Franklin celebrates one its two second period goals in a dominating 7-1 win against King Philip in the playoff opener. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – One team looked like it was hitting its stride at the right time of the year and looked like it was as comfortable playing on the playoff stage as it was at any point during the regular season. The other team looked like it was making its first playoff appearance in five seasons.
Franklin scored twice in the opening four minutes of Thursday night’s Div. 1 South first round contest at the Canton Ice House, including one just 36 seconds in, and never looked back, rolling to a 7-1 victory over King Philip in a battle of the top two finishers in the Kelley-Rex division.
“I thought we would’ve had more,” said KP coach Paul Carlow, admitting that Franklin played like a playoff-tested team on Thursday. “We were on our heels from the get-go and we never got out of the starting blocks really. I was worried all week about the game being too big for them and it was.”
The Panthers wasted no time grabbing the lead. Tom Tasker fired a wrist shot from the point and through a screen in front that slipped past KP goalie Jesper Makudera, after just 46 seconds.
Three minutes later, Franklin doubled its advantage on the power play. Kyle Hedvig sent a pass across the zone to Tasker at the point and the big defenseman blasted a shot that Makudera did well to get a pad to, but the rebound fell right to Colin Hedvig and he lifted a backhand past the sprawling goalie.
“He could stop a freight train with that shot,” Franklin coach Anthony Sarno said. “We showed up to play. The forecheck 5-on-5, we just took it to them. We started to create some space for ourselves cycling it down low.”
He added, “That team is a good team and the hardest thing to do is beat the same team twice. Paul is a great coach and they’ve got some really great players and we didn’t take them for granted. We knew they would come in with all the fight they had. We had to do all the little things, the intangibles you need to win.”
It took a while for the Warriors to get their legs under them. Nolan Feyler set up Rocco Bianculli for a shot from the left circle that Ray Ivers saved and Conor Cooke had a tip from in front knocked aside by the goalie as well. Ivers was forced to made a smart pad save on Chris Daniels from close range.
Despite those chances, KP was struggling to get anything consistent in the offensive zone. Franklin held a 13-9 edge in shots after one.
The Warriors did have a golden opportunity to try and get back into the game in the second period when they started with 1:28 of two-man advantage. KP didn’t manage a shot on goal during the power play.
“We came out in the second with the 5-on-3 and we still didn’t settle down,” said Carlow. “Our power play has been really good all year and it just looked like we were nervous. We had trouble controlling the puck and getting set up in the zone and as soon as they killed that off I felt like momentum swung back.”
Franklin continued to have good luck getting offense from its blue line corps. Tasker blocked a clearance against the far boards and then skated towards goal only for Makudera to stay square and make the stop. Justin Abely caused havoc with a shot from the point that was saved but that produced a rebound that sat untouched on the post with the goal gaping.
A third goal came with 5:20 left in the second. JT Dwyer sent a puck out in front that deflected off a KP skate and right to the stick of Sean Connelly in the slot. He took a touch to control and then ripped a shot over the goalie’s shoulder.
Declan Lovett came close to making it four with a steal in the offensive zone, but it was Colin Hedvig that would extend the lead. He was set up by Kevin O’Rielly and Kyle Hedvig, knocking in a pass through the crease at the back post.
The four-goal lead only lasted 30 seconds. Aidan Boulger finally was able to get behind the Franklin defense and he managed to squeeze his breakaway underneath Ivers to make it 4-1.
Joe LeBlanc nearly restored the lead near the end of the second but his shot from the point struck the post and stayed out. Dylan Marchand nearly got it back just 13 seconds into the third when Kyle Hedvig hit him with a perfect pass from the left to right circle but Makudera made the glove save.
“We told them to keep forcing the forecheck down their throat and keep playing the right way, sticks in the passing lane, bodies in the shooting lane, and make sure it stops,” Sarno said of the message before the third period.
Three minutes into the third, Franklin got the crucial fifth goal and in back-breaking fashion. Tasker hit Dwyer with a perfect tape-to-tape diagonal outlet pass from his own zone. Dwyer teed up a slap shot that went off the goalie’s blocker, straight up into the air, and then landed behind the goalie in the net.
Carlow said, “I thought the next goal was big. I thought if we could cut it to 4-2 then we could make a run at them there but that goal was obviously a big goal at that point.”
Marchand added a sixth a little more than a minute later. Going from left to right across the zone, Marchand roofed it over backup goalie Nate Ihley. Andrew Demerchant added a seventh in the final three minutes.
Sarno said, “It’s one win, four more to go, but we’ve just got to keep out composure and keep bringing it every night. We can’t take shifts off.”
Franklin (10-7-4) will travel to Loring Arena on Saturday night to take on No. 2 seed Natick. King Philip finishes the season at 10-6-5.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 4 – Final
Canton, 2 @ Braintree, 2 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Walpole, 2 – Final – King Philip scored the tying goal early in the third period but Walpole jumped back ahead with the game-winning goal with three minutes to go. After the Rebels scored in the second period, Conor Cooke (from Jack Coulter and Aidan Boulger) brought the Warriors level with 10:05 left in the third. Nate Ihley made 25 saves in net for KP.
Mansfield, 2 vs. Shrewsbury, 1 – Final – Mansfield senior Chris Jenkins scored a pair of goals as the Hornets scored an upset win over Shrewsbury, who was on the latest Super 8 watch list. Jenkins scored midway through the first period on a feed from Jack Gormley, and then doubled the lead early in the second with an assist from Conor Benoit. “We played 45 minutes of hockey, it was a great game,” said Mansfield coach Mike Balzarini. The Hornets killed a power play late in the second period while senior goalie Sean McCafferty made 28 saves in the win.
Taunton, 3 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Loran Corcoran, Steven Roderick and Dillon Parker each scored once for Taunton as the Tigers skated to a win on the road. Cade O’Connell scored for Stoughton/Brockton while Nathan Petti made 40 saves in net for the Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Stoughton, 3 vs. St. Joseph’s Prep, 1 – Final – Haley Nelson scored twice and Morgan Lessa had a pair of points as the Black Knights skated to a win over St. Joseph’s Prep. Lessa scored once and had one helper while Jillian Parker and Zofia Bangs each had an assist.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 vs. Walpole, 3 – Final – Mansfield/Oliver Ames saw a two-goal lead disappear in the third period but the Warriors found the game-winner in dramatic fashion with less than a minute to play. Emma Pereira scored her second goal of the game to put MOA up 3-1 early in the third period, with Tess Luciano adding a second period goal for the Warriors. After Walpole scored twice to tie the game, MOA goalie Jess Widdop was sidelined with an injury, forcing the Warriors to play the final 2:15 without a goalie. Because of a penalty, MOA had just five skaters but Reese Pereira linked up with Ella Waryas, who found Alex Ledin for the game-winner with 55 seconds to go. MOA held Walpole off in the final minute without a goalie.
Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 49 @ Stoughton, 59 – Final – Stoughton opened the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, taking the lead early on in the frame and never letting go for an important division win. With the win, the Black Knights qualify for the state tournament and pull into a tie for second place in the Davenport with the Warriors, one game behind Milford. Brett Pendenza had a strong take along the baseline and Tommy Sanda drained a three to kickstart the run. Obinna Ugwuakazi had a team-high 19 points and 10 rebounds, Myles Grigalunas-Powell added 13 points, and Ahmad Jahed scored all nine of his points in the second half for Stoughton, which trailed by two (11-9) after one quarter and by one at halftime (24-23) and at the end of the third quarter (37-36). Donald Rogers and Brandon Borde each had 14 points for Foxboro.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 52 vs. Holy Name, 43 – Final – In a potential playoff preview, the Panthers held off a second half charge from Holy Name to sweep the season series against the Div. 1 Central challenger. Franklin jumped out to a 34-18 lead at halftime, but the Naps rallied after the break to cut the lead to as little as five. The Panthers shut down the visitors over the final four minutes to extend the lead back out to nine. Ali Brigham led the way with 20 points and Olivia Quinn added 12. Megan O’Connell chipped in with eight points for the Panthers.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip sophomore Nolan Feyler scored the lone goal of the game in the first period and seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera combined for the shutout in net for the Warriors. Feyler lit the lamp at 6:57 of the opening period on an assist from senior Kyle Gray. Ihley and Makudera combined to make 20 saves in net. OA senior goalie Owen Connor had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Taunton, 7 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 1 – Final – Taunton senior Mike Albert had a hand in all but one of the Tigers’ seven goals, leading the hosts to a big win over Spellman. Albert scored a hat trick and added three more assists to lead the way while Jack DeMoura scored once along with three assists, Nathan Fernandez and Brady Nichols each had a goal and an assist, and Conor McGrath added a goal for Taunton. Andrew Gomes and Sean Bunker split time in net for the win.
Stoughton, 7 @ Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored five goals and had one assist as the Black Knights skated to a season sweep of Shawsheen. Samantha Sherman and Jillian Parker each had a pair of assists in the win, Haley Nelson (assist) and Zofia Bangs each scored once, and Mikayla Snyder and Morgan Johnston both chipped in with an assist.
Wrestling
Scituate Quad (Canton)
Duxbury Super Quad (Sharon, Stoughton) – Sharon added four more wins to its total this season, finishing the dual meet season (28-3) on a high note. The Eagles had wins over Southeastern (36-0), Duxbury (48-31), Pembroke (55-10), and Marshfield (60-12). Kyle Samuels and Conor Grew earned their first varsity wins for Sharon.
Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once in each the first and second periods to earn a Hockomock League win over visiting Foxboro. Senior Dom Cammarata scored his first career goal in the first and sophomore Eamon Kelly doubled the lead with a goal late in the second period.
King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – KP rallied from 1-0 down after the first period with a pair of goals in each of the second and third periods. Joe Boselli scored the tying goal on an assist from Chris Daniels and then the combo switched roles to put KP ahead 2-1. Jack Coulter (from Conor Cooke) made it 3-1 in the third period and then Cooke added the fourth (with assists from Aidan Boulger and Coulter). Nate Ihley made 18 saves to get the win.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames erased a two goal deficit by scoring three unanswered third period goals to grab a win at home over North Attleboro. Cam Perron got the Tigers on the board on an assist from Ryan Gottwald while Duncan Pereira (assisted by Ross Carroll and Hunter Costello) tied the game for OA. Perron (from Brad Powers) scored the game-winner with three minutes to play to give OA the win.
Stoughton, 5 vs. Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final – Colin Alessi, Al Bermingham, and Dante Massaro all scored to help Stoughton skate to a win over visiting Cardinal Spellman. Alessi and Bermingham each scored a pair of goals to pace the offense while Massaro found the best of the net once.
Girls Hockey
Canton, 1 @ Westwood, 4 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Medway, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. Shawsheen, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored with 7.2 seconds left to give the Black Knights a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Shawsheen. The Rams built a 2-0 lead with a goal in each the first and second periods but Stoughton got on the board with five minutes left in the second. Lessa fired a shot on net and Zofia Bangs tucked in the rebound to cut the deficit to 2-1. Samantha Sherman tied the game, squeaking a rebound just under the goalie. Lessa scored the winner on an odd-man rush in the final seconds to give the Black Knights their first win of the season. Brianna Buckley had a strong game in net for Stoughton.
Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 @ Dedham, 6 – Final
King Philip, 1 @ Notre Dame Academy, 3 – Final
Wrestling
Norton Quad (Canton, Stoughton), 10:00
Carver Quad (Foxboro), 10:00
Algonquin Quad (Franklin), 10:00
Oliver Ames Quad, 10:00
Walpole Quad (King Philip), 10:00
Holliston Quad (North Attleboro) – North Attleboro went 1-2 at the Holliston quad, picking up a win over Quabbin (18-9). The Rocketeers lost to host Holliston (46-30) as well as Melrose (48-26). Ethan Smith had a strong showing for the Rocketeers, picking up 3-0 wins all by pinfall at the 126 weight class. Andrew Faris (138) and Mike Edmonds (170, two pins) each went 2-0 for North Attleboro.
Marlboro Quad (Sharon) – Sharon suffered just its second loss of the season to host Marlboro but also picked up a pair of wins. The Eagles beat Masconomet (42-19) and St. John’s Shrewsbury (38-36) but fell to Marlboro (33-27). Adam Landstein (106) went 3-0 on the day for the Eagles, picking up a pair of pinfall victories and another by decision. Tyler Freedman (160) and Philip Varvak (170) each recorded two wins by pinfall on the day.
Marshfield Quad (Mansfield, Taunton) – Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos recorded the 100th win of his career and the Hornets posted a 3-1 record at the Marshfield Super Quad. Mansfield picked up wins over Silver Lake (60-18), Leominster (48-6) and Marshfield (36-18) with its lone loss coming to one of the top teams in the state in Metheun (48-33). Glaropoulos, Max Farley, Antonios Sevastos, Ciaran Connolly, and Noah Price well went undefeated on the day for the Hornets.
Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 43 @ Stoughton, 72 – Final – Holding a 31-24 lead at halftime, Stoughton exploded for 26 points in the third quarter to run away with a win at home over North Attleboro. Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell (five assists) hit two of his four triples in the third, scoring 10 of his career-high 20 points in the frame to lead the charge. Senior Obinna Ugwuakazi added 15 points, senior Tahkwan Gates Brown chipped in with a career-high 13 points, and senior Ahmad Jahed added 13 points for the Black Knights, who connected on eight three-pointers. King Philip junior George Ladd had a team-high 11 points while senior Ethan Friberg finished with 10 points.
Oliver Ames, 64 @ Taunton, 63 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Jay Spillane sank the go-ahead three-pointer with 8.5 seconds left to give the visitors a stunning win. Trailing for the entire game, including a 53-46 deficit with just over five minutes left, OA took its first lead of the game on the triple. After inbounding the ball, junior Amari Brown got the ball back, drove to the basket to draw the defense, and kicked it to the corner to Spillane, who drained his second triple of the game. OA forced a turnover to prevent Taunton from a final shot. Spillane had nine of his 16 points come in the second half while Brown scored 13 of his career-high 19 points in the second half. Ryan Burkett added 12 points for the visitors. Taunton junior Tyler Stewart set a new career-high with 21 points while classmate Josh Lopes added 14 points. Sophomore Tristan Herry chipped in with 13 points, the most for him in a Tiger uniform.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 36 @ Brockton, 51 – Final – The Boxers jumped out to a 14-point (18-4) lead at the end of one quarter and the Hornets were never able to recover. Mansfield did get within 10 (45-35) with just three minutes to play but couldn’t overcome a rough shooting night. Kayla Vine led the way with 11 points, Abby Wager had 10, and Sara Dooling scored nine in the loss.
King Philip, 50 @ Franklin, 80 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – The Panthers dominated from the opening whistle, running out to a 17-0 lead and never allowing a shorthanded Warriors team to get close. Ali Brigham starred for the hosts, scoring a game-high 25 points, pulling down 18 rebounds, and dishing out five assists. Sophomore Olivia Quinn was unstoppable as well, adding 20 points and five rebounds. Meghan O’Connell added 11 points and Stefany Padula had nine in the win. Brianna James scored 14 points for KP and Emma Glaser chipped in with 10.
Stoughton, 37 @ North Attleboro, 64 – Final – The Rocketeers jumped out to 36-16 halftime lead and secured their first win under head coach Nikki Correia. Summer Doherty was North’s top scorer with 12 points, while Amanda Kaiser added 10 and Eliza Dion had nine. All 10 players scored for the Rocketeers. Shyanne Trinh led all scorers with 16 points for the Black Knights. Correia credited the team’s tough defense, quick start, and its ability to take care of the ball for picking up a first win of the season.
Taunton, 54 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final – OA grabbed an 18-4 advantage after one and never looked back, growing the lead to 44-18 at the break. Taunton fought hard in the second half, outscoring OA by seven, but couldn’t mount a comeback. Kelsey Yelle paced OA with 16 points, while Caroline Flynn scored 15 and added 10 assists. Caroline Peper added 14 for OA and Tate Hadges and Hailey Bourne each scored 10. Freshman Kameron St. Pierre had a big night for Taunton, scoring 24 points on six three-pointers, and Kelsey White added 11.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 3 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 3 – Final – Owen Dryjowicz, Aiden Dryjowicz, and Nate Parker each scored once but the Bombardiers settled for a tie with visiting Martha’s Vineyard.
Canton, 3 vs. Shrewsbury, 3 – Final – Canton had its eight-game win streak snapped but erased a pair one-goal deficits to earn a tie push its unbeaten streak to 28 games. Chris Lavoie scored twice for the Bulldogs, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead before Shrewsbury tied the game before the end of the first period. Shrewsbury took a 2-1 lead but senior Johnny Hagan knotted the score. Shrewsbury took its second lead, 3-2, into the third period but Lavoie tallied his second of the game to make it 3-3.
Mansfield, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – North Attleboro scored first but Oliver Ames answered as the teams skated to a tie in non-league action. Dennis Morehouse put the hosts ahead early in the first period but OA junior Kevin Tremblay netted the equalizer early in the second on an assist from Ross Carroll. OA senior Owen Connor made 32 saves in the tie.
King Philip, 5 @ Coyle & Cassidy, 0 – Final – King Philip had four different players light the lamp while Nate Ihley made his season debut inbetween the pipes with a shutout over Coyle. Junior Rocco Bianculli scored a pair of goals while adding an assist to lead the offense. Conor Cooke, Paul McDonald, and Nolan Feyler each scored once in the win, and Ihley made 20 saves for the shutout.
Taunton, 3 vs. Sandwich, 5 – Final
Stoughton, 0 vs. Nauset, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Seven different players scored for the Bulldogs, who won their third game of the season, all by shutout. Kaitlyn McLaughlin scored the first goal of her varsity career in the win.
Wrestling
Taunton, 27 @ Canton, 31 – Final – Canton’s Yurii Leskiv, Dominic Sica, and Sawyer Julier-Albert each earned pinfall victories to help the Bulldogs earn a close win over Taunton. Leskiv earned the pin in 3:30 in the 106 matchup, Sica picked up the fall in 2:30 in the 138 match, and Julier-Albert won at 182 in 1:45. Taunton’s Ben Mandeville (132) and Nico Sallaway (170) had pinfall victories for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 28 vs. Brockton, 53 – Final
Oliver Ames, 25 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Seven Eagles earned pinfall victories to help Sharon open its dual meet schedule with a non-league win over rival Oliver Ames. Adam Landstein, David Gelman, Vinay Chinnam, Aaron Cashton, Tyler Freedman, Alex Danilkovas and Rhamsez Thevenin all won by pin for Sharon. Max Pozner added an 11-7 overtime win while Kirit Gossetty picked up a 7-0 for the Eagles.
Boys Swimming
Franklin, 92 @ Oliver Ames, 67 – Final
Mansfield, 94 @ Attleboro, 72 – Final – Mansfield’s Mike Peel won a pair of individual events and was apart of two winning relay teams to help the Hornets beat Attleboro. Peel won the 200 free (2:09.95) and the 500 free (6:01.67), teamed up with Owen Lasbury Casey, Rico Palanza, and Aden Schwartz to win the 200 free in 1:45.08, and joined Lasbury Casey, David Piccirilli, and Pranaav Saravanon to win the 400 relay in 4:09.04.
Girls Swimming
Franklin, 80 @ Oliver Ames, 88 – Final
Mansfield, 65 @ Attleboro, 101 – Final – Attleboro’s Jackie Lynch-Bartek and Ella Lynch-Bartek each won a pair of individual events while helping a pair of Bombardier relay teams take first. Jackie Lynch-Bartek won the 200 Free in 2:15.98 and the 100 Breast in 1:20.40, while Ella Lynch-Bartek took first in both the 100 Free (1:00.62) and the 100 Back (1:11.14). Both were apart of the 200 medley relay (2:11.18) and the 200 free relay (2:00.57) with Faith Morrison and Rachel Priestley. Mansfield’s Mairead Shannon won the 100 fly (1:11.35), took second in the 100 back (1:14.55), and was a member of the winning 400 free relay team with Sofia Seifert, Jess Harris, and Aditi Junagade).
Girls Gymnastics
Franklin, 134.45 @ Canton, 112 – Final – Franklin sophomore Elizabeth Schirduan took first in a pair of events while junior Lexi Lupien and sophomore Kate Rudolph each won one to help the Panthers open the season with a win. Schirduan scored an 8.85 to take first in the beam, and notched an 8.15 on the bars to for her second win of the net. Lupien shined on the vault, earning a 9.0 while Rudolph picked up a 9.1 on the floor.
Franklin results: Vault – Lexi Lupien, 9.0; Kate Rudolph, 8.8; Maddie McGuire, 8.7; Maia Keohane, 8.4 … Bars – Elizabeth Schirduran, 8.15; Kate Rudolph, 8.0; Emma Nelson, 7.9; Caroline Woelfel, 7.8 … Beam – Elizabeth Schirduan, 8.85; Kate Rudolph, 8.7; Ashley Hammann, 8.2; Emma Nelson, 8.15 … Floor – Kate Rudolph, 9.1; Caroline Woelfel, 8.6; Lizzie Brown, 8.0; Lexi Lupien, 8.0.
2018-2019 Record: 10-10-2 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South Preliminary Round Coach: Mark Homer
The Bombardiers will be looking to stretch their postseason streak to three years this season. It showed how deep the Kelley-Rex division was last year that the Bombardiers, who did not fare well in league games, made it to the state tournament.
One reason that Attleboro is hopeful for a spot in the state tournament is the addition of a couple of transfers to the program. Jake Ward joined the program and will apart of the Bombardiers top line alongside senior captain Ryan Morry and junior Aidan Diggin. Both Morry and Diggin have a plethora of experience at the varsity level so expect Attleboro’s top line to be a dangerous one in the offensive zone. Attleboro picked up some needed depth with the addition of junior Owen Dryjowicz and freshman Aidan Dryjowicz, who will join sophomore Nate Parker on the second line.
The third line could see some rotation but will mostly feature junior Austin Blais at the center spot, and senior Liam McDonough, junior Owen Graney, and senior Kyle Miniati on the wings. The Bombardiers will have some experience on the blue line with senior Sam Flynn and junior Zach Pierce holding down two of the top spots, with sophomore Sean Marshall also in the mix. The fourth spot between the top two defensive pairs is still up for grabs in the early going. Sophomores Nick Piazza and Michael Dutremble are battling for minutes in net.
“We hope to improve our record from last year through commitment and hard work collectively, and gain entry to the state tournament,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Homer.
2018-2019 Record: 25-0-1 2018-2019 Finish: D2 State Champions Coach: Brian Shuman
Having won nine straight Davenport division titles, Canton is used to having a target on its back as the rest of the Hockomock League tries to knock the Bulldogs from the top. But this year, that target is even bigger than before.
Fresh off one of the best seasons in both program and league history that ended with a D2 State Championship, the Bulldogs will be getting everyone’s best game in and game out. And while Canton certainly graduated some key pieces, like two-time HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Ryan Nolte, the Bulldogs enter this season as not only the favorite for a 10th straight division crown but will certainly be in the mix when it comes to the 2020 D2 State title.
While replacing Nolte will be tough, the Bulldogs have several key forwards back from last year’s championship team. It will all start with senior Johnny Hagan, who was named HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year as a sophomore and racked up 51 points with 21 goals and 31 assists on the season. Hagan will have a lot of experience to work with in senior Timmy Kelleher (seven goals, seven assists last regular season), senior Tommy Ghostlaw (five goals, six assists), and senior Chris Lavoie (13 goals, 12 assists). Lavoie could be poised for a breakout year, scoring twice in the season-opening win over Franklin.
Canton also brings back top players along the blue line with Jack Connolly and HockomockSports.com Second Team selection Owen Lehane. Both seniors, Connolly and Lehane not only are among the best defensive players in the league but play a big part of the Canton offense with their shooting. Seniors Ronan O’Mahony and Declan Pfeffer are also experienced defensemen that will see increased roles this year. Canton turns to senior Joe Cammarata to start in between the pipes with junior Liam Polles impressing early on and could push for starting minutes.
“We have a lot of experience returning, but that’s true for a lot of teams across the state,” said Canton coach Brian Shuman. If our preseason was any indication, there are a lot of outstanding, talented teams this year that improved greatly in the offseason. We will have our work cut out for us in the Hock and with a tough non-league schedule.”
2018-2019 Record: 12-7-3 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 3 South First Round Coach: Mark Cedorchuk
Foxboro built upon its 10-season win two years ago with its best season in program history last year, picking up 12 wins including one in the postseason. After posting back-to-back successful seasons, the Warriors are hoping that trend continues.
With a good amount of returners back this year, the Warriors will be in good position to compete in the Hockomock League and will be aiming to make a deeper run into the state tournament behind a beefed-up schedule. One strength for Foxboro this year will be its offense with its two top regular season point producers back in junior Kirk Leach (15 goals, 20 assists) and senior Ronnie MacLellan (14 goals, 20 assists). That duo provided the Warriors with a lot of its offense last season and will be one of the top returning duos this season. Senior Sebastian Ricketts brings a vast amount of experience to the offense while sophomore Jack Watts (10 goals, four assists) will be looking to build on an impressive freshman year. Brady Daly, Eoin Reager, Josh Bertuman, Ryan Jacobs and Ben Ricketts will provide needed depth offensively.
Defensively it all starts with senior goalie Espen Reager, the defending Hockomock League MVP back after a strong junior season between the pipes for the Warriors. Reager has the ability to keep his team in teams, and he showed last year that he can help steal a game like he did against Mansfield. In front of Reager, senior Kyle McGinnis is one of the more experienced defensemen in the league and will be the anchor of the blue line group for Foxboro. Freshman Alex Coviello has impressed early on and will be a key piece of the defense.
“Our strength on offense this season will be our depth and overall team speed,” said Foxboro head coach Mark Cedorchuk. “We have more depth on offense than we’ve ever had. We’re looking forward to this season, with a lot of depth up front, excellent team speed and a great goalie we feel we can compete with any team on our schedule.”
2018-2019 Record: 12-10-4 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Final Coach: Anthony Sarno
A new chapter begins in Franklin boys hockey with Anthony Sarno taking over on the bench after longtime Panther coach Chris Spillane stepped down following last season. While the Panthers might have a bit of a new look, expectations are still high inside Pirelli for the defending Kelley-Rex champs.
Sarno is hoping that momentum will carry over from the Panthers’ impressive playoff run from a year ago when Franklin upset Mansfield in overtime and knocked off Catholic Memorial in the semifinals. But there won’t be any nights off for Franklin with a loaded schedule that features Malden Catholic, Pope Francis, and a loaded Mt. Hope tournament — and that’s just December.
“It will be a work in progress and we will look to develop a solid team chemistry with a relentless work ethic, staying true to consistency, and discipline in an environment where effort and attitude is paramount, and not up for discussion,” Sarno said.
Up front, the Panthers will be leaning on seniors Shane McCaffrey, Kevin O’Rielly, and Shea Hurley to lead the way. McCaffrey is the team’s top scorer returning from a year ago so it will be vital for new players to step up and contribute. Juniors Conor O’Neil and Declan Lovett are also going to be important pieces to the Panthers’ offense. Senior Ray Ivers returns between the pipes are stepping in last season and playing well. In front of Ivers, Franklin will have two of the best defensemen in the league with senior Tom Tasker, a HockomockSports.com First Team selection last year, and junior Joe LeBlanc, who had a breakout sophomore campaign.
2018-2019 Record: 10-11-0 2018-2019 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Paul Carlow
After missing out on the state tournament in back-to-back seasons, the Warriors have a chance to end that drought in 2020 behind an experienced group of players after losing just five players to graduation.
Head coach Paul Carlow says this is the most experienced group he’s had at his disposal since taking over behind the Warriors’ bench in 2015. There are nine seniors back this year and eight juniors so King Philip certainly boasts a lot of depth, and players that have played plenty of minutes at the varsity level. It starts with senior captain Chris Daniels, senior assistant captain Joe Boselli, and senior assistant captain Jack Coulter. All three have skated plenty of minutes for Carlow over the past couple of years and will be relied upon for their leadership.
Daniels is a crafty forward that scored five goals and had six assists while Coulter is the top returning scorer back this year after scoring six goals and recording nine assists a year ago. Seniors Bryan Lucente and Noah Ray will also be in the mix offensively alongside Daniels, Coulter, and Boselli. The Warriors will also rely on a handful of juniors to chip in offensively including forward Conor Cooke. Cooke had a terrific season with 10 goals and four assists and could be poised for a breakout year.
Defensively, there is a lot of veterans along the blue line for King Philip. Seniors Kyle Gray and Ethan McGuire are joined by junior Rocco Bianculli, a Hockomock League All Star and a HocomockSports.com All Underclassman selection a year ago. Gray is a three-year player that provides physicality while Bianculli is one of the top scoring defensemen in the entire league, scoring seven goals and adding seven assists during his sophomore season. Seniors Nate Ihley and Jesper Makudera will battle for minutes in net.
“I’m really looking forward to this season,” Carlow said. “On top of the seniors and juniors, we also have a strong sophomore class competing for spots. We have speed up front, we’re strong on the back end, and we have two good goalies. I’m looking forward to working with this group and fully expect them to make the tournament.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-6-3 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Mike Balzarini
Mansfield head coach Mike Balzarini was a little concerned about his team’s depth coming into the season after graduating nine players and losing two top players to prep school. But after tryouts and a strong preseason, Balzarini believes this year’s squad will be just as deep as last year’ 14-win squad.
Losing a talented senior class hurts, and with Matt Copponi (eight goals, 28 assists, 2019 HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year) and Brian Grant (HockomockSports.com All Underclassmen Team) off to prep schools, the Hornets will need new faces to step up and contribute on both ends of the ice. But Balzarini and the Hornets have something that none of the other Hockomock teams have and that’s senior goalie Sean McCafferty. Now in his fourth year starting, McCafferty is a game-changer. Even if the Hornets aren’t having their best games, they’ll still likely have a chance to win because of McCafferty.
In front of McCafferty, the Hornets will turn to senior Joseph Troiano to anchor the defensive unit. He will be joined by Jack Gormley and Conor Benoit, both of whom picked up valuable minutes last season and should help Mansfield be one of the stingiest defensive groups. Offensively, the Hornets do get a boost with the return of senior forward Chris Jenkins. Jenkins was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassmen Team in 2017 after he had 11 goals and 10 assists as a freshman. He will join veterans Jake Lund and Kevin Belanger to form a talented first line for the Hornets. Cam Paige, Liam Anastasia, and Ben Ierardo will team up on Mansfield’s second line.
“We have a little bit of a sour taste after how last year ended,” Balzarini said. “We want to get over that hurdle of the first round of the playoffs. This group really plays well together, they play as a team. They’ve gelled nicely since the first day of tryouts.”
2018-2019 Record: 11-9-2 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinals Coach: Ben McManama
North Attleboro will be leaning on its defense in order to get back to the tournament again this season. With the defending state champs in Canton as well as an improved Foxboro squad, the Rocketeers have their hands full with a difficult three-team Davenport division.
Seniors Jake McNeany, Will Yeomans, Jeff Baker, and junior Charlie Connolly are all back this season to give North Attleboro a veteran defensive group. With a handful of experienced players leading the way defensively, it should make the transition from four-year starting goalie Ryan Warren a bit smoother. Another reason that transition should go smoothly is senior goalie Nick Digiacomo, who has been impressive in the preseason so far this year.
Senior Dennis Morehouse is back after a breakout junior campaign and will be in the mix as one of the top players in the Hockomock League this season. Morehouse was second on the team in points last year with 15 goals and four assists and is the top returning scorer back for the Rocketeers. Senior Jack Connolly is another experienced forward that will be a key piece of the offense while junior Tyler Sarro will look to build upon a solid sophomore season.
“For us to be successful, we need to be discipline and get scoring from our second and third lines,” said North Attleboro coach Ben McManama. “We are not as big as we were in years past so we need to play tough and physical.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-9-1 2018-2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Mike Zucarelli
There is a new face at the helm of the Tigers this season, but its a familiar one. Mike Zucarelli takes over after serving as an assistant coach and is optimistic about the upcoming season.
Replacing one of the league’s top forwards in Brett Williams won’t be easy, but the Tigers boast experienced returners at every position on the ice. Senior Owen Connor is back for his third year in between the pipes. He took a big jump from his sophomore to junior year and that Zucarelli expects that trend to continue for the 2019-2020 season. In front of Connor, OA returns senior defensemen Ryan Gottwald and Matt Nosalek. Gottwald, one of the team’s two captains, had an impressive junior year and will be the leader of the defensive group this season.
Offensively, there will be some familiar faces including senior captain Hunter Costello. Costello, who scored nine goals and had 15 assists in the regular season a year ago, is joined by fellow returners Jake Gottwald, Duncan Pereira, and Brad Powers. All four of those seniors will be vital in the attack while juniors Ross Carroll and Matt Nigro should see expanded roles this year.
“We are going to be a gritty, hardworking team this year,” Zucarelli said, citing a preseason scrimmage with Milton. “We held our own during the first as Milton took it to us. We came out flying in the second, tied up the game and took the momentum into the third period with a huge penalty kill. The overall play of the team after one week was great to see.”
The Tigers enter the season with a relatively young squad but the goal is to integrate all of the youth with the returners and make a push for the state tournament by the end of the season.
Junior Mike Albert will be the main guy on the offensive end. Albert, who scored 10 goals and added 19 assists last season, was the leading scorer for the Tigers as a sophomore and is looking to take the next step this year. Junior Steve Roderick and sophomores Jack DeMoura and Michael Lucier are all new to the program and should be in the mix right away to help bolster the Taunton attack.
Head coach Kris Metea is also counting on some of the younger players to have breakout seasons, including sophomores Nathan Fernandes, Loren Corcoran, and Evan Perreira. On the defensive side, junior Brady Nichols will anchor the blue line unit. Although just a junior, Nichols has a wealth of varsity experience and the Tigers will lean on him to guide a young defensive core. Senior Andrew Gomes and junior Sean Bunker will battle for minutes in net.
“We have a group of young players that we will look to continue to develop over the course of the season,” Metea said. “The key to our success will be the meshing of the new players with the development of young players. The sky’s the limit for this group with continued commitment.”
Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Golf All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Chris Lavoie, Canton
Hockomock League All Stars
Jack Handy, Attleboro
Chris Lavoie, Canton
Conor Hunter, Canton
William Gefteas, Canton
Michael Leonetti, Canton
Noah Hicks, Foxboro
Dylan Quinn, Foxboro
Jack Paterson, Franklin
Quinten Faro, Franklin
Nate Ihley, King Philip
Michael Matheson, King Philip
Kayla Schuberth, King Philip
Ryan Dow, Mansfield
Jason See, Mansfield
Brian See, Mansfield
Jillian Barend, North Attleboro
Tate Hadges, Oliver Ames
Brad Powers, Oliver Ames
Samuel Becker, Oliver Ames
Ethan Skelly, Sharon
Mansfield head coach Chris Hall, junior Ryan Dow, junior Brian See, junior Jason See, and assistant coach Kevin Vartian. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
The Hockomock League Golf Championship took place on Thursday at Blue Hill Country Club in Canton. Below are the team and individual results.
1. Mansfield – 238
2. Canton – 250
3. Franklin – 251
4. Sharon – 255
5. Oliver Ames – 257
6. Foxboro – 258
7. King Philip – 267
8. North Attleboro – 271
9. Attleboro – 280
10. Milford – 283
11. Taunton – 298
12. Stoughton – 306
Top 10
1. Jack Paterson, Franklin – 76
2. Ryan Dow, Mansfield – 77
3. Brian See, Mansfield – 79
T4. Conor Hunter, Canton – 81
T4. Nathan Daley, Sharon – 81
T6. Chris Lavoie, Canton – 82
T6. Jason See, Mansfield – 82
T6. Ethan Skelly, Sharon – 82
9. Sam Becker, Oliver Ames – 83
T10. Dylan Quinn, Foxboro – 84
T10. Kayla Schuberth, King Philip – 84
Individuals
Attleboro
Jack Handy – 87
Brian Houle – 92
Brendan Raymond – 101
Canton
Conor Hunter – 81
Chris Lavoie – 82
Will Gefteas – 87
Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Lydia Hershey, Colette Petit, Abi Slaney and Olivia Wills played well for North.
Milford, 7 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Maddie Boyle and Ashleigh Starks each scored twice as the Hawks rolled to a big win on the road. Boyle scored the first two goals of the game for the Hawks while Brooke Ferreira scored once and had an assist in the win. Jill Michelson had a very strong game for the visitors, recording an assist. Stoughton’s Mackenzie Manning, Ashley Camilo, and Shayla Ford each scored.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 0 @ Notre Dame Academy, 1 – Final – Notre Dame scored with 90 seconds left in the game to steal the win at home. King Philip’s Makenzie Manning had eight saves in net for the Warriors while Isabella Crocker, Abby Nixon, and Paige Berdos all played well for KP.
Volleyball
Taunton, 2 vs. New Bedford, 3 – Final
Foxboro, 3 @ Norton, 1 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Foxboro won two straight to earn a 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-21, 25-14) win on the road at Norton. Grace Boudreau recorded 19 service points (five aves) and added 14 kills, Shakirah Ketant had a strong game with eight kills, and Shannon McDonald added five kills and two blocks. Pam Nelson added 10 service points (three aces) and Kelsey Treweek finished with 11 digs.
Golf
Attleboro, 168 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Tate Hadges shot a match-low round of 37 to earn medalist honors, helping the Tigers to their second win in as many days. Will Gianni and Sam Becker each shot 39 for OA while Logan Domenico chipped in with a 40. Brendan Raymond led Attleboro with a 42.
King Philip, 160 @ Taunton, 177 – Final – Nate Ihley fired a 38 and Jack Hastry added a round of 39 to lead King Philip past Taunton.
Stoughton, 191 @ Mansfield, 167 – Final – Mansfield’s Brandon Kemp earned medalist honors to help the Hornets beat Stoughton. Kemp carded a round of 40 while Cam Meelia and Zander Schotz each shot 42. Hunter Tang and Ryan Doherty each chipped in with a 43 in the win.
Boys Soccer
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored once in the 10th minute and added two more goals in the second half to pick up a win over rival Attleboro. Matt Mordini finished off a cross from James Sales to give the visitors the lead in the first half. In the second, Sales buried a chance after a failed clearance after a cross from James Bush to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute. Mordini grabbed his second in the 61st minute off a feed from Alex Pfeffer. Kyle Briere earned his third shutout of the season.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames earned its fifth straight win to start the season, posting a 2-0 win on the road at Foxboro. Kevin Louhis scored and had an assist in the win. Anthony DaCosta scored the other goal for OA while Colin Milliken grabbed his fifth assist of the year. Drew Nickla earned his fourth shutout of the year.
Mansfield, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final – After a scoreless first half, Milford exploded for four goals in the second half to earn a win over visiting Mansfield. Pedro Araujo put the Hawks ahead with a penalty kick in the 50th minute but Mansfield’s Colin True headed in a service from Colin Caridi minutes later to bring the Hornets level. Araujo grabbed his second after being playing in by Lucas Da Silva. Da Silva then scored a pair of his own, both from Araujo, as the Hawks pulled away for the win.
Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of second half goals to pull away from visiting Taunton for the win. The Eagles went ahead in the 6th minute on a goal from Brian Higgins (from Andrew Jacobson) but Taunton knotted the score with a penalty kick from Alec Nunes in the 37th minute. Sharon jumped back ahead in the 55th minute when Michael Baur converted a penalty kick, and Jacobson linked up with Higgins again in the 73rd minute for an insurance tally.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro took the lead on a first half goal by Meghan Panzer, but Olivia Wills scored for the second time this week to earn a point for the Rocketeers. Abi Slaney assisted on North’s goal. Attleboro nearly grabbed a late winner with a quick break but Summer Doherty made a big play to cut out the chance. Lydia Hershey, Jordan Sullivan, and Lily Cameron all played well in the North back line. Regan Fein made seven saves for North, while Attleboro keeper Ashley Macia made six stops.
Canton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip senior Chloe Layne registered three points to become the program’s all-time point leader, breaking a 21-year old record. Layne had a goal and two assists, scoring the game-winner in the 15th minute. Layne also set up Jenny Montville as KP opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game. Ally Stanton (assists) scored on a feed from Jenna Hitchen in the 50th minute, and Layne set up Kiera Lindmark for a strike in the 71st minute. KP coach Gary Pichel credited his back line with having a strong game, with freshman Grace Lawler have a particularly strong showing.
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin took control of the game early on, jumping out to a 4-1 lead by halftime, and never looked back. Carly Alston led the way for the Panthers with two goals and two assists, while Anna Balkus added a goal and two assists. Sydney St. Marie and Anna Grasso added goals for Franklin and Erin Quaile had an assist. Brianna Buckley had a big day in goal for the Black Knights with 16 saves. Freshman Shayla Ford scored for Stoughton with an assist from Ashley Camilo.
Milford, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Kerrin Sears scored the opening goal for Mansfield in the first half, assisted by Bella Lennon, but Ashleigh Starks equalized for the Hawks from the penalty spot with 15 minutes remaining in the game.
Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – After trading first half goals, Taunton’s Emily O’Gara netted the game-winner in the 55th minute to give the Tigers the win over visiting Sharon. Taunton opened the scoring in the 17th minute as senior Paige Tolan finished off a corner kick from Emily Calderon. Sharon drew level in the 30th minute when Olivia Soby found the back of the net with a shot from outside the box. O’Gara picked out the top corner with a rocket in the 55th minute on an assist from Tolan. Junior Hannah McEntee made seven saves to earn the win while seniors Emma Silvia and Allison Calderon had strong games defensively for the Tigers.
Golf
Franklin, 152 @ Attleboro, 159 – Final
King Philip, 150 @ Stoughton, 196 – Final – King Philip’s Kayla Schuberth had a terrific day on the links, carding a two-under round of 34 to lead the Warriors past Stoughton. Nate Ihley added an even par 36, Mike Matheson shot a 39, and Jack Hastry chipped in with a 41 for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 171 @ Foxboro, 175 – Final – Mansfield earned a close win on the road at Foxboro to stay unbeaten on the season. Nate Morreale led the Hornets with a low-round of 40 while Joseph Gormley added a 41, Jason See shot a 43, and Ryan Dow finished with a 47 for Mansfield.
Milford, 166 @ Canton, 149 – Final – Canton’s Chris Lavoie, Will Gefteas, and Conor Hunter shared medalist honors on the day, each shooting a 37 to help the Bulldogs win in their home opener. Mike Leonetti, Thomas Singleton, and Owen Donovan all shot 38 for the Bulldogs. Tyler Wetherbee led Milford with a low-round of 39.
North Attleboro, 179 @ Sharon, 165 – Final – Sharon defended its home course, knocking off visiting North Attleboro at the Cape Club of Sharon. Ethan Skelly earned match medalist honors for the Eagles, shooting a match-low round of 38, with Andrew Glaser adding a round of 40. Eric Carter (43) and Nathan Daley (44) also scored for Sharon. Jake Gaskin had a team-low round of 41 for the Rocketeers.
Oliver Ames, 170 @ Taunton, 187 – Final – Tate Hadges led the way for the Tigers on the road, carding a round of 39 to earn medalist honors in Oliver Ames’ win. Brad Powers added a 41 in the win.
