Tag: Mike Vitelli

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview
Sophomore attacker Sophia DiCenso (1) and Foxboro will be favorites for a sixth straight Davenport division crown this season but will face tough challenges from North Attleboro, Sharon, and Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2016 Record: 6-12
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton

Attleboro is still a relatively young program but has taken strides to be competitive with the rest of the teams in the Hockomock and first-year head coach Kevin Patton is hopeful that the large number of players at tryouts is a sign that the Bombardiers are heading in the right direction.

One of the reasons for Attleboro’s confidence coming into the spring is the experienced players that will take the field, including senior Mish Logie, who is a four-year varsity midfielder. Joining Logie as a captain for this year’s team is goalie Hadley Porreca, who is in her second year in net.

In addition. juniors Emily Patton and Ali Wall return in attack, while classmates Kim White and Graycen Cassidy will keep things tight on the defensive side of the ball. Midfield depth will be provided by sophomores Kyra Lyons and Alex Compton, who are both coming off strong rookie seasons on varsity. Freshman Sydney DiLiddo will also have the chance to step in and contribute in midfield this season and junior Ashlyn Salisbury and sophomore Shea Harrison will see time on defense.

“We had our largest player turnout in the program’s history,” said Patton, “and we have girls that want to work hard and succeed. With only two seniors on this year’s team, I will be looking to certain underclassmen to take on added leadership roles. This will help us not only this year but going forward.”

Canton

2016 Record: 8-9
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Christine O’Connor

Canton won five of its final seven games last season to get back to .500 and qualify for the state tournament and the Bulldogs will be hoping to carry that momentum over to this spring with a roster that features nine seniors and eight juniors.

Some of the key returning players for Canton this season include senior attacker Mary Kent, senior defender Tessa Cudmore, and senior goalie Kathryn Doody, who form a solid spine for the Bulldogs to build on. Caroline Hagan, Rebecca Eckler, and Maria Mackie are among the other seniors that will be contributing for Canton.

One of the younger players to watch is sophomore attacker Leah McClellan, who is one of several players that helped the girls’ hockey team reach the state title game at the TD Garden. Another sophomore, Maggie Malloy, has already had strong seasons for the field hockey and ice hockey teams and will provide depth this spring.

“We look to gain strength as the season progresses,” said O’Connor. “We will look to the seniors for leadership and intensity in order to be competitive.”

Foxboro

2016 Record: 16-5
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East Semifinal
Coach: Brittany Sherry

Foxboro won its fifth straight Davenport division title last spring and returned to the Div. 2 South semifinal for the second straight season and expectations will be even higher this season for head coach Brittany Sherry, as the Warriors return 15 players to try and make it six league titles in a row.

Among the many experienced players coming back is an exciting core of sophomores that have made instant impacts, including the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Sophia DiCenso, who scored 65 goals and had 31 assists last year. Joining DiCenso up front will be classmates Caroline McGeary and Meghan Curran and juniors Jackie Brion and Catherine Luciano.

Defensively, senior Hallie Canfield will be back to anchor things and provide leadership. Junior Christina Rogers and sophomores Jenna Stamatov and Molly Murphy will also be back to limit opposing offenses. Freshman Sara Addeche will take over in goal and is another in a line of talented underclassmen that Sherry is excited to see develop over the course of the season.

“Our goals stay about the same every year, most importantly getting another round further!” Sherry said. “The last two years our season has ended in the semi finals but I’m hoping with the scheduling and tourney experience last year we will have the edge we need to get to the finals.”

Franklin

2016 Record: 19-5
2016 Finish: Reached the Div. 1 State Semifinal
Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino

Another spring and another league title for Franklin, which completed another perfect season in the Hockomock and then carried that success into the playoffs to win a second Div. 1 East title with a dramatic, one-goal victory over Acton-Boxboro. Even though they only return five players, the Panthers enter the season as the favorite in the Kelley-Rex division and with sights set on challenging for a state title.

There is experience coming back for the Panthers with seniors Grace McDermott and Dana Lewandowski coming back to control things on the defensive end, while former Underclassman of the Year Kendall Reardon and fellow senior Caroline Lounsbury will provide leadership in the attack.

Franklin always seems to have players ready to step in and, despite there being a youth movement on the varsity team, the Panthers have already started 2-0 with wins against Needham and Lincoln-Sudbury. Sophomore midfielder Annie Walsh and her freshman sister Erin have both gotten off to strong starts with sophomore Halle Atkinson helping out with a hat trick in the win over L-S as well.

“I am very excited for the 2017 season!” said Igoe Guarino. “Our freshmen and sophomores bring a lot of energy and competitiveness to practice and games, while our juniors and seniors bring the discipline and experience. The two combined could bring us very far again this year!”

King Philip

2016 Record: 12-10
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Julie Boudreau

King Philip surprised some last spring when the Warriors went on the road to beat Westford Academy in the first round of the Div. 1 East tournament and that experience could pay dividends as KP returns a number of key players with the intent making a run at earning a first league title since 2012.

Senior Angela Vellante is back and head coach Julie Boudreau called her the “quarterback” for the attacking unit. Vellante will be looking to feed junior Katie Crowther, who was the team’s and the league’s leading scorer as a sophomore with 111 points. Senior Meghan Wagner was a starter as a freshman and scored in every game but missed the last two years with an injury and is now back to make an impact on offense.

KP can also count on a strong sophomore class led by a core of midfielders: Caroline Klim, Alli Meehan, Victoria and Olivia Tormey, and Dana Truini. Also back is sophomore goalie Caroline Watson behind a defense of juniors Molly Mullins, Christina Hathaway and Izzy Agricola. Also making a return is assistant coach Mary Pasquantonio, Boudreau’s sister, who brings experience as a former KP player and will help the current crop of Warriors on draw controls.

“We have a deep bench with many sophomores and will be looking to run lines and sub regularly to keep everyone fresh,” said Boudreau. “Our theme for the season is ‘grit=hard work + passion’.”

Mansfield

2016 Record: 5-11
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Alexis Kobey

Mansfield won its opening two games of the 2016 season, but the Hornets struggled during a difficult middle part of the spring and missed out on the state tournament. The Hornets showed flashes of potential during the year, including a close loss to perennial tournament team Hingham, and hopes are high that they can get back into the postseason this year.

Expectations are boosted by the return of a strong core of experience players. Senior Maire Foley will be a focal point of the Hornets attack this year, while classmate Maggie Dunn and junior Ann Maher will return in the midfield. Senior Jen McCabe will provide leadership in defense and sophomore Kaity Garvin will build off her rookie season in attack.

Among the new faces this spring are sophomore midfielders Maggie Danehy, who had a solid winter with the girls’ basketball team, and Lauren Whitman

“Our team really has been working together as a unit day one,” said head coach Alexis Kobey. “They came into the season ready to go and work on what they needed to work on to get better, from draw controls, ball movement, attack/defense they have been showing up everyday. They also really love playing with each other, working with each other, making each other better.”

Milford

2016 Record: 3-15
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Tim Dowd

It has been a tough run for Milford since moving to the Hockomock League, but the Hawks bring back an experienced roster for first-year head coach Tim Dowd and he is hopeful that the program will continue to improve over the course of the season.

Dowd’s excitement for the new season is in part built on the leadership of his senior class, including captains Taylor Dube, Jill Burley, and Jordyn Lombardo, who Dowd said would all have “incredible seasons.” He praised all three for their competitive spirits and for pushing their teammates to improve.

Another senior, Brainna Croteau, will be in charge of the defensive unit and Dowd is counting on the development of a talented group of sophomores and juniors. Milford also has two freshmen, Hannah Bangert and Anne Flanagan, who will be on the varsity roster this season and who Dowd thinks will make an impact.

“I think one of our strengths is going to be teamwork and work ethic,” said Dowd. “We want to be a team that goes the extra mile for each other and constantly works to win battles on the field. We’re going to try to outwork other teams. We’re going to try to focus on the little things to hopefully make big improvements.”

North Attleboro

2016 Record: 13-7
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Mike Vitelli

Under first-year head coach Mike Vitelli (who had previously led King Philip to a Hockomock League title and a South final), North Attleboro made a jump into second place in the Kelley-Rex division and won 13 games, while reaching the playoffs for the first time. After a loss to eventual state champ Walpole, Vitelli has built up North’s schedule with perennial powers Notre Dame Academy, Natick, and Walpole to get the Rocketeers prepared for a tournament run.

North will clearly miss last year’s Player of the Year Hana Caster (who is now at UMass Lowell), the Rocketeers return a number of important players, including six of the team’s seven defenders. Seniors Samantha Taggart, Emily Schromm, Emma Cromidas, and Alaina Mello will provide an experienced defensive unit in front of junior goalie Kayla Moulin, who Vitelli believes will have a great season.

Up front, North will turn to junior Kenzie Rosenberg and senior Erin Holley, who had breakout seasons for the Rocketeers in 2016. Chloe Olsen, Julia Dakin, and Julia Tolfa will also be counted on to provide offense for North Attleboro, while Camille Pizzaro and freshman Katie Lindstrom will be newcomers to watch this spring.

“I really like the depth of our bench as well,” said Vitelli. “Lots of hybrid players who can play in many roles…Biggest question I’ve gotten this offseason has been ‘how can you replace Hana Caster?’ My response is we can’t. But that being said, I don’t think any player is replaceable…It just becomes an opportunity for other players to step in and make their mark.”

Oliver Ames

2016 Record: 8-11
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round
Coach: Abby Tepper

Oliver Ames reached the postseason last year by finishing second in the Davenport division and will look to build on that in 2017 in the Tigers first season in the Kelley-Rex and first season under new head coach Abby Tepper, who is only one year removed from the end of a very successful college playing career at Salve Regina and a solid first season as coach of the OA field hockey program this fall.

Tepper inherits a roster with several key returning players that provide a foundation for the Tigers, who won the opening two games of the spring. Junior captain Sofia Masciarelli will be the main attacking cog for OA this season with senior Katie Davenport back in the heart of the defense and junior goalie Ari Waldorf will be back between the pipes.

Also back for OA and expected to make a step up into the starting lineup are senior captain Kendall Clifford in the midfield, junior Chloe Kilkelly in the attack, and sophomore midfielder Olivia Piazza.

“The girls have been working hard each day at practice to prepare for the tough schedule they will face,” said Tepper. They continually improve their skills and lacrosse IQ each day. I have been impressed with how the girls have pushed one another to get better and have committed themselves to the program.”

Sharon

2016 Record: 10-9
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East First Round
Coach: Colleen Carchedi

In her second season in charge, Sharon head coach Colleen Carchedi (née Manning) led the Eagles to their first ever playoff appearance. On their home grass, the Eagles put in a great performance to battle perennial playoff competitor Bishop Feehan and the experience has generated a lot of excitement in the program as the new season begins.

Sharon has five key players returning from last season, including leading scorer Alex Rabb and twin sister Sam, who is one of the team’s top defensive players. Senior Anna Crosby will be the motor in the midfield and junior midfielder Sabrina Robbins has verbally committed to the University of Colorado. Carchedi said of Robbins, “She is someone who always gets the job done and deserves more credit than she gets. She is reliable and hard working, never afraid to take a risk.”

Sophomore Emma Eberhardt is another player coming back that Carchedi believes will be able to take on a much larger role this spring. Eberhardt will add size in the midfield and, particularly, on draw controls. Carchedi said, “She is an all around stud athlete and is for sure a player to watch.” Sophomore Rose Wald is a newcomer that takes over in goal.

“I know we are going to be a really well balanced team,” Carchedi added, noting that the Eagles had six different goal scorers in the season opener against Milford. “I am so excited for the season and ready to hit the ground running after a big game against my old high school, KP.”

Taunton

2016 Record: 2-16
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Kerry Northup

With a win against Norton on Monday, Taunton avenged a pair of losses to the Lancers from 2016 and is halfway to last year’s win total. The Tigers are still a young program at the varsity level and, as such, head coach Kerry Northup knows there will be a learning curve against Hockomock opponents, but she is also excited about the team’s potential.

The Tigers will turn to seniors Delaney Powell, Annie Tate, and Abbey Kingman to provide consistent offense this spring and all three had big games in the opener against Norton, combining for 12 of the team’s 17 goals. Powell led the way with six goals in the win and junior Lorna Li had 12 saves in another strong performance for the Tigers’ “confident” goalie.

Taunton also has plenty of youth that will be gaining valuable experience this spring, including three sophomores, a pair of freshmen, and three eighth graders. One of the eighth graders, Alana Tavares, made the most of her varsity debut on Monday, potting five goals against Norton and will be one of the newcomers to watch in the Hock this season.

“We have a solid group of girls this season,” said Northup. “Our strength players have a nice balance throughout the field from offense, mid, to defense. We are not a powerhouse team, but a team with passion, drive, and grit. These girls play to the end and don’t give up until that last whistle sounds.”

Rocketeers Make History With Win Over Hopkinton

North Attleboro girls lacrosse
North senior Hana Caster scores one of her four goals against Hopkinton in the first round of the tournament. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro went into halftime of its first ever home playoff game holding an 8-5 lead. The Rocketeers had been up 5-1 but Hopkinton had started to get momentum near the end of the half and then used a 4-1 run at the start of the second to tie the game at 9-9. The first tie since three minutes into the game.

First-year coach Mike Vitelli called timeout to settle down his team. While the playoff experience is relatively new for the North program, Vitelli has seen success in the tournament before, winning a South title with King Philip in 2006.

The coach turned to his leading scorer Hana Caster and the UMass-Lowell commit responded with a pair of goals, her third and fourth of the game to go along with two assists, to regain the lead for North.

“I challenged her in the timeout,” said Vitelli, “I said, this could be your last game – don’t let it be; go out there and make the next couple of plays. True to form, she goes out and she makes the plays.”

The Rocketeers would not relinquish the lead, holding off the Hillers 14-12 in Tuesday afternoon’s Div. 2 East first round match-up and earning the program’s first ever state tournament victory.

“I’m elated for these girls,” said Vitelli. “It’s their first tournament win and they deserve it. I’m really proud of them. We’re excited to keep playing.”

He admitted that the team came into the game with a little added motivation after one publication picked the Hillers to earn an upset (as the ninth seed against the eighth). Drawing from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Vitelli made sure that it turned into bulletin board material for his players.

“They looked to the newspaper,” he said with a smile, “and they saw that the [Boston] Herald had picked Hopkinton in the upset and we’ll take that…and run with it a little bit. They drew a little inspiration from that today and it’s just fun to be a part of it.”

The Rocketeers jumped out to a 5-1 lead, despite struggling with draw controls in the early going. Senior goalie Brooke Ebert helped keep the shorthanded Hillers, who were missing a couple of players with injuries, making seven of her nine saves in the first half alone.

North took advantage of the possessions those saves created with Caster opening the scoring followed by goals from Chloe Olsen, Emily Schromm, Erin Holley, and Mackenzie Rosenberg. After Hopkinton scored to make it 5-2, Caster answered back with a bouncing shot that extended the lead to four.

The Hillers would not go quietly. Three straight goals cut the lead down to one in the final minutes of the half. North answered with a couple of draw controls and goals by Holley and Rosenberg to lead by three at the break.

“You’ve got a team that plays in arguably the best league in the state,” said Vitelli, “they’re loaded and they’re better than their 9-9 record and we knew that coming in. I knew at 5-1 that the game wasn’t over.”

Caster assisted on Liz Cooper’s first goal to break a two-goal streak by the Hillers at the start of the second half, but Hopkinton continued to press and back-to-back goals by freshman Lydia Rudden tied the game at 9-9 and forced Vitelli into a timeout.

“I called timeout and said it’s a 0-0 game, lets go back to what we did at the start of the game and that’s win draws,” he explained. “We put Chloe Olsen on the draw from that point on and it made all the difference in the world.”

Olsen started to win some draw controls and give North chances to attack. Caster made those chances count. She turned a quick transition off a Rosenberg feed into a goal with a dodge and a bouncing shot and then just seconds later smacked the post off a pass from Julia Dakin. A minute later, Caster scored from eight meters and the Rocketeers had a two-goal lead.

“Having played a lot of tight games this year, I didn’t feel like the kids panicked,” said Vitelli. “It’s a fast game, you’re going to have turnovers, but I thought we minimized the turnovers and got again stellar goaltending.”

Olsen tallied off a cut through the middle but Hopkinton answered in transition. Cooper scored with a turn and shot under the bar, but again the Hillers scored to stay close. Holley added another on a feed from Rosenberg but Rudden came right back with a quick response.

Leading 14-12 with a minute remaining and play about to restart with Ebert in possession, Vitelli called his last timeout. He needed someone to get the ball cleared and he turned to Schromm, who had been one of North’s defensive leaders all game along with Alaina Mello and fellow junior Samantha Taggart.

“She has that intangible that you can’t coach,” said Vitelli of Schromm. “She has speed and speed kills in this game. We called that timeout and she’s been running all day but I asked, do you have a ‘rocket’ left in you? She said, I got it.”

In the closing seconds, Schromm scooped yet another ground ball at midfield and ran out the clock to send North Attleboro into the second round for the first time in program history. Vitelli did not hide his joy at the historic moment and led the North bench onto the field at the final horn.

North Attleboro (13-6) will advance to face top seed Walpole at Turco Field on Thursday at 4 p.m.

Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/11/16

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Taunton, 8 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Taunton senior Charles Hearrold III earned the win on the mound, tossing five innings with just one earned run, three hits and two walks allowed. Hearrold III also paced the Tigers at the plate with a pair of hits and a pair of RBI. Luke Figueira and Matt Machado each had a pair of hits for the Tigers as well. Max Bowden knocked in a pair of runs and sophomore Joe Manchester had one RBI.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 8 – Final – Senior Griffin Jerrier stole the show on the mound for Canton, striking out nine in a complete game effort, scattering six hits and only allowing two earned runs. Mike McMahon (double, RBI) and Joe Bires (run) both had a pair of hits for Canton while Jim Jenkins and Sean Doyle each knocked in a pair of runs for the Bulldogs. For Oliver Ames, sophomore Matt Muir had two hits.

Milford, 5 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Foxboro’s Jesse Galanti connected for a two run single, turning a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead in the sixth inning and the Warriors were able to hold on. Nick Wright picked up his third save of the season, pitching a scoreless top half of the seventh inning. Andrew Block tossed six innings for the win for Foxboro. Aaron Wentling pitched in with a team-best three hits while Darren Kelly and Wright each had two hits for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 12 – Final – The Panthers’ offense roared to life with all nine players in the lineup getting either a hit or scoring a run. Nick Santucci and Ryan Hodgkins each had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for Franklin while Josh Macchi knocked in four runs and had a double. Jake Lyons, Mike Skaza, Jason Ulrickson and Alex Bissanti each had an RBI for Franklin as well. Ulrickson got the win on the mound for Franklin, tossing six innings with just two hits allowing and four strikeouts. Classmate Matt Foley closed the game with a scoreless seventh inning.

North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – Jack DiCenso tossed a complete game shutout for the Warriors, scattering five hits while striking out six in the win. King Philip scored both of its runs in the first inning. After Kyle Guenthner walked, junior Will Weir plated him with an RBI double. Weir then came around to score on a single from DiCenso.

Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Nico Parmeggiani threw a complete game for Stoughton, scattering five hits with only one walk and seven strikeouts to earn the win. Stoughton broke the tie game open with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Sharon sophomore Max Tarlin had his second straight strong start for the Eagles, going 5 2/3 with five strikeouts and two earned runs, while allowing just two hits. Junior catcher Jake Marglous had a two RBI single for the Eagles.

Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Aimee Kistner (four innings, win) and Courtney Fisher (three innings) combined to throw a four-hit shutout and totaled 12 strikeouts in the win. Kya Enos had two hits, including a two-run home run while Jordan Wade had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI, Meghan Navarro had a triple and two RBI and Liana Duarte had a pair of hits for the Tigers.

Canton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames freshman pitcher Kayla Georgeu only allowed three hits, striking out four in a complete game effort. Missy Krim went 2-3 with a pair of runs scored and had one stolen base, Jamie Gottwald was 2-2 with an RBI and a run scored, Victoria Ziner was 2-3 with a pair of RBI and Katie Pursley (1-2) knocked in a pair of runs for the Tigers and also scored a run. Also for the Tigers, Katie Mills (1-1) knocked in Jordyn Leite (1-1, double).

Mansfield, 2 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior pitcher Maddie Letendre kept the Panthers at bay, allowing just four hits while striking out seven. Freshman Megan Letendre paced the offense with three hits while junior Liz Mackin socked a pair of hits. Mady Bendanillo (RBI) and Amanda Giambanco each had a hit for the Hornets. Mansfield cashed in for both of their runs in the fifth inning with Bendanillo single knocking in Megan Letendre and Maddie Letendre knocking in Bendanillo.

King Philip, 6 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – After having just one hit through five innings, North Attleboro rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game. But King Philip sophomore Elise Pereira’s solo home run to lead off the seventh inning proved to be the difference. Kali Magane came in and pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to preserve the win for the Warriors. After KP scored two runs in both the second and fifth innings, North Attleboro used a grand slam from Kaylea Sherman to tie the game in the sixth. Christa Wagner, Pereira, Magane, Brooke Taute and Meghan Gorman all had two hits for KP. Mycala Moody and Gina Miceli each had a pair of hits for the Rocketeers.

Stoughton, 5 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Stoughton’s Shannon Flaherty tossed a complete game without surrendering an earned run. Flaherty also struck out nine while issuing three walks. Jeni D’Andrea, Gina Caraffa, Karly Estramera, Sam Tullis and Flaherty each had hits for the Black Knights.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames senior attack Matt Gilson scored four goals and sophomore attack Eric LeBlanc added a pair of goals for the Tigers.

Canton, 14 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Jack Dillon, Matt Mackay and Dan Cohen all scored their first career goals in the win for the Panthers. Dylan Cunningham had a pair of saves in a shutout fourth quarter in the cage. Canton head coach Bill Bendell said DJ Trerice played well at midfield and both Brian Albert and George Kent played great defense.

Foxboro, 3 @ Franklin, 11 – Final – Click here for a full recap.

King Philip, 11 @ Sharon, 9 – Final – King Philip overcame from a four goal deficit at halftime and a three minute locked in penalty to start the fourth quarter to beat the Eagles. Sharon held a 3-0 lead after a quarter and a 5-1 lead at the break. Sharon led 7-5 going into the final quarter but an illegal stick forced KP into a man down situation for three minutes locked in. KP senior Steven Eaton kept the Warriors rolling, setting up a pair of man-down goals for KP to tie the game less than halfway through the final quarter. Junior Tim Watson scored one of his three goals with just 2:51 left to put KP up 10-8. After KP pulled within one, Eaton iced the game with a goal with 15 seconds left. Watson finished with three goals and four assists while Sam Agricola found the back of the net four times. Harry Fallon scored twice and had one assist, Anthony Truini scored once and Michael Curtin had one assist for KP. Junior goalie Paul Macrina notched 13 of his 21 saves in the second half for KP.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Mansfield, 11 – Final – Mansfield senior defenseman Josh Schafer set the tone early for the Hornets, going coast to coast and finding the back of the net for the first goal of the game and Mansfield held a 4-1 lead at the halftime break. The Hornets continued the attack with a 7-3 second half. Ryan Smith scored three goals and had an assist and Jon Reed found the back of the net twice for Mansfield. Connor Finerty, Billy Grant (two assists), Jarrett Saunders, Hunter Ferreira (assist) and Sam O’Connell each scored once for Mansfield.

Taunton, 4 vs. New Bedford, 9 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Oliver Ames @ Attleboro, 5:00

Milford, 3 @ Canton, 17 – Final – Mary Nee found the back of the net four times for the Bulldogs.

Franklin, 13 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Franklin senior goalie Dani Lonati made 11 saves to hold off the Davenport division leading Warriors. Franklin’s Julia Jette scored three goals and had two assists while Kendall Reardon had two goals and three assists and Emily Spath found the back of the net three times.

Sharon @ King Philip, 6:00

Mansfield, 10 @ North Attleboro, 19 – Final – Hana Caster led the Rocketeers with five goals and five assists, while sophomore Mackenzie Rosenberg added six goals for North. Brooke Ebert played well in goal, according to North coach Mike Vitelli.

Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 8 – Final – Taunton goalie Lorna Li made 20 saves in the cage for the Tigers but the Whalers were able to get the close win. Abbey Kingman scored twice and Kayla Phillips, Lindsay Sneyd and Riana Winslow each scored once for Taunton while Annie Tate had an assist.

Boys Tennis
Taunton, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – The Tigers got a pair of wins in singles play and clinched the win with a win at first doubles. Freshman Brett Beaulieu won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles for Taunton and Mike Briggs picked up a 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Connor Briggs and Charlie Fiske won 6-0, 3-6, 6-0 at first doubles for the Tigers. Attleboro’s Timothy Vermilyea won 1-6, 6-2, 6-0 at second doubles and the team of Shaun Gordon and Gaashaan Yusuf won 6-3, 6-0 at second doubles for the Bombardiers.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final

Milford @ Foxboro, 3:45

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Franklin got a clean sweep at doubles and freshman Dan Barrow won at third singles to secure a win for the Panthers. Junior James Johnston and senior Tom Mancini won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and sophomores Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles for the Panthers while Barrow won 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

North Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip’s Cole Ginter won at first singles, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, 6-4 and the team of Justin Rohan and Marco DiStefano won 6-4, 6-4 at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Sharon freshman Danujan Thirumavalavan picked up a 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, sophomore Andre Olivei won 6-1, 6-1 at second dingles and senior Andrew Tarnoff swept 6-0, 6-0 at third singles. Sophomore Russell Rapaport and freshman Max Brody teamed up for a 6-0, 6-2 win at first doubles for the Eagles and junior Sharov Mikhail and senior Jing Huang won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Tigers, who won in straight sets in each match. Jordan Paglica won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Olivia Sweeney won 6-1, 6-4 at second singles and Kelsey Hebert won 6-0, 6-0 at third singles for the Tigers. The team of Ashleigh Eason and Emily Moor won 6-1, 6-0 at first doubles for Taunton and Caroline Hebert and Jillian Pagliuca won 6-0, 6-0 at second doubles.

Canton, 3 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Canton got wins at first and second singles as well as first doubles to get the win. Tiffany Ha and Sarah MacQuarrie picked up their third win in as many days, notching a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles. Carly Scanlon won 6-0, 6-1 at first singles and Skyler Jabbour won via forfeit (injury) at second singles. OA’s Sarah Leger won 6-3, 7-6 at third singles and Rachel Stryke and Claudia Ferrera won 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final

Mansfield, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Mansfield swept both doubles matches and got a win from sophomore Sarah Doyle at third singles to edge the Panthers. Doyle won 6-0, 6-3 at third singles while Cathryn Heavey and Chloe Peters won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles. The team of freshmen Tessa Garufi and Elizabeth Elsner took a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 win at second doubles to help clinch the win for the Hornets. Franklin’s Anna Humphreys won 7-6, 7-6 at first singles and junior Anja Deric won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles for the Panthers.

King Philip, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final

Stoughton @ Sharon, 3:45

Boys Volleyball
Milford @ Millis 6:00
Taunton @ North Quincy 4:00

Lacroix Fires Warriors to OT Win Over North

King Philip girls lacrosse
Jen Lacroix (4) scored her fourth goal of the game with :08 remaining in OT to give KP a win against North. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


WRENTHAM, Mass. – Prior to Friday morning’s game, Mike Vitelli took his son inside the building to look at some of the trophies that King Philip earned while he was coaching the Warriors from 2002-2007. It was a quick trip down “memory lane” before Vitelli led North Attleboro onto Macktaz Field to face his former team for the first time.

The non-league meeting between the two teams would turn into an instant classic.

North battled back with three goals in the final 3:33 of regulation, including a goal by Erin Holley with 14 seconds on the clock, to force overtime. Amid controversy about North being denied the opportunity to take an eight-meter chance in the OT period, Jen Lacroix notched her fourth goal of the game to lift King Philip to a 13-12 victory.

“I told the girls, whatever the outcome it’s a great game to be in,” said KP coach Julie Boudreau. “Not a lot of people can say they’ve played in an overtime let alone won one, so it’s a good high pressure game. It’s fun.”

With 3:18 left in the sudden death overtime period, following a big save by North goalie Brooke Ebert (11 saves) to deny Angela Vellante from close range, North drew a free position chance. The clock continued to tick down while the eight-meter chance was being set up and when it hit 3:00 the horn sounded signifying the teams had to switch sides.

The officials ruled that North would not be able to take its eight-meter chance and the game restarted with a draw control to the bewilderment of many in attendance (on both sides).

North won the draw and sophomore Chloe Olsen had a good shot in transition, but it was denied by Caroline Watson (11 saves). KP would go on attack and the ball cycled around to Lacroix, who turned the corner and slung a shot just inside the post to win the game.

“I’m disappointed about how that rule worked out,” Vitelli said after a long discussion with the officials after the winning goal, “but there’s not guarantee that would go in anyway the way that the goalie was playing and we still had a shot had after that. We really gave ourselves a chance and we just couldn’t finish it.”

North trailed 3-1 early in the game, but the Rocketeers would go on a 7-3 run to close out the half and led 8-6. Hana Caster scored a first half hat trick, while Holley added two of her four goals, and Mackenzie Rosenberg had a pair.

After the break, KP changed things up defensively to face-guard Caster with Mackenzie Nickerson and Francesca Tonelli and it limited the UMass-Lowell commit’s touches. The switch worked and the Warriors allowed only one North goal in the first 22 minutes of the second half and took control of the game.

“We like to run our offense through her,” Vitelli explained, “so it was definitely a bit of an adjustment. We stalled a little bit in the second half until I was able to call a timeout and draw up where we wanted her to go and when we wanted her to go in and how we could use her effectively.”

The KP offense also kicked into gear. Katie Crowther scored her fourth goal of the game to open the second half and Katherine Yetman scored a pair to put the Warriors back in front at 9-8. After Holley tied the game with 15:18 to play, Lacroix snagged a ground ball on the draw and went straight down the middle to regain the lead.

“I think we were just being more patient on attack,” said Boudreau about what worked better in the second half, “and letting the clock run a little and not forcing a fastbreak or forcing the first shot right away. It makes a big difference.”

Crowther showed off an array of moves to build the KP lead to three. She ducked out from behind the cage to score and then six minutes later she went side-arm to beat Ebert and force North into a timeout.

“I know they were sending the double team, but she’s been getting some tricky shots around the crease so that’s been fun to watch,” said Boudreau of Crowther. “Today, I think there was a lot of good movement and a lot of people touching the ball, so that helps.”

In the timeout, Vitelli told his team not to panic with more than three minutes remaining. The Rocketeers won the draw control and the ball fell to Caster who sped up the middle to score, taking just 15 seconds off the clock.

KP had chances to put the game away denied by Ebert and the North defense, which forced a turnover and came back up the field in the final minute. Caster fed Rosenberg for her third goal of the game with 47 seconds left. After KP went down a player, North again came forward and Holley found space in the middle for a side-arm shot past Watson to tie the game.

“To come back from 12-9, we really learned a lot about our kids today; we’ve got kids with rug burns, rolled ankles,” said Vitelli.

Boudreau told her team not to panic and to get ready for overtime. She explained, “That’s lacrosse. We expect that and that’s how we’ve come back in games too. I’m just thankful for our defense right now because Caroline came up with a few huge saves at the end and the defense came through with the clears.”

In the end, the Warriors were able to hold their nerve and pulled out the victory, which sets up an interesting rematch in the final week of the season at North Attleboro.

Despite the defeat and the controversial ending, Vitelli was happy to have come back and praised his former star player for keeping the program’s standards high. Julie Boudreau (née Pasquantonio) and her sisters Kelly and Mary played for Vitelli during KP’s dominant period of five straight league championships and a 2006 South sectional title.

“I’m excited to be on this side now,” Vitelli said, “but I don’t forget what Julie and all her sisters did for the program. If we have to lose, I don’t mind losing to someone like Julie.”

King Philip (3-3) will try to keep the momentum going on Monday against Foxboro. North Attleboro (4-2) will travel to Canton on Wednesday.

Josh Perry can be contacted at JoshPerry@hockomocksports.com and followed on Twitter at @Josh_Perry10.

Girls Lacrosse: Kelley-Rex Division Preview 2016

Kelley-Rex girls lacrosse
Franklin is once again the favorite in the Kelley-Rex with senior midfielder Emily Spath one of the key returning players. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

ATTLEBORO
2015 Record: 6-11
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Jackie Beland

Attleboro comes into its third season of varsity play after winning  pair of Hockomock games last spring and six games overall. As the Bombardiers continue to develop, head coach Jackie Beland will be hoping that Attleboro can start climbing the standings and be competitive with the strong teams above it in the Kelley-Rex as well as with Taunton, which is beginning its first season in the league.

Attleboro will be led by its senior captains Katie Patton and Hannah Lamothe in attack and Sam Spaziano and Kayla Merritt in the midfield. Mish Logie will highlight the juniors, who will be stepping in to fill the void left by Kerri Beland’s graduation, and senior Amy Cadle will be back in goal this spring. Sophomore Grace Mayer saw some time last year as a freshman and could be ready for a breakout year.

FRANKLIN
2015 Record: 15-5
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East semifinal
Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino

Franklin enters this season as it does just about every season, as the heavy favorite to win another Kelley-Rex division title. The Panthers will need to replace the scoring and all-around game of Emily Jeffries, but have plenty of players that can step in to fill that production.

Senior midfielders Kenzie Pleshaw and Emily Spath will continue Franklin’s strength in the middle of the field and Sam Jones will be back to lead the defense. University of New Haven-commit Julia Jette will spearhead the attack along with junior Kendall Reardon, last year’s Underclassman of the Year.

Freshmen Annie Walsh and Halle Atkinson will also step into the lineup and show the future remains bright for the league’s top program.

Head coach Kristin Igoe, who has loaded the schedule this year with six of the top seven teams in the state, said, “We have a lot of talent, and when we put all the little pieces together, it is fun to watch. Our goal is to win the Hock and make it back to the sectional final.”

KING PHILIP
2015 Record: 10-11
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 1 East first round
Coach: Julie Bourdeau

King Philip has been a perennial power in the Kelley-Rex division and will be hoping that a large pool of players that came out this spring will help the Warriors get back on top for the first time since it shared the title with Franklin in 2012. The key for KP this season is the senior class, especially in the midfield.

Jen Lacroix is back after a season in which she scored 60 goals and has been a four-year starter and draw control specialist for the Warriors. While Lacroix gets forward to score the goals, fellow captains Abigial Buchanan and Olivia Dort provide the defensive coverage in midfield. Defensively, KP will miss Rylie Dalzell, who is out injured, but Makenzie Nickerson is back after missing most of last season with an injury and fellow seniors Meghan Reilly and Francesca Tonelli will try to keep things away from KP’s freshman goalie.

In the attack the Warriors will turn to their underclassmen Katie Crowther and Angela Vellante and will also be bringing senior Katharine Yetman from defense to add another weapon up front. Head coach Julie Boudreau said, “We have a strong team this year, we are just looking to pull together a dynamic attack with multiple goal scorers…Last year we had a small team and didn’t have the opportunity to sub much-this year we will many different players in the midfield and on attack.”

MANSFIELD
2015 Record: 6-11
2015 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Alexis Kobey

Mansfield got off to a strong start to last season, including an overtime win over Hingham that was later turned into a tie, but the Hornets could not sustain it and missed the playoffs. This year, Mansfield is looking to build on that and get back into the tournament behind senior attacker Caroline Maher, who was one of the league’s top scorers last year.

In addition the Hornets will count on seniors Julia Todesco and Claire Maroney and juniors Maggie Dunn, Maire Foley, Meg Lydon and Tori Lawlor. Head coach Alexis Kobey is also hoping that freshmen Emily Vigeant and Katie Garvin can steo right in and contribute this year.

Kobey said, “We missed out on the tournament and are ready to get back there (to the tournament) as well as really compete with a tough Hockomock league. Our key returning players are all seasoned veterans and we will be looking to them as the backbone of the squad.”

NORTH ATTLEBORO
2015 Record: 13-6
2015 Finish: Reached Div. 2 East first round
Coach: Mike Vitelli

Last year, North Attleboro had the program’s best ever season with 13 wins and a trip to the state tournament. The Rocketeers were knocked out in the first round, but come back this season with renewed energy and high expectations under first-year coach Mike Vitelli, who won five straight league titles and a sectional championship while at King Philip.

The Rocketeers will lean on UMass Lowell-commit Hana Caster for offense and senior goalie Brooke Ebert will be a key for the North defense, which promises to be much-improved this spring. Sophomore Kenzie Rosenberg has drawn praise from opposing coaches and will be a solid addition to the attack along with classmates Chloe Olsen, Julia Tolfa and Julia Dakin. Emily Schromm and Sam Taggart will join sophomore Alaina Mello to try and lock things down at the back.

Vitelli said, “There’s a lot to digest, but as I’ve told the kids it’s a marathon not a sprint. Mistakes we’ll make in March, April and early May should turn into great results come mid May and hopefully beyond.”

TAUNTON
2015 Record: n/a
2015 Finish: n/a
Coach: Kerry Northup

Taunton is opening its first season of varsity play (and already has recorded its first win with a blowout of Bristol-Plymouth), so its entire roster is filled with newcomers that will be learning on the job. Head coach Kerry Northup admits there will be bumps in the road, but that there is also a chance for the Tigers to “make a name” for themselves in the Hock.

Layne and Abbey Kingman and Delaney Powell will be the key players for Taunton in the first season and combined for 10 goals in the season opener. Hannah Moniz will be another player that the Tigers will be counting on this season. 

Northup said, “My goal for what I want my girls to accomplish this season is to come out hard and showcase what they’ve got…We know it may be a difficult season being our first year, so we are staying positive, keeping up the morale, and maintaining our resilience.”