Philip for the win. Sidney Hawkins was second while Sarah Giuliano and Caitlin Casey were fourth and fifth, respectively, to grab key points for Franklin. King Philip’s Maya Evans won the race in 18:57.

Results: 1. Maya Evans, KP (18:57) 2. Sidney Hawkins, Frank (19:10) 3. Ava Pisani, KP (19:16) 4. Sarah Giuliano, Frank (19:18) 5. Caitlin Casey, Frank (19:25) 6. Meg Sherwood, KP (20:00) 7. Charlene Peng, Frank (20:32) 8. Ruth Ann Mulvey, Frank (20:37) 9. Emma Nelson, Frank (20:40) 10. Liliana Duffy, Frank (20:41)

Milford, 33 @ Sharon, 23 – Final – Sharon took the first three spots to open the season with a win over visiting Sharon. Daphne Theiler won the race for the Eagles in 18:13 while Eliana Boxerman (18:14) and Juliana Dudziak (18:15) followed right after in second and third, respectively. Milford’s Emma Lawrence was the top runner for the Hawks with a fourth place finish.

Results: 1. Daphne Theiler, Shar (18:13) 2. Eliana Boxerman, Shar (18:14) 3. Juliana Dudziak, Shar (18:15) 4. Emma Lawrence, Mil (18:26) 5. Sara Comisky, Mil (19:14) 6. Lexi Marcolini, Mil (19:39) 7. Kerry O’Connor, Mil (19:43) 8. Margaret Li, Shar (20:38) 9. Kavya Anbarasu, Shar (21:29) 10. Sierra Robison, Shar (21:33)

North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45

Oliver Ames, 30 @ Taunton, 25 – Final – Oliver Ames had the top two runners in the race but the next five to cross the finish line were Tigers from Taunton High to secure the win for the home team. Junior Lily Valcovic (21:21) was third, sophomore Nia Mainer-Smith (21:40) was third, and senior Kailey Melito-Santos (21:49) was fifth overall.

Golf
Attleboro, 176 @ Mansfield, 154 – Final – Jason See carded a low-round of 36 to earn match medalist honors and lead the Hornets to a win over visiting Attleboro at Norton Country Club. Nate Morreale added a 38 for Mansfield while Joseph Gormley finished with a 39 and Ryan Dow carded a 41. Attleboro’s Jack Handy led the Bombardiers with a 39 while Brendan Raymond added a round of 41.

Sharon, 171 @ North Attleboro, 161 – Final – North Attleboro junior Sam Gallagher was the lone golfer to shoot under 40 on the day, carding a low-round of 39 to lead the Rocketeers to a win over Sharon. Aidan Weir added a 40 for North while both Jillian Barend and Justin Strom shot 41. Andrew Glaser led the Eagles with a 40, Eric Carter added a 41, and Nathan Daley finished with a 42.

Stoughton, 188 @ Franklin, 156 – Final – Franklin’s Pat Dolan had his best outing of the season, shooting a low round of 37 to earn match medalists honors and lead the Panthers to a win over Stoughton. Jack Paterson followed with a 38, Quinten Faro added a 40, and Jake Blaney shot a 41 for the Panthers. Stoughton’s Max Huminik and Joe Mark each shot a 45.

Cross Country: 2019 Hockomock League Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Cross Country Preview

Attleboro

2018 Boys Record: 0-5
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course:
Coach: Martin Tighe

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Attleboro boys and girls cross country squads as they begin the season with a brand new course.

The town converted Highland Country Club into a multi-use facility that includes a 3.1-mile cross country course that will be named after Mark Coogan, an Attleboro native at competed in the 1996 Olympics. Head coach Marty Tighe worked alongside Bishop Feehan coach Bob L’Homme to design the course and the teams will host the first invitational later this month with 22 teams from both Massachusetts and Rhode Island registered. With a new course, the Attleboro boys team looks to compete with the other top teams in the league led by junior Nathan Seybert, who finished in the top 20 (17:12.03) at last year’s league championship. Seybert had a very strong offseason and expects to be among the top runners in the league.

While the depth isn’t the same on the girls’ side, they do have some top runners returning. Kelly Neuendorf had a terrific sophomore campaign, punctuated by a 13th place finish at the league championships, and will be looking to continue that success this season.

Canton

2018 Boys Record: 2-4
2018 Girls Record: 1-5
Home Course: Pequitside Farm
Coach: David Hiltz

The Canton boys cross country team is looking to build on the past two seasons while the girls are hoping to avoid the injury bug this season. The boys’ squad has won a pair of dual meets in back-to-back season and return a majority of their top runners from last year. Sophomore Kyle Downing will lead the way after taking first for the Bulldogs in all of the dual meets last season. Senior captain Alex Maddestra will also be a top option, as both him and Downing clocked in under 18 at the league championships a year ago. Junior Jack Hernon had a big offseason and has impressed so far this preseason while junior Elias Jabbour and senior captain Chris Rota look to round out the top five for Canton.

“I think the boys have the potential to be very successful this season,” said head coach David Hiltz. “We have a healthy mix of talent and depth, along with hosting two of the previous three Davenport Champs on our home course, we have a real opportunity for achievement this fall.”

On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs will have a younger squad but with more depth for the 2019 season. They did lose their top runner to graduation in Chloe Pennacchio but have some strong contributors back and even picked up a new runner that figures to be in the top five mix. Junior Jessie Hart had a strong sophomore campaign and will likely lead the pack while senior captain Kayla Wong is back to full health and will be looking to replicate the success she had two seasons ago. Junior Marie Messinger has switched sports over to cross country this fall and will be one of Canton’s top runners. Beyond the top three, the Bulldogs have space for new names to step into the top group A mix of experienced seniors all the way to freshman will all be competing for the final spots.

“There is a top three that is emerging, but for the first time in a few years, the girls have a good mix of depth…some seniors who are experienced and ready as well as some new, younger freshman who are coming in and looking to compete,” Hiltz said. “If they stay healthy, the girls have the talent to be better than they were a year ago. It’s an exciting place to be at as a team.”

Foxboro

2018 Boys Record: 1-4
2018 Girls Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions)
Home Course: Payson Field Road
Coach: Joe Cusack

Foxboro might have two of the top runners in the league this season, with the girls looking to defend their division title and the boys’ team looking to have a bounce-back season.

On the girls’ side, the Warriors graduated last year’s winner at the Hockomock League Championships in Lexi Quinn but bring back Abby Hassman, a three-time league all star and former league MVP that placed second just behind Quinn. Coming into the season, Hassman will likely set the pace for all runners in the Hockomock League, finishing in the top three at the league championships in each of the three years she has participated. Seniors Jenn Yeomans, Emily Steele, and Isabel Hallal all return from last year’s division-winning squad. Freshman Sophie Sougaris will also be in the mix for the Warriors this season.

Foxboro senior Ryan Proulx returns as the top runner for the boys’ team and could be the fastest returner in the Davenport division this season. Proulx won three races last season and took second overall in Foxboro’s other two races, the top Warrior in all five league dual meets. A lot of hard work has made senior Nate Palter another top option for the Warriors. Foxboro will be looking for other names to step up to round out the top five throughout the season.

Franklin

2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
2018 Girls Record: 4-1
Home Course: Dacey Field
Coaches: Nick Bailey & Paul Trovato

The Franklin boys squad went a perfect 5-0 in league dual meets last season to win the Kelley-Rex division title and the 2019 squad to poised to replicate that success this year. Not only did the Panthers win the dual title, but top three finishers from senior Tyler Brogan and junior Nicholas Calitri also helped Franklin claim first place at the Hockomock League Championships. Brogan has been a top runner in the Hock for the past three years and is off to a good start this season, winning the Tommy Cochary High School Mile in Falmouth in August. Calitri had a great sophomore campaign, finishing third overall at Hocks and will be a top runner again this year. Senior Cam Harrington will give Franklin a strong third option while the Panthers are looking for Joe Zercie, Declan Walmsley, Clancy Golden, Griffin Sieczkiewicz, Matt Zielinski, and Alec Hanley to all be in the mix throughout the season.

“As a team, the 2019 Franklin High Cross Country team is looking to continue to be competitive in a very talented Hockomock League,” said head coach Nick Bailey. “With a number of very talented runners as well as some younger runners looking to make a name for themselves, the Franklin boys have prepared themselves for a very challenging Hockomock league dual meet season.”

The girls’ squad graduated a staggering 22 seniors from last year’s Kelley-Rex division-winning team, so there will be a lot of new faces. Junior Sydney Hawkins is one of the top returning runners for the Panthers, finishing in the top 20 at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Sarah Giuliano took 22nd overall last year at the league meet and will give the Panthers a strong top duo alongside Hawkins. Franklin will also rely on junior Sidney Brady, sophomore Caitlin Casey, and sophomore Liliana Duffy

“The team has good leadership and is very supportive and will be competitive in the Hockomock League,” said head coach Paul Trovato.

King Philip

2018 Boys Record: 3-2
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Rice Field
Coaches: Chris Elgar & Lauren Farkash

Senior Mike Griffin returns to defend his Hockomock League Championship win and will have a strong core of runners alongside them as the Warriors look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex title and a top spot at Hocks. Griffin clocked in at 15:54.57 to win Hocks while classmate Michael Norberg took eighth overall, so King Philip has a strong 1-2 punch to lead the way this season. Senior Eric DeLorenzo finished 14th overall and the Warriors are also expecting strong seasons out of seniors Dan Botte, Nate Farkash, and Shea Duffy. Junior Javon Joseph will likely be in the top five mix for KP this season while classmates Andrew Noke and Liam Noke are battling for a spot as well. Sophomores Ryan Andrews, Matt DiFiore, and Brendan Weddleton, along with freshmen Brendon Berdos and Nate Sylven have all had strong showings so far this preseason and will be in the mix as KP pushes for a league title.

“I am very excited with the depth that the squad has this year,” said KP head coach Chris Elgar. “In a league that is so competitive, it will come in handy. As a team we are looking to build on the first squad qualifying for the All State meet from last fall.”

On the girls’ side, the Warriors are looking to replicate the success from a year ago. The Warriors lost three dual meets last season by three, nine, and 11 points so the record of 2-3 was a bit deceiving. KP showed their depth with a terrific performance at the league championships taking second place overall. In that race, sophomore Maya Evans put an exclamation point on a great first year by finishing fourth overall at 19:51. Ava Pisani and Abby Simmons have had strong preseasons and will be apart of the top five for the Warriors throughout the year. Meg Sherwood is looking to continue the success following a strong rookie year and Dayna Aubin will be another strong option for KP this season.

“Our top five looks really strong, so I’m hoping we can have a winning dual meet record with a little bit more experience,” said KP coach Lauren Farkash. “It’s going to be a lot of work but the girls are excited, they are fired up, so we’ll see what we can do. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the season.”

Mansfield

2018 Boys Record: 5-1
2018 Girls Record: 5-1 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions)
Home Course: Plymouth Street Soccer Complex
Coaches: Ian Flanagan & Derek Ellis

The Mansfield girls team has a lot of talent back to try and defend its Kelley-Rex division championship, but head coach Derek Ellis knows it’s going to take a lot of hard work throughout the season to fend off the tough competition in the Hockomock League. The Hornets have five of their top seven runners back from the team that won the Hockomock League Championship race last season. Junior Tessa Lancaster, who took third overall at Hocks, will lead the pack this season and will challenge for the top spot in the league this year. She will be joined by senior Jess Alestock, who finished in the top 20 last year alongside captain Brinly Meelia, both who should big pieces of the puzzle for Mansfield this year. Junior Emma Lamson and senior Julia Miller are looking to take the next step after strong seasons a year ago. Ellis also expects junior Annie Riley and sophomore Meghan Johnston to be important contributors this year.

“Cross country championships are not easy to win, you need your top five runners to perform at their highest level in that championship race, you can’t afford to have one person to have an off day,” Ellis said. “I believe the freshman group on this team is going to give this team some much-needed depth. The freshman did their summer training and have looked great in the early workouts. I would not be surprised if they factor into the scoring at the championship meet.”

On the other side, there is a big change for the boys’ squad. For the first time in a long time, it won’t be Julie Collins with a stopwatch in hand leading the Hornets. Ian Flanagan takes over as head coach but expectations are still high for one of the most dominant programs in the Hockomock League. Mansfield had its streak of 14 straight league titles snapped last season when Franklin won the dual meet title so the Hornets are looking to get back on top in 2019. The strength of the team this year will be depth. Senior Mike Mullahy is back after a top-five finish at Hocks a year ago but the Hornets graduated all of their top five runners. Flanagan will be looking to senior Ben Giffen and junior Trevor Flint to step up and be top options this season while juniors Tim Corkery and James Schlenker, along with sophomore Collin Stevens, will be in the mix.

“With it being my first year, I was anxious to see what kind of shape everyone was in coming into the year,” Flanagan said. “So far I have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements made over the summer. Everyone is on the same page, with expectations and goals. Having run in the league not too long ago I know the prestige of Mansfield cross country, and it is great to see these guys want to put Mansfield cross country back on the map.”

Milford

2018 Boys Record: 4-1
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Milford High
Coach: John Vanderkeyl & Glenn O’Connor

Milford had one of its best seasons since joining the Hockomock League on the boys’ side, but the 2019 squad will have a completely different look. The Scarlet Hawks graduated 10 of its top 12 runners so there is plenty opportunity for new runners to step up for head coach John Vanderkeyl. Captain Max Manor, who is coming off a solid spring track season and has been a top option for Milford since his freshman year, will lead the pack this season and will be in contention for a top spot in the league this year. The Hawks are also looking for senior Liam Bennett to have a big year after a strong offseason. Sophomore James Comisky could have a chance to have a big season while seniors Sam Vilt and Gabe Pardo Cota, junior Andres Alvarez (an XC newcomer), and freshman Mark Butters are likely to factor into the Hawks’ top seven this season.

“We are a young team but we have a group of guys that ran all summer to get in shape and are ready to step into the big shoes that we have left to fill,” Vanderkeyl said. “I am hoping that they are all ready to make the jump to help compete for the Davenport Division and stay in the top half of the league. There are so many fresh faces and guys that are really starting to figure it all out and I am excited for the season.”

The Milford girls cross country also graduated a good amount of runners from last year but expectations are still high as the Hawks bring back their top two runners from last year. Senior captains Lexi Marcolini and Sara Comisky, who both finished in the top 25 at Hocks last year, will be leading the pack for Milford this year. Another reason for high expectations is the addition of three runners from Milford’s spring 4×400 team that qualified for the New Balance Nationals. Bella Gonzalez (400M hurdles), Emma Lawrence (400M), and Kerry O’Connor (D3 State Champ at the 300M indoors and D2 State Champ at 200M outdoors) are now members of the cross country team and are looking to give Milford a big boost. Sophomore Stephanie Goulet and freshman Sydney Kalil will also be in the mix this year.

“We’re looking to surprise the Hockomock League in 2019,” said head coach Glenn O’Connor.

North Attleboro

2018 Boys Record: 3-2
2018 Girls Record: 4-1
Home Course: North Attleboro High
Coach: Anne Marie McGrail

North Attleboro will be looking to continue their dual meet season success after both squads had strong campaigns in 2018.

On the boys’ side, the Rocketeers will have to place their top runners in Julian Dixon and Liam Monahan, who were their top runners at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Daniel Nobrega and sophomore Christopher Galligan had the best finishes at that meet for returning runners.

Senior Olivia Forbes had a top 20 finish at the league meet last year while Catherine Hanewich clocked in at 21:34 to finish 29th overall, which bodes well for the Rocketeers during the 2019 season.

Oliver Ames

2018 Boys Record: 3-3
2018 Girls Record: 0-6
Home Course: Borderland State Park
Coach: Kyle Sousa

The Oliver Ames girls team has five of its top seven runners back from a year ago, including one of the duos in the Hockomock League. Juniors Catherine O’Donnell and Meghan Reardon will lead the way for the Tigers in 2019, both coming off top 10 finishes at the league championship meet last season. Oliver Ames also has a lot of the depth in the program with senior captain Julia Sarro and juniors Abbey Querzoli and Rachel Davis coming off strong training sessions over the summer.

“There is no question in my mind that this is one of the most committed groups of athletes you will ever find,” said head coach Kyle Sousa on the girls’ team. “These girls have been training all summer long, pushing each other to the limit. This is not just a group of talented runners. It is a team that has already begun making sacrifices for each other. I trust every one of them to come through on race day. They are so strong–physically and mentally. Don’t ever count them out.”

There is a lot of optimism on the boys’ side as well. Despite graduating their top runner in Zane Reservitz, the Tigers bring back the other six of their top seven from last year’s squad that placed 4th in Division 3 and 15th at the All State Meet. Seniors Rory McLaughlin, Owen Nipoti, and David Fiedorczyk will bring a tremendous amount of varsity experience, juniors Kyle Sarney and Nate Reservitz will be a major threat to watch, and sophomore Owen McMorrow is looking to continue the success he had his rookie year.

“It’s relatively rare to see this much experience on your varsity squad,” Sousa said of the boys’ team. “All of these guys have been battle-tested at the highest level of Massachusetts Cross Country. When the gun goes off I know they will never quit on each other. They will fight for every body, every point, every second, every inch of the 5000-meter race. That is all we ask. And that is all we need.”

Sharon

2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions)
2018 Girls Record: 3-2
Home Course: Deb Sampson Park
Coach: Phil Gingras & Alan Conway

Sharon might not have a star runner on its boys’ team this year, but the Eagles are a very deep team and any one of a half dozen runners could take first in a given race. Mark Starovoytov, Bradley Weiss, Sid Reddy, Jordan Saks, Jimmy Kong, and Jacob Dubin have all had good showings this preseason and all six are vying for the Eagles’ top spot. Sophomore Balint Mihajlovits had a strong rookie season and should be in the mix this season. Freshmen Nathaniel Traut and Michael Williams could factor in as well after strong preseason showings.

“If this team continues to push each other as they have over the last couple weeks, they stand to have a shot at a birth at All-States,” said coach Phil Gingras.

On the girls’ side, the Eagles have three top runners returning ready to push for the league title. Sophomore Daphne Theiler had a tremendous freshman year (6th place at Hocks) and will lead the pack again for Sharon this season. Senior captains Eliana Boxerman and Juliana Dudziak will be alongside Theiler leading the Eagles. Gingras noted all three had strong summers and will be critical during the dual meet season. Senior captain Kavya Anbarasu, junior Margaret Li, and senior transfer Dani Williams provide solid depth for Sharon, which could be in store for a memorable season.

“If these girls [Anbarasu, Li, Williams] are able to close the gap on the lead pack they’ll stand a shot to do something special in the postseason,” Gingras said.

Stoughton

2018 Boys Record: 0-5
2018 Girls Record: 0-5
Home Course: Houghton’s Pond
Coach: Dave Barbato & Katrina Daly

First-year head coach Dave Barbato is aiming for improvement throughout the season as the Black Knights look to bounce back from last year. Stoughton has to replace top runner Colin Rahaman but senior Sebastian Malek and sophomore Bobby Currier will be two solid options for Barbato. Malek improved throughout the course of last season and finished at 20:26.91 at the league meet. Currier was one of the top newcomers for Stoughton a year ago, clocking in at 21:23.00 at Hocks.

The Black Knights don’t have as many runners on the girls’ side as some of the other programs in the league but will be looking to give just as much effort. Captain Julia Franey and senior Rebecca Lally will be the leaders of the pack for this group. Lally had the top finish of all returners at least year’s championship meet at 22:19. Sophomore Jess Maddalena will be building off a strong rookie season and freshman Elaine McCarty will certainly be in the mix for the Black Knights this season.

“With some time to train and some trust in the new things they are seeing there should be some improvement by late season,” Barbato said.

Taunton

2018 Boys Record: 1-4
2018 Girls Record: 2-3
Home Course: Taunton High
Coach: Jessica Ouellette & Mike Kelley

The Taunton girls team is hoping the experience gained last season will pay off this year, with nine of their top 10 runners back for 2019. The Tigers finished fifth at the Hockomock League Championships a year ago and are hoping to be in contention to move up the leaderboard this year. Sophomore Nia Mainer-Smith is back the lead the pack for Taunton coming off a 10th place finish at Hocks. Junior Olivia Dias looks to be another top runner for the Tigers; both Dias and Mainer-Smith were apart of the Tigers’ 4×400 team that ran at Nike Outdoor Nationals this past spring. Kailey Melito-Santos, Olivia Weber, Tatyana Mainer-Smith, Lily Valcovic, and Kaicey Melito-Santos all had strong seasons last year as well.

“We’re looking to build off the momentum from 2018, which was the first time we ever beat Oliver Ames or King Philip,” said head coach Mike Kelley. “Nine of our top ten runners from last year return and the league seems fairly wide open. Our big team goals are finishing with a winning record in the dual meet season, finishing in the top three at Hocks, and the top eight at the Eastern Mass Division 1 meet.”

On the boys’ side, the Tigers bring back six of the top seven after graduating just one senior in that group last season. Junior Nolan Tavares had a stellar sophomore campaign and was the top runner for the Tigers at the league championship meet last year, just missing out on a top 10 placement. Tavares will be at the front of the pack alongside classmate Ty Cali and senior captain Colin Quinlan. Sophomore Ryan Strawbridge has looked strong as he makes his return from an injury during track season.

“The team’s resiliency and energy in supporting one another continues to be some of our biggest strengths,” said head coach Jessica Ouellette.