12/12/202212/12/2022

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Canton

2021-2022 Record: 18-7-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final
Coach: Nikki Petrich
Canton has won four of the five Hockomock titles since league play began, including three in a row, and last winter the Bulldogs went to their fourth state title game in the past six seasons. It was an incredible stretch of success under Dennis Aldrich, who stepped down in the off-season, and the Bulldogs don’t look ready to slow down anytime soon. First-year coach Nikki Petrich, a former Northeastern University standout, comes to Canton after being an associate head coach for Austin Prep, helping them win a pair of Div. 1 state titles, and she has an experienced roster aiming for another trip to the Garden in March.

The Bulldogs can count on plenty of senior leadership this winter, starting up front with forwards Audrey Koen and Ellie Bohane. Koen is the team’s top returning scorer with 12 goals and eight assists last year and will be a focal point in the attack. Juniors Maggie Dailey, Lilah Spinelli, and Anna Lehan also contributed important minutes and important goals during last year’s playoff run and could be ready to step into bigger roles this season. As always, Canton can reload with talented underclassmen and freshmen Christina Curran, Abby Stock, and Izzy Cusack could also feature in a deep forward group.

Defense has long been a strength for Canton and it starts in goal with senior Carolyn Durand. The four-year starter has been one of the best shot stoppers in the state since her freshman year and gives the team a strong foundation in its own zone. Senior Maya Battista is another four-year starter and has emerged as a force on the blue line, both with her work in the defensive zone as well as her goals on the other end of the ice. Juniors Tori Carr and Devan Spinale will be back on the blue line with freshmen Kayleigh Koen and Georgia Campbell part of a talented rookie class that could contribute right away.

“We are looking to build off of the success of last year and continue to make sure that every single girl in our program has an incredible experience representing their town, high school, and family,” Petrich said. With a senior captain in net, a senior captain on the blue line, and two senior captains leading the way for your forwards, our team is going to compete every single game. A strong freshman class rounds out what is truly a team with extensive experience playing in meaningful games come the end of February.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Franklin

2021-2022 Record: 6-11-4
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Mike Lubin
Franklin is the only team other than Canton to have won a Hockomock League title and the Panthers come into the season with a more experienced, and deeper, roster to try and get back on top. Former assistant Mike Lubin has taken over as head coach after the retirement of longtime coach Margie Burke and he has a balanced lineup to work with this winter.

The Panthers will be hoping to be more solid on the defensive end of the ice this season, building on the structure they have created in all three zones. Senior Shaw Downing is a four-year varsity player and a dynamic skater along the blue line, not only being sure on the puck in her own zone but also capable of carrying the play into the attack. Junior Lindsay Dennett continues to improve each season and sophomore goalie Izzy Brown is coming off an impressive rookie campaign between the pipes.

Sophomore Julia Flynn was the team’s leading scorer last year and she is back to power the Franklin offense. Senior Lindsay Atkinson is also back, after missing all of last winter with an injury. Atkinson had a big sophomore season and will be a huge addition to the top line. Senior forwards Dana Stott and Molly Hurley bring two-way strength to the forward line.

“We’re a close group with great leadership and a good mix of young talent,” Lubin said. “We’re all excited to get the season started and build on our strong team chemistry from last year.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Hockomock Stars

2021-2022 Record: 3-16-1 (formerly Mansfield/Oliver Ames)
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32
Coach: Jamie Mullin
The biggest co-op team in the Hockomock League is getting bigger. The Mansfield/Oliver Ames Warriors, which also featured skaters from Foxboro, now includes players from Attleboro, Milford, North Attleboro, and Taunton and will be going by the name of Hockomock Stars.

Jamie Mullen returns for her second year at the helm of the program and now has some more players to work into her lineup. The Stars lost some key players to graduation, including longtime goalie Jess Widdop and speedy forward Sam Ledin, and also have to replace the production of last year’s leading scorer Kylie O’Keefe (20 points). Leading the offense will be a pair of Mansfield juniors: Cammy Shenteler, fresh off a 7-goal, 9-assist season, and Maeve Anastasia, who totaled 11 points with six goals last year.

North Attleboro has four players in the mix with junior Ava O’Dwyer, sophomore Grace Cabeceiras, and freshmen Brittany Nordbeck and Alana Rice. Attleboro (Emily Davignon, Avery Drainville, McKenzie Sullivan) has three players, Taunton (Hannah Albert, Kendell Scheralis) has two, and Milford has one (Lindsay Casman).

Foxboro’s Mya Waras (five points) and Mansfield’s Ava Adams (five points) will also be key pieces in the attack. Foxboro junior Macy Quinn is back to anchor the blue line for the Stars while Davignon will be between the pipes.

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

King Philip

2021-2022 Record: 18-5-0
2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Ken Assad

King Philip is coming off a really strong year. The Warriors won 18 games last winter but saw the season come to an end in the opening round of the state tournament. KP scored 93 goals in 23 games in 2021-22 but graduated the bulk of one of the state’s top scoring lines, so will need new players to step into bigger roles in search of the program’s first Hock title.

While the top scoring line may look a little different this winter, KP does return its top goal scorer. Junior Kelly Holmes is back to lead the offense and is one of the most dynamic players in the league. Senior Katarina Precobb and junior Nicole McDonald will add more punch to the top line this season. The Warriors will have decent depth in the attacking zone, with senior Sydney Cloutier, junior Rylie Ryan, and freshmen Cam O’Shea and Kate McGann each ready to provide an attacking punch. Eighth graders Tayla McDuff, Rylan McKillop, Ella Morgan, Erin Steck, and Molly Murphy should all get their chance to contribute.

In the defensive zone, KP will have plenty of experience to try and keep other teams out. Seniors Brielle Hearon, Mara Boldy, and Emma Sullivan will all be back on the blue line, providing leadership and physicality to slow down the opposition. Freshmen Lydia Maxwell and Grace Lehan-Allen both saw time as eighth graders and will build on that important year of varsity action. Eighth-grader Calleigh Brady should see time in defense this year. Goalie is another position of strength for the Warriors with senior Mallory Johnston in her third year as a starter and classmate Haley Bright backing her up.

“I never call it a rebuilding year,” said KP coach Ken Assad. “With the returning players and newcomers, I believe with hard work and not taking any nights off we can be in the hunt for the Hockomock title and get into the tournament.”

2022-2023 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Stoughton/Sharon

2021-2022 Record:
2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Chad Kelley
Stoughton/Sharon continues to be a young program that is building up its numbers. With only one senior and two juniors in the program, the Black Knights will be focusing on youth and trying to build a foundation for future seasons. After a close loss in the season opener, Stoughton/Sharon continues to find ways to stay competitive even with a smaller roster of just 14 players.

Eighth-grader Sarah Scappaticci from Sharon will be the starting goalie this season. She made 34 stops in the opener against Cambridge and is already showing that she is a skilled player between the pipes. Brockton junior Molly Corvino will be one of the leaders in the defensive zone, along with classmate Samantha Calapai. Both players are solid in their own zone but can push the team into the attack. Stoughton freshman Addison Strunk will also be one of the defenders in the top two pairings.

Stoughton’s Ava Buckley is the lone senior on the team. The Assumption-commit will be the focal point for the Black Knights on the offensive end of the ice. Sharon eighth grader Ella Cummings has a lot of skill on the puck and already opened her varsity account with a goal against Cambridge. Sharon sophomores Peri Rodman and Heather Kelly and Stoughton sophomore Leila Uchani return to the forward lines. Stoughton freshmen Julia Monaghan, Meghan McGowan, Amanda Reid, and Stoughton eighth graders Nya’Lia Lindsey and Julia Henein will give the Black Knights depth up front.

“We are a young team with only one senior and two juniors in our program,” said head coach Chad Kelley. “Ava Buckley and Molly Corvino are our captains for this season. Both Ava and Molly have been tremendous with our young group. They are great examples for others to model.”

06/18/2019

First Half Run Puts End to Foxboro Season in Semifinal

Foxboro girls lacrosse — Foxboro junior Julia Kelley (27) scored three times and had an assist, but the Warriors couldn’t get past South champ Cohasset in the state semifinal. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

WELLESLEY, Mass. – With back-to-back goals, Foxboro rallied to tie South champion Cohasset in Tuesday night’s Div. 2 state semifinal at Babson College’s MacDowell Field. The Skippers, who won the state title in 2017, took a timeout to regroup and proceeded to break the game wide open.

Cohasset scored five goals in the final 4:04 of the first half, propelling the Skippers on a game-closing 12-3 run and a 17-8 victory that ended the most successful season in the Foxboro program’s history.

“That four, five-goal lead they got going into half was killer,” said Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry. “It’s too hard to dig yourself out of those. We’ve had games where we’ve been in positions where we’ve had to do it but we’ve never had the result that we needed. We’ve dug ourselves out but not enough.”

The Skippers had the first good look of the game but the shot caromed off the far post, after a loose ball was scooped up by the Warriors an outlet pass sent Molly Murphy on a break. She picked out Julia Kelley at the ‘X,’ who hesitated to draw a defender and open space for a pass to sophomore Lilly Vey for a close-range finish.

Northwestern University-bound Jane Hansen (five goals and two assists) cut through the Foxboro defense to tie the game, but the Warriors answered back. This time Vey played provider, setting up Sophia DiCenso as she cut across the front of goal and the University of Richmond-commit unleashed a side-arm shot under the bar to make it 2-2.

After three straight goals by the South champions, DiCenso scored her second goal of the night, this time with a lefty shot from a tight angle to bring the Warriors back within one.

Hansen assisted on Cohasset’s fifth of the night to restore the two goal lead, but Foxboro scored two in rapid fire to tie the game. Sara Addeche (four saves) made a big stop on a free position on one end and the Warriors again broke quickly with Meghan Curran getting the ball up the near sideline to Murphy, who bounced a shot through the five-hole to make it 5-4.

Right off the ensuing draw, DiCenso was inches away from tying it, but her shot came off the post. Kelley (three goals and one assist) was in the right spot to snag the rebound and finish.

It was the high point for the Warriors, as the favorites took control. Kate Cunning scored to break the deadlock and 12 seconds later assisted on a goal by fellow sophomore Gennie Littlejohn. Hansen scored back-to-back goals only 30 seconds apart to extend the lead to four and with just 22.9 left in the half Cunning got another assist on a Madie Donovan goal.

“Going into half, it was just about putting pressure on the ball and not letting them have a relaxed thought,” Sherry said about the frame of mind of the Warriors at the break. “I think we kind of did that but they had too much time to find their feet and hit their cutters. They got space and they got open, so that was an adjustment that we needed to make and we didn’t make it enough.”

The Warriors came out of the break with the right attitude and gave themselves hope of a comeback with the first goal of the second half. DiCenso was unlucky again, as another shot came off the post, but Curran chased down the ground ball to keep possession and seconds later Vey (two goals and two assists) combined with Kelley to bring the score to 10-6.

Foxboro had two opportunities to cut into the lead further, but the Cohasset defense forced a turnover and Hansen made it 11-6 with 19:30 to play. The Skippers added two straight, including a nice give-and-go between Hansen and Molly Greer, to push the lead up to seven.

Vey got a goal on a free position but another three-goal run by the Skippers eliminated any momentum that may have been gained by Foxboro. Jaime Notarangelo added the eighth and final goal for the Warriors from a free position with two minutes left.

Experience was a benefit for the Warriors in the East final against Medway and Foxboro (16-8) brought home its first-ever sectional title. It was the main goal of the season, Sherry explained, and she thinks it will help the returning players to have gotten a taste of the state semifinal atmosphere.

“They have so much exposure in this environment,” Sherry said about Cohasset. “I think we played really well. I think this was the best competition they’re going to see (outside the South). I think we gave them a fight and we hung in with them and it just wasn’t enough.”

06/15/2019

Warriors Use Experience to Bring Home Sectional Title

WALPOLE, Mass. – With seven minutes to go in Friday night’s Div. 2 East final at Walpole High, Medway scored its second straight goal and grabbed its first lead since midway through the first half. Having managed to pull out close wins in each of the first two rounds, Foxboro needed to keep its composure and find a way to make it three in a row.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Warriors could call on the experience of 14 seniors who were part of the program’s first sectional final appearance two years ago, a disappointing loss in the East quarterfinal last season, and a regular season that featured many of the state’s best teams. All of that came into play on Friday.

Of course, it also helps having a player like senior midfielder Sophia DiCenso. The University of Richmond-commit, and recently announced member of the U.S. U-19 national team, split the defense to tie the game and then scored her sixth goal of the night with three minutes to play to put Foxboro ahead for good. Julia Kelley tacked on another goal with 1:05 left and the Warriors celebrated an 11-9 win and the program’s first East title.

“She’s on cloud nine,” Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry said of DiCenso. “She puts the weight of the world on her shoulders. She carries this team and we really look to her to get it done and she got it done.”

DiCenso said, “I feel like everyone’s just been wanting it since we lost to Walpole our sophomore year and every day at practice we talk about this is our year, we’re going to win a trophy, and we did it. Everyone’s literally on top of the world right now.”

Similar to the semifinal against top seed Wayland, it took a while for someone to get on the scoreboard. Sophomore Lilly Vey cut though the defense and put Foxboro ahead 10 minutes into the game. Medway scored twice over the next five minutes to grab the lead, while Foxboro was struggling to finish off the chances that it was creating.

Senior Meghan Curran hit the post twice on free positions and Molly Murphy smacked the post with a shot on a fast break. Curran also had a chance in the final second of the half that bounced up off the turf and kissed the bar.

“If we’re hitting the post then it means we’re placing the ball, we’re not throwing it randomly, but they needed to drop eventually,” said Sherry. “Wayland [in the East semifinal] really helped us knowing that we could make mistakes offensively and still prevail.”

DiCenso finally got a chance with three minutes left in the half and she made it look easy from a free position. A little more than a minute later, DiCenso added her second of the night, again from a free position, to make it 3-2 at the break.

Abby Hassman had an early free position opportunity saved and Medway raced down field to tie the game at 3-3 just two minutes into the second half. DiCenso completed her hat trick from a free position but then had one miss the net and Medway took advantage to tie the game again at 4-4.

Curran came through with her next direct opportunity, picking the top corner with an unstoppable shot. Ninety seconds later, DiCenso cut across the defense from the left and went side-arm to rip a shot under the bar for a two-goal lead, the largest lead of the game for either team.

Medway bounced back with two straight goals to tie it again. Foxboro once again had the response to avoid allowing the Mustangs to grab the lead. Curran scored her second of the night, going side-arm after spinning back to her left.

The lead was short-lived and the Mustangs scored back-to-back goals to put Foxboro on its heels and take its first lead since the score was 2-1. No surprise to anyone, but the Warriors again turned to DiCenso. She showed good patience as she worked her way across goal, making the goalie commit before firing in the tying goal.

With the clock winding down on three minutes to play, Medway was inches from tying the game, but a shot came flying back off the post and ricocheted out towards midfield. Senior Molly Murphy reacted first and chased the ground ball down at the near sideline and got possession for the Warriors.

DiCenso drove towards the back of the cage but then spun back on her marker, tried to split two defenders, and earned a free position and a yellow card for her opponent. She made no mistake on the big opportunity and put the Warriors ahead 10-9 with 2:58 to play.

Foxboro got the ball back and tried to run out the clock. With a minute to play, Kelley drove to the cage and finished from close-range to make it a two-goal game. The Warriors won the next draw and proceeded to run the clock down, smiles stretching across their faces as they realized that the dream that started two years ago, the chance to make history for the program, was coming to fruition.

“It feels amazing,” said Sherry, who may have had the biggest smile on the field at the final whistle. “Even in the semifinals when they started picking away at leads, I think that exposure of playing top D1 teams, we do it because we learn from it every single time.” She added, “We’ve battled and we’ve gotten tested and we prevailed because of it.”

When asked about playing a schedule with perennial D1 powers like Notre Dame Academy, Longmeadow, Walpole, Franklin, and others, DiCenso joked, “At first we saw it and were like what is she doing but honestly now I can say it was so worth it.”

She added, “I think there were moments when we were like, wow we’re getting beat pretty bad by these teams and going into tournament we need to step our game up, but I feel like those losses were more motivators. Our schedule prepares us for 30 seconds left and we’re up by one or two and we’re so composed on the field because of the competition that we face.”

Foxboro (16-7) will play South champion Cohasset in the state semifinal on Tuesday night at Babson College.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

06/06/201906/06/2019

Notarangelo Nets Winner for Shorthanded Warriors

FOXBORO, Mass. – It appeared that the game had been won when Foxboro pulled ahead by five goals midway through the second half of Thursday night’s Div. 2 East quarterfinal, but after a furious comeback by Weston the Warriors found themselves in a tie game with just a minute on the clock and without star player Sophia DiCenso, who was with the U.S. U-19 national team for a training weekend.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Needing someone to step up and keep the season alive, Foxboro got the ball into the hands of junior Jaime Notarangelo. She delivered. Cutting across the front of goal, Notarangelo took a couple of bumps but managed to squeeze into space and fired a shot to the back post with 18 seconds on the clock, securing Foxboro a 15-14 win and a return to the East semifinal.

“We had individual meetings yesterday and when I spoke with Julia, when I spoke with Jaime, when I spoke with Lilly, it was just who’s going to fill that role?” said Foxboro coach Brittany Sherry. “We always focus on Soph and what she can do, but Jaime knows that it kind of has to go on her shoulders. That she’s next in line and Julia [Kelley’s] next in line. She went to ‘X,’ got the ball, and just went.”

Thursday was always going to be a tough matchup for Foxboro. Playing without DiCenso, the two-time league MVP, and fellow senior Caroline McGeary, the Warriors were also coming off a two-week break since the close of the regular season and that rust showed at the beginning when Weston ran out to a 3-0 lead.

“We were a little more focused on not having Soph and there were players who needed to step up, and I think they did, but having those two weeks showed big time,” Sherry explained. “Then I think we got a little complacent.”

After four minutes, Foxboro righted the ship, starting with a fast break goal. Abby Hassman picked out Lilly Vey in front to make it 3-1. Two minutes later, Meghan Curran assisted on a Hassman goal to get Foxboro within one and two minutes after that it was tied thanks to the first of five goals from Julia Kelley.

Kelley gave the Warriors their first lead a minute later, as she turned the corner on the left side of the cage and beat the Weston goalie. Notarangelo got the first of her four goals from a free position to make it five straight for the hosts before a Wildcats free position goal ended the run.

That goal did nothing to stop Foxboro’s momentum and the Warriors grabbed control of the game before halftime. Curran scooped a loose ball on the edge of the crease and scored her second to make it 6-4. Molly Murphy led another break, finding Kelley for her hat trick and then Kelley fed Vey for another goal to double up Weston, 8-4. Hassman hit a cutting Notarangelo and suddenly the Warriors had gone from down three to up five in the span of 15 minutes.

Weston scored twice before the break, sandwiched around Curran’s second of the half, to keep the score close, but it felt like the home team was on the brink of putting the game away.

Notarangelo got her third on a free position in the opening minute of the second half and Kelley spotted Murphy down the middle to give the Warriors their largest lead of the night at 12-6. Weston scored back-to-back goals to put the pressure on again and nearly had the lead down to just three by Foxboro goalie Sara Addeche (12 saves) made a big stop on a free position chance.

A couple minutes after that stop, Kelley tallied another goal to restore the five-point lead. After Weston got one back, Kelley went side-arm after going around the edge to make it 14-9 with 12:38 to play. There was a feeling around the field that Foxboro had done enough to advance. Weston didn’t share that feeling.

The Wildcats stormed back into the game, despite some controversy. Weston scored to get within four and appeared to have another one shortly after only to have the ref rule out the goal for a charge that took place after the shot was released. After some confusion and discussion, the goal remained off the board.

Four minutes later, the Wildcats got the goal to cut the lead to three with 5:57 to play. Less than a minute later, the lead was down to two. Three minutes later, the lead was down to one and things were starting to slip away for the Warriors, while the visiting bench got louder. With 1:03 on the clock, Caitlyn Tabors got free for the Wildcats and finished from in close to tie it.

Foxboro needed to win the draw to avoid the upset, a part of the game that would also have been helped by DiCenso’s presence, and the Warriors did just that, scrambling to chase down a loose ball in the defensive half of the field.

“We just wanted to keep it alive,” Sherry said about the draw with the game tied. “If we got it in her stick, obviously that’s ideal, but if we didn’t then just keep it on the ground and keep pushing it.”

With no timeouts left, Foxboro played it forward and patiently moved it around, until Notarangelo moved behind the cage to take over and win it.

Sherry said, “They wanted it. We had meetings and I’m looking for potentially two more weeks out of them to just grind. It’s going to get more fun.”

Foxboro (14-7) advances to face top seed Wayland in the semifinal on Tuesday at Weston High.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

05/06/2019

Foxboro Dominates In Win Over King Philip

FOXBORO, Mass. – The Foxboro girls lacrosse team might not have one of the best records in the state, but the hope is that facing top competition throughout the season will have the Warriors primed for the postseason.

The battle-tested Warriors showcased their talents in a battle of league unbeatens on Monday afternoon, earning a 19-6 win over visiting King Philip in dominating fashion.

“Our record isn’t great, not what it usually is but we’ve played so many of the top teams in the state that we’re so mentally prepared for the games now,” said Foxboro head coach Brittany Sherry. “The end result hasn’t always been what we want but we’re competing for the most part with those teams. We knew this was a big league game and we wanted to prove ourselves, the games leading up to this have prepared us for this.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro entered the contest at 7-6 overall, but four of those losses were to four of the top seven teams in Eastern Mass — Notre Dame Academy (1), Walpole (2), Norwell (5), and Wellesley (7) — another to Western Mass powerhouse Longmeadow, and the sixth to Natick, who is ranked in the top 20.

After trading a pair of goals each to start the game, Foxboro’s offense went into high gear and rattled off eight straight goals to turn a close game into a comfortable lead for the host Warriors.

King Philip closed the first half strong to give themselves a shot in the second half, but Foxboro once again had eight straight goals and pull away for the win.

“We had a long talk after the Walpole game about what we can do to better prepare for games, and we haven’t put together two halves yet,” Sherry said. “Just because we say to be here at 3:00, doesn’t mean you can’t come early and get some shots up. It was the first time it hasn’t rained and they came early today and got ready for the game.”

Foxboro junior Julia Kelley scored a pair of goals inside the first four minutes to give the hosts the lead, the first off a feed from junior Jaime Notarangelo and the second assisted by sophomore Lilly Vey.

King Philip responded with a pair of goals to tie it 2-2 six minutes into the contest. First, freshman Julia Marsden carried possession from her own half and sliced through the Foxboro defense, finishing with a shot in close. Caroline Klim followed with a goal off a feed from Victoria Tormey to tie the score.

But from that point on, Foxboro owned the first half. The host Warriors dominated on draws, winning 11 of 16 in the first half, and won eight of the first nine which directly led to a big lead.

Senior Sophia DiCenso scored back-to-back goals, the first off a free position and the second off a feed from Vey. Vey then took a pass from Kelley and scored to make it 5-2. Senior Molly Murphy netted her first of three goals with a bounce shot with 12:31 left to make it 6-2 and force a KP timeout.

Foxboro didn’t take its foot off the gas though with Notarangelo tucking in a low shot for a 7-2 lead. King Philip goalie Caroline Watson (12 saves) was strong in net and turned away a Warrior chance with just under 10 minutes to go but Foxboro was first to the rebound and Abby Hassman connected with DiCenso to make it 8-2.

Vey scored back-to-back goals, the latter with four minutes to play in the first half.

King Philip put together a mini-run to end the first half and stay within striking distance. Buoyed by some draw controls, Klim scored off a nice individual effort, senior Allie Wilson found the back of the net off a free position chance, and junior Jessica Sullivan buried a nice shot with a minute to go to make it 10-5.

But Foxboro was relentless in the second half, holding King Philip to just one offensive possession through the first eight minutes. Watson made some stellar stops in close to keep Foxboro off the board but the host Warriors’ continual pressure paid off.

Vey found DiCenso in transition and just 17 seconds later, Notarangelo scored after controlling the draw. Hassman, Notaragenlo, and Murphy scored over the next five minutes to push Foxboro’s lead to 15-5.

“Credit to Foxboro, they came out strong with high energy and really wanted to play today from start to finish,” said King Philip coach Kourtnie Wilder. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to play that full 50 minutes. We had a few good sparks but not a full game of lacrosse and it showed, and they were able to pile it on.

“Having that short term memory is something we need to work on. Even if they score a couple of goals, we have to move on and focus on the next play. Credit to our goalie Caroline Watson, she had a lot of saves and kept us in it for most of the game.”

Even when King Philip was able to get a stop, Foxboro’s pressure made it tough for the visiting Warriors’ to clear the ball cleanly.

“We haven’t been that strong [pressuring defenses] but we did a nice job today,” Sherry said. “We wanted to put pressure on the goalie, the girls did very well with their ride today.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“I think we had the edge [on 50/50 balls]. We haven’t had that every game so far but today we did and that’s been one of our biggest things. We’re either really strong or really weak, and today we were on the strong end of things.”

Meghan Curran added two goals, Murphy scored once more, and senior Kristin Whalen found the back of the net once to cap the Foxboro scoring. Klim scored King Philip’s lone goal of the second half with 2:30 to play.

Foxboro girls lacrosse (6-0 Hockomock, 8-6 overall) is back in action on the road at Attleboro on Wednesday. King Philip (5-1, 8-3) is on the road at Canton on the same day.

04/03/201904/04/2019

2019 Hockomock League Girls Lacrosse Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2019 Hockomock Girls Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2018 Record: 3-15
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Chrissy Quinn

Attleboro is a relatively young program that is looking to build on a talented group of returning players, particularly in the attacking end of the field. New head coach Chrissy Quinn has a dynamic group of attackers that she is hoping will build on last season’s 113 goals, which was the second-lowest goals tally in the league.

The key player in the midfield and attack is senior Kyra Lyons, who accounted for nearly half of the team’s goals last spring despite drawing the attention of opposing defenders. Lyons will be joined by senior midfielder Rylee Fontes, a Worcester State-commit, who adds a secondary playmaker around the opponent’s goal. Junior attackers Sydney DiLiddo, Kelly Johnson, Rylee Turnes, and Ashley Piazza will get helped by sophomore Hannah Webster, Campbell Compton, and Isabella Salviati.

On the defensive side of the ball, seniors Sam Fasoldt and Sydney Viera will be the leaders of the back line, trying to protect sophomore Maggie Porreca and junior Dee Graham, who will both see time in goal this season. Juniors Julia Willis, C.J. Westwater, and Lynn McDonald will also be jumping into the defensive unit to add depth at the back for the Bombardiers.

Canton

2018 Record: 4-13
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Laurie Chabot
Like many of the teams in the Davenport division, Canton comes into the spring eyeing a return to the state tournament. The Bulldogs last made it in 2016 after finishing in a three-way tie for second behind Foxboro in the Davenport division. With a mix of new faces and experienced returning players, second-year coach Laurie Chabot is hopeful that this season with see Canton make a run up the standings.

Canton will have a lot of experience in the defensive unit even after graduating a few key pieces. Senior Molly Cummings will be the leader at the back and will be joined by classmate Devyn McGrann and freshman Sydney Gallery, whose twin sister Fay will jump into the midfield this season. Junior Alexa Maffeo and seniors Maggie Connolly and Leah McLellan will also be critical for the Bulldogs to take control of the middle of the field and transition from defense into attack. Communication at the back will be key. There are several new faces in the attacking unit but Chabot is already seeing that chemistry is building. She was pleased with results in the preseason and is hoping that confidence will carry over into the games that count.

“We are off to a great start this spring,” Chabot said. “This year we not only have a strong team with both skill and speed, but we have size on our side. The team is coming together, starting with a win against Norwood in our scrimmage. We have strong players in all areas it’s hard to pinpoint just one.”

Foxboro

2018 Record: 14-6
2018 Finish: Reached D2 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Brittany Sherry
Expectations may be as high for this year’s Foxboro team as any under head coach Brittany Sherry because the Warriors have a roster filled with talent and experience (14 returning seniors). Foxboro will be looking to clinch an eighth straight league title but also will have its sights set on bringing home the program’s first sectional title as well. With the weapons at the Warriors disposal, there is the potential for plenty of silverware to come their way this spring.

It all starts with two-time reigning Hockomock League MVP (and reigning HockomockSports.com Player of the Year) Sophia DiCenso. The senior midfielder has spent the off-season playing with the youth national team and will be the cog on which the Warriors build their attacks. She is joined in the midfield by classmate Molly Murphy, who is closing in on 100 goals in her career, juniors Abby Hassman and Jamie Notarangelo and sophomore Ella Waryas, who each provide Foxboro with solid two-way play. In attack, seniors Meghan Curran and Caroline McGeary have consistently provided goals in big games and sophomore Lilly Vey is a newcomer to watch this spring. The loss of Alex Stamatos to injury will be tough on defense, but senior Carlie Stern will provide the leadership for an experienced group that includes seniors Mary Spillane and Jenna Stamatov and junior Grace Boudreau. Of course, if anyone gets through then University of Louisville-commit Sara Addeche will be waiting in goal.

“This year our main goal is to take it game by game,” Sherry said. “We’re putting whatever has happened these last few years, as far as previous wins/losses and playoffs go, and putting it in our past. We need to continue to work hard every day, play as a team and have fun while doing it. We all have a common goal and know what it’s going to take to get there.”

Franklin

2018 Record: 14-6
2018 Finish: Reached D1 East Semifinal
Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino

It is a sign of just how far the Franklin program has come that being knocked out in last season’s East semifinal could almost be considered a disappointment. After winning the East title in 2016 and 2017, the Panthers come into the spring with another roster loaded with talent and experience and a schedule loaded with the top teams in the state to prep for a deep tournament run as well as trying to make it eight straight league titles.

Senior Annie Walsh will be the focal point for the Panthers again this year and the player that the offense typically runs through. Her sister Erin, a junior attacker, is one of the best finishers in the league and gives Franklin a dynamic one-two punch on offense. Junior Kelsey MacCallum adds another talented attacker to the forward line, while senior Hailey Toolin adds versatility as either a midfielder or defender and junior Alex Field will be a key piece of a defensive unit that was by far the best in the Hock last season. Junior goalie Gianna Cameron is another reason for the Panthers having such a strong defensive record after two straight seasons on the HockomockSports.com First Team. The Panthers haven’t lost a league game since 2012 (more than 70 straight wins) and have added an exciting freshman class with loads of potential, including six players making the instant jump to varsity.

“We have a ton of versatility where a lot of different players can play all positions. I am excited about the athleticism and skill level of our team,” said Franklin coach Kristin Igoe Guarino. “We have a ton of players with high level stick work and IQ that are capable of scoring and feeding. I am looking forward to us becoming a team with a high powered offense!”

King Philip

2018 Record: 14-6
2018 Finish: Reached D1 East Quarterfinal
Coach: Kourtnie Wilder

Under first-year head coach Kourtnie Wilder, King Philip built on the momentum of its run to the 2017 East semifinal to put together a 14-win season and finish comfortably in second place in the Kelley-Rex division. The Warriors took Franklin to triple-overtime, coming as close as anyone has in recent years to ending the Panthers’ long league win streak, and battled with Lincoln-Sudbury in the East quarterfinal. Now, KP is hoping to use that experience to make a run at ending Franklin’s dominance in the division.

The key for KP may be the attack, which returns a lot of goals from last season. Senior Caroline Klim is back and will be a player that opposing defenses will have to watch out for after leading the league with 73 goals last season, including nine against Sharon in the playoffs. Klim will be joined up top by classmate Dana Truini and junior Jessica Sullivan. Defensively, Wilder points to the team’s aggressiveness and communications as being the keys to building on a season in which the Warriors only allowed 153 goals, which was second-best in the Hock. Senior Victoria Tormey, a HockomockSports.com First Team defender last season and Boston University-commit, will be the leader at the back and will have classmate Caroline Watson back in goal behind her to make a formidable group for opponents to break down.

Wilder said, “We are excited for the season and have a great group of returners. This season will be competitive as we are playing some strong teams, but we are up for the challenge! We are looking to build off of our success from last season and continuing to work hard and improve each day at practice.”

Mansfield

2018 Record: 9-10
2018 Finish: Reached D1 East First Round
Coach: Lauryn Wilkie

New coach Lauryn Wilkie takes over the program this spring, looking to push an experienced Mansfield roster up the league standings, challenge Franklin at the top of the division, and make another run at a state tournament berth. The Hornets will be counting on its 11 returning seniors to keep things heading in the right direction this spring.

Senior attacker Katie Garvin will lead the forward line again this season after being among the league’s top scorers in 2018. Seniors Lauren Whitman and Maggie Danehy bring verve, energy, and experience to the Mansfield midfield, covering on draw controls and the transition game. Seniors Emily Vigeant and Kylie Tryder will cover the back line just in front of senior goalie Katie McCarthy, all of whom have multiple years of experience on varsity and should be a strength of the team. There are some underclassmen who will contribute right away for the Hornets, including sophomore midfielders Annemarie McCoy, Abby Varricchione, and Grace Fernandez and sophomore defender Melissa Shanteler.

“We are coming back this year with a brand new coaching staff looking to make some changes to the program,” said Wilkie. “We are breaking down the sport back to the basics and building it back up. Once this team finds their groove, I expect big things.”

Milford

2018 Record: 2-16
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Nicole Serra

Milford has a number of players back and a new head coach, Nicole Serra, looking to make a quick turnaround from last season in which the Hawks won only twice overall. With an athletic group back, Serra is working on building chemistry and putting the players in position to take advantage of their speed in transition. After scoring a league-low 82 goals last season, the attack will be a primary area of focus this spring.

Seniors Emily Haley, Katie Drysdale, and Sophia Bucal will give the Hawks leadership on the field, with Bucal providing a vocal presence in the attack. Senior Briana Maietta will join Bucal up front and they will be helped by junior midfielders Annie Flanagan and Elena Bon Tempo, who add athleticism whether in the attack or tracking back to help out on defense. Junior Hannah Bangert will be the leader at the back, controlling the defensive zone, along with sophomores Katie Maietta, Jillian Michelson, and Eva Parson.

“I am hoping to see the team really push themselves to improve every day and treat each practice like a game,” said Serra. “We are working on improving our speed, adding to our repertoire of offensive plays, and beating our record from previous years. I am looking forward to a great season.”

North Attleboro

2018 Record: 7-11
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Colleen Carchedi

While North Attleboro finished below .500 last season, the Rocketeers only missed a postseason berth by a single game, ending up one game behind Sharon and in third-place in the Davenport division. Second-year coach Colleen Carchedi, who came over from Sharon last spring, is counting on the team’s young core (and the new turf at Beaupre Field) to help North get back into the postseason hunt and even challenge Foxboro’s reign at the top of the division.

Senior attacker Alexa Sinacola and senior defender Lauren Pezzi will be leaders on either end of the field, but North also has a strong junior class that will be counted on to produce this season, especially after the graduation of perennial all-star Kenzi Rosenberg. Junior Katie Lindstrom will be the focus of attention in the midfield after committing to UMass Lowell in the off-season, but she will have help from classmates Kathryn Kayata, Regan Fein, Lily Cameron, and Lindsay Spratt. Junior Faith Graveline will step into goal to try and help Pezzi lock down the defense along with sophomore starters Camryn Gonrdell and Aimee Baiungo. Sophomore Maggie O’Brien will add a spark to the attack.

Carchedi said, “We are young, but we are fresh. We are full of potential and certainly have the ability to compete at a high level of lacrosse. It is going to be a great season for us. Having the turf will be crucial in creating success for the program. I am very excited for this season and the future looks bright.”

Oliver Ames

2018 Record: 8-12
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Nicole Lang

Oliver Ames continues to build the depth within its program to try and get that elusive berth in the state tournament. The Tigers have won eight games in each of the past three seasons, making the postseason in 2016 and narrowly missing out by two wins each of the last two years. This spring, OA will send out a relatively young squad that will look to get the Tigers over the hump and into the playoffs.

While there is plenty of youth on the roster, OA has leadership from a core of experienced players, including senior midfielder Olivia Piazza, who was on the HockomockSports.com Second Team last year and is committed to Merrimack College. She scored 91 points last season and will be the engine at the heart of the OA midfield. Senior Maddie Kullen will be in goal this season for the Tigers and classmate Grace McCallum returns to lead the defensive unit.

OA will try to improve its defensive record and make strides up the league standings under second-year coach Nicole Lang, who said, “We have a young team this year but with a lot of determination to learn the game. We continue to work hard each day to continue to build a competitive team for this League. The girls are definitely excited for the season so we are looking forward to their hard work paying off.”

Sharon

2018 Record: 11-8
2018 Finish: Reached D1 East First Round
Coach: Shara Ginthwain
Sharon has made the playoffs each of the past three seasons and has gone 7-3 in league play for the past two years. It has been an unprecedented run of success for the program and the challenge for the Eagles is to keep that momentum going even with the loss of key players to graduation. Second-year coach Shara Ginthwain will hope that new players can step in and that the team’s chemistry and effort will allow Sharon to continue battling at the top of the Davenport division standings.

Senior midfielder Emma Eberhardt is the key to the Eagles staying on track. The Lehigh University-commit scored 69 goals last year, including five against KP in the playoffs, and has been one of the top playmakers in the league the past three seasons. Eberhardt’s normal running mate in midfield, Sabrina Robbins, is now playing at the University of Colorado, so it will be important for her to build a rapport with sophomore Jenna Goldstein, who had an impressive rookie campaign, and senior Maeve Barbera. Senior goalie Rose Wald will be back between the pipes and classmate Bridget McManus is back to guide the defensive unit after being a HockomockSports.com Second Team performer last spring. Sophomore Molly McAlevey is a newcomer in defense to keep an eye on.

“Based on tryouts, practices, and scrimmages early this season, I can already tell that this team has a lot of heart, a lot of grit, and does not give up,” said Ginthwain. “I think their mental toughness is going to be a big strength for us this year!”

Taunton

2018 Record: 7-10
2018 Finish: Missed Playoffs
Coach: Kerry Northup

Taunton has been on the verge of getting into the postseason in each of the past two seasons, missing out by just two wins last year, including a one-goal loss to Canton and a pair of non-league losses to New Bedford. With a young crew coming into this spring, the Tigers will be looking to improve their performance in the league (2-8 in the Hock in 2018) to push themselves into the postseason conversation.

The key for the Tigers is sophomore Alana Tavares. The three-year starter has been one of the league’s most dynamic attacking threats since jumping onto the varsity scene as an eighth grader and so much of the Taunton attack runs through her. Junior Kamryn Li is also back for the Tigers after scoring 23 goals last season. The only seniors on this year’s team are Emma Sheehan and Mabel Smith, but Taunton will have 10 sophomores, eight freshmen and an eighth-grader on this year’s roster, so the underclassmen are going to have roles to play right away this spring.

“We are a young group this year, but added some promising players to our roster,” said Taunton coach Kerry Northup. “We are excited to work with and grow the young talent we gained towards building us as a confident, strong competitor in the league.”

11/28/201811/30/2018

2018 Hockomock League Field Hockey All Stars

Below are the official 2018 Hockomock League Field Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Allison Meehan, King Philip

Honorable Mentions:
Alexis Compton, Attleboro
Katie Trerice, Canton
Molly Murphy, Foxboro
Christina Luccini, Franklin
Meg MacDonald, King Philip
Kelly Doherty, Mansfield
Olyvia Whyte, Milford
Julia Feid, North Attleboro
Maggie Woods, Oliver Ames
Rebecca Clayman, Sharon
Jeanna Girolamo, Stoughton
Lauren Torres, Taunton

10/17/201810/19/2018

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/18/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Sharon, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Sharon saw a lead disappear in the first half, but didn’t let it happen in the second. After going up 1-0 on a goal from Michael Baur (assisted by Brian Higgins) but Canton leveled before the break behind a goal from Paul Corcoran. Sharon took the lead again when Antonio El-Khoury finished off a cross from Baur. The Eagles added a key insurance goal on an unassisted goal from Higgins. Canton’s Avery Minkin scored to make it 3-2.

Girls Soccer
Sharon, 1 @ Canton, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Morgan McCabe and Elisa Diletizia each scored twice for the Bulldogs, who scored the first three and the last three goals of the game to get the win. Sarah Collins had a goal and assist and Anne Hoban scored once in the win. Marika Fillion scored off a Bridget McManus free kick early in the second half for the Eagles.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final

Foxboro, 2 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 0 – Final – Jamie Notarangelo and Molly Murphy (assisted by Lily Daly) scored in the second half to give Foxboro the non-league win at Forekicks and extend the Warriors unbeaten streak to nine games.

Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 2 – Final – Despite falling behind 2-1, Canton picked up two straight wins to earn a 3-2 (19-25, 25-15, 20-25, 25-11, 15-8) decision on the road at Notre Dame Academy. “The entire team stayed strong throughout,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. Taylor Harris has a great night with 22 kills, 18 digs, a block and two aces, and Erin Devine added seven kills and eight blocks. Theresa O’Brien chipped in on both sides of the ball with nine kills and 18 digs while Nicole Brown finished with 36 assists, six kills, and 27 digs. Cawley said Megan McDonough and Julia Minichiello were awesome on defense, combining for 37 digs and seven aces.

Norton, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final

Golf
Hockomock League Championships – Click here for results and a photo gallery of this event.

09/26/201809/26/2018

Canton Lands Big Win Over Division Foe Foxboro

Canton field hockey — Foxboro’s Sophia DiCenso tries to get past Canton’s Kaitlyn Goyetch in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

CANTON, Mass. – In a battle between the top two teams in the Davenport division, the visiting Foxboro Warriors landed the first punch, but the Canton field hockey team delivered a counterpunch that led to a key 3-1 Hockomock League victory.

Foxboro scored less than four minutes into the contest, capitalizing on its second straight corner after swarming the Canton defensive zone.

But Canton didn’t sway, scoring three unanswered over the next 25 minutes to take a lead that it never surrendered.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We were slow in our warmup, the weather was off, we just took a little time today to pull it together,” said Canton head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “I think the goal woke them up a little bit and I think we did a nice job of transitioning from down a goal to taking control of the game.

“I think the games against KP and Walpole helped prepare them for today’s game against Foxboro. Playing good competition, it spreads the field out, and you have to look for those spaces.”

Foxboro cashed on its second straight corner after its first one was denied by Canton goalie Riley O’Connor (seven saves) and then cleared off the line by Katie Trerice.

On the second corner, Michaela Ames found Lily Daly. Her shot was deflected, alluding O’Connor and found the stick of Sophia DiCenso. The senior used a strong backhand shot at the near post to put Foxboro up 1-0 with 26:50 to play.

But instead of the Warriors adding onto the lead, Canton took complete control of the play. The Bulldogs earned a pair of corners and a penalty stroke. Although they didn’t cash in on those chances, Maggie Malloy got the hosts on the board at the midway point of the half.

On a corner, sophomore Maria Femia found sophomore Kaitlyn Goyetch at the top of the area. She quickly passed to Malloy in the area and she hit a one-timer into the back of the cage to make it 1-1.

The Bulldogs nearly took the lead a minute later when Maggie Connolly found Malloy in space and she unleashed a hard shot but Foxboro goalie Julia Carangelo came up with a big kick save to keep the score level.

“They came right back at us, I think we took that one goal for granted,” said Foxboro head coach Melissa Bordieri. “[Canton] played well, came right back, and placed the ball well. We had, defensively, some pretty big breakdowns positionally. We were leaving gaps and kudos to them, they found them and used them.

“We tried to make some adjustments at halftime, and I thought we started to make them and then we turned right around and started chasing.”

But as the half went on, Canton continued to apply pressure and was able to break through with just under nine minutes to go. Femia played a ball into the area, Malloy redirected it with one touch and Connolly tipped it in from right in front of the goal.

The Bulldogs cashed in one more time before the half was over, scoring with just 57 seconds to go. Again it was a shot from Malloy from inside the circle that was tipped in by Connolly right in front that gave Canton its 3-1 lead.

“Each game she gets better at it,” O’Connor said of Connolly. “She only started playing last year, so she’s pretty new to the sport. Each time, she’s getting better at where she needs to be and watching that ball. It’s starting to pay off for her now where she’s in the right spot at the right time and getting her stick on it.”

Foxboro made some adjustments at the half and applied a lot of pressure but couldn’t cut into the Bulldogs’ lead. Daly had a goal off a corner waived off with 13 minutes to go and just 30 seconds later, O’Connor denied DiCenso on a chance and Rose Malloy came up with a big clear off the line.

Two minutes later, Ames connected with DiCenso on a corner and she moved the ball along to Daly but her pass to the far post was just out of the reach of Molly Murphy.

“We had seven corners [in the second half], we need to execute better there,” Bordieri said. “We had seven opportunities to score just from corners, and we didn’t capitalize. We worked our butts off to get those chances, and we didn’t take advantage of them. Some of them we didn’t even generate a chance. [Canton] beat us to the ball today, they were quicker than us.

Canton nearly added another tally on a counter attack as Malloy chased a ball down in space and found Femia but Carangelo made the stop at the near post.

“We’ve worked on improving our defense on those top players, keeping an eye on them and see how we can eliminate them from the play,” O’Connor said. “And today I think our defense did a good job against their offense. The defense is improving each game, and hopefully, we’ll keep it rolling.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Foxboro’s final good chance came with just over nine minutes to go when DiCenso ripped a hard low shot through traffic but O’Connor was up to the task with a big lunging kick save.

“You never want a loss, especially in the division,” Bordieri said. “But we’re going to take this, learn from it and get better and hopefully redeem ourselves. Everyone wants to be Hock champs, but you can’t have these losses in the division. We’ll take a look at this game, make changes, and get better.”

Canton field hockey (4-1 Hock, 4-2 overall) will look to make it three straight when it hosts Mansfield on Thursday. Foxboro (5-1, 5-1) will try to bounce back from its first loss when it hosts Attleboro at Mansfield High.

09/07/201809/07/2018

Field Hockey: 2018 Hockomock League Preview

Hockomock League Field Hockey Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Hockomock League Field Hockey Preview

Attleboro

2017 Record: 5-13-0
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Lindsay Antunes

Attleboro is looking to bounce back from a five-win season in 2017 and make a push up the league standings by mixing experienced players with a talented group of underclassmen that could make instant contributions for the Bombardiers.

The midfield will be a strength for the Bombardiers this season with returning starters like senior Kyra Lyons and junior Anna Back. Up front, leading scorer Grace Mayer graduated but senior Alex Compton was second on the team in points and will be counted on to fire in the goals. Attleboro will be hoping for more consistency from the defensive group this season to cut down on the 76 goals it allowed last year and senior goalie Shealyn Harrison will help keep things organized.

Attleboro coach Lindsay Antunes said, “We are looking forward to this season, as we have a lot of strong returning players throughout each line. We are fortunate to be pairing these returners with a very skilled and unsuspecting younger class, who I am certain will be instrumental in making a positive difference on our team.”

Canton

2017 Record: 16-4-1
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Chrissy O’Connor

Davenport division champion Canton went to overtime against top seed Somerset Berkeley in last year’s Div. 1 South semifinal and was a goal away from setting up an all-Hock final. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of talent from last year’s squad and will be hoping to make a run at back-to-back titles.

Senior forward Maggie Malloy will once again be the focal point up top after leading the Bulldogs with 27 goals and eight assists last fall. Malloy will be joined up top by sophomore Maria Femia. Junior Kaitlyn Goyetch, the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, is back in the midfield and she will get helped out by sophomore Meghan Labelle. Senior Katie Trerice will be the leader of the defense and sophomore Rose Malloy will jump in and contribute as well. Sophomore Riley O’Connor will take over in goal this fall.

Canton coach Chrissy O’Connor said, “We are looking forward to seeing the hard work and effort our players put in this pre-season pay off on the field.”

Foxboro

2017 Record: 15-4-2
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Semifinal.
Coach: Melissa Bordieri

With 14 seniors on the roster this season, Foxboro has set its sights on regaining the Davenport division crown that it lost by just two points to Canton last year. Two years removed from winning the Div. 2 South title, the Warriors seem poised to make another deep tournament run with a team loaded with talent, depth, and experience.

Senior forward Lily Daly, the team’s leading scorer each of the past three seasons, will once again team up with classmate Sophia DiCenso to form one of the league’s most dynamic attacking units. Senior Molly Murphy and junior Jamie Notarangelo will add to an already formidable offense. Senior Meghan Curran will lead the midfield unit along with classmate Carly Stern and the defense will be guided by seniors Caroline McGeary and Kristin Whalen, while senior goalie Julia Carangelo.

After come narrowly short of the league title last season and reaching the sectional semifinal, expectations are typically sky high for one of the league’s perennial powers.

Franklin

2017 Record: 10-8-2
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Michelle Hess

Michelle Hess returns to the Franklin bench this season after eight years away from the program and she inherits a team that has the talent to compete for a league title and expectations of being able to make a deep run in the state tournament as well.

Senior midfielder Cassi Ronan is the primary playmaker for the Panthers and was the team’s leading scorer last fall with 16 goals and eight assists. One of the league’s top players, Ronan will be the primary focus of the opposition, but senior Regan Paterson can take some of that pressure off and will chip in with goals from the forward position. Senior Emily Valentino and junior Maeve Ledwith will provide organization for the defensive unit and senior Christina Luccini will be back in goal to backstop the defense.

“We are looking to improve on last years record and would love to go further in the tournament,” said Hess.

King Philip

2017 Record: 19-3-1
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 State Semifinal
Coach: Kimberly Meehan and Erin MacDonald

King Philip had a dominating run through the 2017 season, winning the Kelley-Rex title while losing just two games in the Hock all season, and then claiming the Div. 1 South title for the first time. This year, KP has a new coaching staff, with Kimberly Meehan and Erin MacDonald taking over the reigns, and high expectations with an experienced and talented roster.

The Warriors return six seniors, who will be counted on to keep the team focused in its quest for a second straight title. Alli Meehan will be the primary attacking threat again this season. The Northeastern University-commit scored 40 points last regular season, despite missing a couple of games. Senior Claire Lawlor will be on the left wing to support the attack, and senior Nicole Conner will jump into the attack from her midfield position as well. Three-year starter Dana Truini will run the midfield for the Warriors, providing support on both ends of the field. Defensively, senior Emma Izydorczak, a St. Anselm-commit, will be the leader of the back line to keep things organized. Fellow senior Kate Lindmark will also help out for a defense that last year allowed only 13 goals in 23 games.

Expectations remain high for the program this season and the new coaches “anticipate a very successful season led by their powerful seniors.”

Mansfield

2017 Record: 7-7-5
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Theresa Nyhen

Mansfield reached the state tournament again last year and was the only team in the league to beat Kelley-Rex champion King Philip (twice, in fact), but the Hornets have their sights set on returning to the top of the league standings as they did in 2014 and 2015. With a balanced roster that has depth all over the field, the Hornets have a chance to unseat KP in the division.

The Hornets have 10 seniors and experience all over the field. The forward line will include seniors Lauren Clang, Tori Farrington, Alicia Hottleman, Brooke Downy and Hayleigh Crawford. The midfield unit will be led by seniors Maggie Danehy and Kelly Doherty, who showed her versatility last season in several positions. Senior goalie Kayla Hunter is also back to help keep the defense solid. Newcomers like sophomore forward Abby Varricchione and sophomore midfielder Stori Rounds will jump in and contribute as well.

“We have some speed, some strong and some finesse,” said Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhen. “Mansfield field hockey is a team of heart and hustle. As a team, we still have lots of work to do but are looking forward to the fun competition in the Hockomock League.”

Milford

2017 Record: 3-15-0
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Katie Blackburn

New head coach Katie Blackburn will try to improve on Milford’s three wins from last season with a group that has a lot of experience, especially on the back line, and speedy forward line that will try to fire in the goals.

The defense is filled with upperclassmen with seniors Eliza Valente and Emily Haley anchoring the back line along with junior Paige Reisman. Juniors Bella Gonzalez and Kathryn Swineford will be key players in the midfield and sophomore Madison Carneiro is a player to watch in the Milford front line, which Blackburn said would include a number of players that have a variety of skill sets.

Blackburn added, “Each player is unique and it has been exciting to see them all learning how to play together. We have a lot of speed as well as ball handling skills that will help us move the ball up the field and into the attacking circle.”

North Attleboro

2017 Record: 9-7-4
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Karen Folan

North Attleboro got back into the state tournament last fall, only to run into perennial power Walpole in the second round, and the Rocketeers have a deep roster to make another run this year and potentially challenge Canton and Foxboro at the top of the Davenport. The new turf at Beaupre Field should also help North utilize the team’s speed.

The Rocketeers have a ton of experience coming back this season, including seniors Abby Calistra, Julia Feid, Shaylee Maxcy, and Lizzie Frost, who will form a solid defensive corps in front of junior goalie Emma Strachan, who head coach Karen Folan said has improved her quickness in the off-season. Speedy midfielders Michelle Pothier and fellow junior Lindsay Robinson will join senior Jess Strachan, while senior Tara Nair and junior Faith Graveline will be up top.

Folan said, “We are looking forward to another year in the competitive Hockomock League. Our offense will start with our defense this season. We hope to use our cohesive ball movement to transition the ball quickly up the field and into the offensive circle to generate lots of shots on net.”

Oliver Ames

2017 Record: 9-7-3
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round.
Coach: Sharon Lawrence

Oliver Ames is coming off a strong regular season performance, tying for third place in the Kelley-Rex division with 18 points, but they had to go on the road to Taunton in the playoffs and lost an overtime heartbreaker. First-year coach Sharon Lawrence takes over this season and has a roster with 11 juniors and seniors to try and make another run at a postseason bid.

Senior Meghan Rockey is one of the players that the Tigers will turn to this year and she will try to control the middle of the field. Fellow senior Kayla Lozzi can step in at forward or midfield and scored 10 points (four goals and six assists) for OA last season, while senior Samantha Clapp adds a defensive presence whether in midfield or defense. Lawrence is also excited for the contributions from the younger players, including sophomore forward Hannah Stryke, who is the Tigers top returning scorer with seven goals and four assists as a freshman.

“As a first-year coach, my focus has been on learning and assessing our talent and athleticism to position our players as a team for optimal success,” Lawrence said. “We have returning starters as well as new young talent on both offense and defense, and look to be competitive this season.”

Sharon

2017 Record: 0-18-1
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ashley Courville

First-year head coach Ashley Courville is looking to build the program from the ground up, and she is counting on a large roster and a core of returning players to get Sharon moving in the right direction this season. With only one sophomore on the roster, experience shouldn’t be an issue for the Eagles as they turn things around.

The defense will be led seniors Varsha Poreddy and Rebecca Clayman. Junior Blaize Hanna will also be part of that group this fall. The midfield has seniors Georgia Cheney and Lauren Yaffe to help out in the attack and also chip in on the defensive side of things. Sophomore Lauren Prenaveau is another player to watch in the Eagles midfield. Up top, senior forward Elizabeth Romantz will be counted on to add to Sharon’s goal tally.

Courville said, “We have a large team this year with a handful of returning players giving the team consistency and determination. Our defense has added strength and depth, while our offense has added speed.”

Stoughton

2017 Record: 7-12-1
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Dan Mark

Stoughton graduated 13 players from last year’s team and then lost leading scorer Julia Russell to a knee injury, but there is hope for the Black Knights to make a run at a state tournament spot as the inexperienced players gain valuable minutes at the varsity level.

Defense will be a strength for Stoughton this fall, with returning seniors Katie Widrow and Jeanna Girolamo adding stability and keeping things organized at the back. Sophomore Kayla Lobby will start in goal for the Black Knights. In the midfield, senior Jordan Lyons is a strong two-way player and she will be looking to get the ball forward to the sticks of seniors Allie Howe and Alanna McCormick, who will both be trying to make up for the production that was expected from Russell.

Stoughton coach Dan Mark is hopeful that his team can meet its potential. He said, “We will be inexperienced in many areas, but do have several players who played regularly last year.”

Taunton

2017 Record: 11-8-1
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Liz Hathaway

Taunton had one of its best seasons in program history last year, winning 11 games and advancing in the playoffs for the first time by beating Oliver Ames in an overtime thriller. The Tigers will look to build on that success and compete with the top teams in the ultra-competitive Kelley-Rex division.

The Taunton midfield will be a strength this season, as it is filled with experienced players. Seniors Jillian Pagliuca, Lauren Torres, and Mabel Smith are all capable of making plays on both ends of the field and all read the game well to keep the Tigers moving in the right direction. Senior forward Ciera Bartel will be joined up front by last year’s playoff hero Alana Tavares. The sophomore forward scored the game-winner against OA and has the speed to cause defense lots of problems. The Tigers defense will be led by junior Kathryn Robinson and sophomore Jocelyn Pagliuca and if anyone gets through then senior goalie Emma Sheehan will be there to stop them.

Taunton coach Liz Hathaway said, “This team has come together and have a great on field bond that allows them to successfully execute plays and breakaways.”

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