Tag: Nick Ferraz

Teams of the Decade: Top Playoff Runs

Teams of the Decade

Over the past couple of months, our staff has reviewed hundreds of championship-caliber Hockomock League teams from the past decade (Fall 2010 through Winter 2020) and selected its Top 20 “Teams of the Decade.” During that process, we came across so many talented teams that accomplished so much. Below is a list of teams that just missed out on the final list but stood out for their postseason performances.

2019 Taunton Baseball

Record: 21-7
Division 1 State Champions
The stars aligned perfectly for the Tigers when the postseason rolled around. Although Taunton finished in third in the Kelley-Rex division in the regular season (behind Super 8 selections Franklin and Mansfield), the Tigers took full advantage of their opportunity in Div. 1 South. At 11-7 midway through May, Taunton won four straight to finish the regular season at 15-7 for the fourth seed in the D1 South bracket. After dispatching Marshfield, the Tigers rallied to stun Catholic Memorial with a seventh inning rally, scoring the game-winning run off a bunt from Lucas Martins. Taunton followed with a shutout of Catholic Conference power Xaverian before taking down Hockomock rival Attleboro, 6-1, to win the South.

The magic continued for Taunton, head coach Blair Bourque, and its playoff hero Nic Notarangelo in the D1 State Semifinals. Against a powerful Lincoln-Sudbury side (21-2 entering the game), the Tigers fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning. Logan Lawrence had a huge game, hitting a two-run home run in the first and pitching four scoreless innings in relief. Notarangelo smacked a hard hit to right to score sophomore Ty Cali in the bottom of the ninth inning for the game-winning run. Taunton capped its magical run with a 5-3 win over Shrewsbury and 6’8 Boston College-commit John West. Josh Lajoie made his first start of the playoffs, senior Evan Melo put a cherry on top of a special individual postseason by driving in the game-winning run, and both Notarangelo and Lawrence – as they had done all tournament – made key plays in the final innings to help Taunton secure its first-ever Div. 1 State Championship.

2016 Franklin Boys Hockey

Record: 18-4-5
Division 1 State Champions
Just one year removed from a historic trip to the Super 8, and after graduating 21 seniors, Franklin showed off the depth in its program and erased its demons at the TD Garden, ending a three-decade wait for a second state title. A team without a true star, Franklin’s depth and its work rate were its greatest strengths. The Panthers were 12-3-5 and the fourth seed in Div. 1 when the playoffs began, but it felt like a wide open bracket. The tournament run began with a 2-1 win against Wellesley, followed by a 1-0 win against Walpole in a jam-packed Pirelli Rink.

After dispatching a third straight Bay State Conference team, Newton North, in the semifinal, Franklin avenged a late-season loss against highly-regarded Marshfield. In the state title game at the TD Garden, a place where Franklin and head coach Chris Spillane had come up empty three seasons in a row earlier in the decade, the Panthers led 3-1 heading into the third period against St. Mary’s (Lynn), a team that just missed out on a Super 8 berth. The game went to double overtime before senior Jake Downie assisted on sophomore Luke Downie’s dramatic game- and title-winner and secured a first state title since 1983.

2018 Franklin Baseball

Record: 21-5
Division 1A (Super 8) State Champions
It was a season that started with high expectations and ended in history, but it was hardly a straight and easy path for Franklin. Few will remember because of how the season ended, but the Panthers opened the season by being shutout by Foxboro, were swept by Taunton, and finished a game behind Mansfield in the league. Through it all, Franklin put together a good enough resume that it was selected for the Super 8 for the first time in program history. The Panthers (21-5) entered as the No. 7 seed, but once the playoffs began everything seemed to fall into place.

Thanks to the dynamic duo of Jake Noviello and Bryan Woelfel and a lineup filled with clutch hitters, Franklin beat Wachusett in the opening game and then proceeded to beat St. John’s Prep and Central Catholic (twice). The final three games were all one-run wins. In the Super 8 finale against the Raiders, head coach Zach Brown brought Noviello into the bottom of the eighth in a tie game with runners at second and third. He struck out three of the next four batters (hitting one in between) to somehow keep it tied and in the top of the ninth Evan Wendell’s perfect suicide squeeze plated Steve Luttazi with the title-winning run.

2016 Foxboro Girls Tennis

Record: 19-2
Division 2 State Champions
The third time proved to be the charm for the Foxboro girls’ tennis team. After coming up short in the state final in 2014 and 2015, the Warriors took a 3-2 decision over Wayland to clinch the title. The Warriors dropped two matches all season, both 3-2 to eventual Davenport division champion Sharon, as Foxboro finished second in the division at 14-2. The sister combination of Diana Prinos at first singles and Sophia Prinos at second singles gave Foxboro a huge advantage while junior Lexi Nelson was such a steady presence at third singles.

Behind interim head coaches CJ Neely and Jon Montanaro, the Warriors earned the fourth seed in the Division 2 South bracket and survived an early scare with a 3-2 win over Westwood. The second doubles team of Michaela McCarthy and Morgan Krockta helped the Warriors knock off a strong Hingham team in the quarterfinals and Foxboro swept singles action in both the sectional semifinals and finals to defeat previously unbeaten and top-seeded Apponequet and Hopkinton, respectively. After dropping a singles match in the state final, the Warriors had to show off their depth as a team and the first doubles pairing of sophomore Kayla Prag and freshman Julia Muise pulled out a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 win to secure the title.

2012 Sharon Football

Record: 10-3
Division 3 Eastern Mass. Champions
It’s hard to think of a more special individual season than the one the Sharon football team had in 2012. To put things in perspective, the Eagles had just won seven games over a seven-year span in the previous decade and its last winning season came in the late 1980s. Head coach Dave Morse led Sharon to four wins in his first year in 2011 but that turned out to be just a preview of what was to come. The Eagles had a special group of players come together and accomplish something a lot of people thought they would never see: bringing a Super Bowl title back to Sharon.

While it wasn’t a perfect season, the Eagles got it done against division foes. Sharon knocked off Canton in overtime, scored with under a minute left to stun previously unbeaten Stoughton, and used a gutsy fourth-quarter fourth-down conversion touchdown to secure a win over Foxboro and clinch its first Davenport division title. In the playoffs, the Eagles held on for a 7-6 win over Pembroke when the Titans’ two-point conversion with a minute to go fell short. In the Super Bowl, senior running back Sean Asnes capped a terrific season with a pair of touchdowns as Sharon notched a 12-3 win over Wayland in a freezing cold game at Bentley University.




2018 Mansfield Boys Basketball

Record: 27-2
Division 1 State Champions
Mansfield’s playoff run during the 2017-2018 season was as close to perfect as you can get in basketball. The Hornets were very good during the regular season, but they were close to unstoppable once the state tournament rolled around. Mansfield suffered two setbacks during the season, one in December to BC High and a 15-point loss on the road to rival Franklin in January. Head coach Mike Vaughan has said that second loss might have been the spark that ignited one of the most impressive playoff campaigns of the decade. With seven seniors (John McCoy, Tyler Boulter, Ryan Otto, Nick Ferraz, Alex Ferraz, Justin Vine, Sam Hyland) and a trio of talented juniors (Damani Scott, Tommy Dooling, Khristian Conner), the Hornets made the most of the playoff opportunity.

The top-seed in Division 1 South, Mansfield rolled through the bracket — and we mean rolled. Mansfield beat all four of its opponents by double figures, dismissing Newton South (76-49) in the first round, avenging its loss to BC High (71-58) in the quarterfinals, eliminating a very good Newton North (70-50) team in the South semis, and beating a talented Brockton (79-65) squad to win the South championship. The momentum continued as the Hornets secured a spot in the state final with an impressive win over Everett (73-65) at the TD Garden. In the D1 State Championship, the Hornets capped a terrific postseason run by taking down rival Franklin (67-54); the matchup marked the first time a pair of teams from the same league met in the D1 final.

2017 Franklin Boys Basketball

Record: 22-5
Division 1 State Finalists
This Franklin boys team might not have won it all, but it packed some of the most memorable games into its great postseason run. The Panthers were good throughout the regular season, and they certainly had their fair share of impressive wins including one over league champ Mansfield, one over a very good Cardinal Spellman team, and concluded the regular season with arguably its best win, a 70-53 decision over a good Tech Boston team. But there were five losses too, including on the road at Canton, and early season tilts against Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial.

The wins over Spellman and Tech Boston to finish the regular season were a clear sign to head coach CJ Neely that this squad was ready to make some noise in the state tournament. Junior Jalen Samuels helped the hosts knock off upset-minded Acton Boxboro in the opening round and senior Connor Goldstein gave Franklin a needed spark in its semifinal win over St. Peter Marian. In the Central final against perennial power St. John’s Shrewsbury, freshman Chris Edgehill sank a huge three with just over a minute left in overtime and then hit two from the free throw line in the final seconds to help secure Franklin’s first sectional title. In the state semifinal against Springfield Central, the Panthers snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with an improbable 8-0 run in the final 20 seconds to force overtime. Four minutes later, Franklin was on its way to its first state championship. Although the Panthers ran into a juggernaut in Cambridge, the run that the Panthers had leading up to that point was a very memorable one.

2018 North Attleboro Baseball

Record: 22-2
Division 2 State Champions
North Attleboro rolled through the regular season, finishing 14-2 in the league and 18-2 overall. Big Red ended a 12-year wait for a league title and took the top seed in Div. 2 South. North’s run to a first-ever state title was hardly a surprise, but the way that the Rocketeers rolled through the South bracket was more than impressive. North scored at will over the first three games of the tournament, out-scoring its opponents 41-4, including a 20-2 win against Dartmouth in the semifinal and a 19-2 win against Oliver Ames in the final.

Behind the pitching of Nick Sinacola and the clutch bat of Zach DeMattio, the Rocketeers were unstoppable heading into the final against Beverly and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the state championship game (all four runs driven in by DeMattio). The Panthers got to Sinacola for three runs in the fifth to cut the lead to just one run, but he settled down, with the help of his defense, to get through a scoreless sixth and seventh inning and becoming the second Hockomock League baseball team in a week to win a state title.

2018 Taunton Softball

Record: 26-2
Division 1 State Champions
Taunton had lost in the first round in each of the past two postseasons, both times on its home field and both times to league opponents (King Philip in 2016 and North Attleboro in 2017), but the Tigers put it all together in 2018 to erase those playoff struggles. Always one of the most feared lineups in the state, the Taunton offense exploded for 44 runs in six playoff games. The Tigers, under the guidance of legendary coach Dave Lewry, scored nine runs against Dartmouth and Bishop Feehan, six against Newton North, and 13 in the state final against previously unbeaten Wachusett.

The toughest, and arguably most memorable, game of the playoff run was the Div. 1 South final against KP. The Warriors won the league title and had also scored 21 runs in three games to get to the final. After rallying to tie the game in the fifth, Taunton scored the game-winning runs on a single down the third base line by surprise starter and No. 9 hitter Rylie Murphy. KP got the tying runs on base in the seventh, but freshman starter Kelsey White escaped the jam and the Tigers went on to win their first state title in 11 years in blowout fashion (13-2 over Wachusett).

2016 King Philip Softball

Record: 24-4
Division 1 State Champions
There is nothing unusual about King Philip softball going on a playoff run, after all this was the program’s third state title in seven seasons, but the Warriors entered the season as the No. 7 seed in Div. 1 South, had lost the Kelley-Rex title to Taunton, ending a run of nine straight league championships, and lost four times during the regular season. Once the playoffs began, the Warriors flipped a switch. Thanks in large part to a dominant run of games from starting pitcher Kali Magane, KP allowed only two runs in six playoff games and outscored opponents 29-2.

The Warriors beat Taunton in the quarterfinal, winning the season series against the Tigers, and avenged an extra-inning loss from 2015 by beating defending South champion Silver Lake in the final. Magane saved the best for last, striking out 13 and tossing a one-hit shutout in the state title game against Doherty. Magane finished the season by striking out the side in the seventh and closing out an unlikely championship campaign.

Mansfield Beats Rival Franklin For First State Title

Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield boys basketball players celebrate after winning the D1 State Championship. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Just when it looked like Mansfield would run away the state championship, Franklin stormed back with a big run and had a chance to make it a two-possession game.

And no one was surprised because that’s the never-give-up type of team that Franklin is.

But when Mansfield was able to weather the storm, keep its lead, and break the pressure to pull away in the final minutes, it didn’t come as a big surprise either, because that’s the team the Hornets have been this season.

And with that, Mansfield earned a hard-fought 67-54 win over Franklin to earn the D1 State Championship, the first in program history.

“We’d knew they would press and do whatever they needed to do to get back into the game, that’s who they are,” said Mansfield senior Sam Hyland (17 points, five rebounds, four assists). “We turned it over more than we should have and we didn’t take the best shots. But from there it was just about winning the final three minutes, then winning the final two minutes, and so on. It was just about focusing at the time at hand and outworking them. They hit some deep shots, I have to commend them for those, sometimes you have to live with it. But we did enough at the end.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Mansfield led by as much as 18 points, up 59-41 with five minutes to play in the game after Ryan Otto (four points, four rebounds) hit a deep two just before the shot clock expired.

But true to form, Franklin turned things around. Jalen Samuels (seven points, seven rebounds, four assists) hit a free throw and then took a charge to get some momentum back. Sophomore Chris Edgehill (18 points) hit in the lane and Paul Mahon (14 points) splashed in a three to get the game back to ten, 59-49 with four minutes to play.

Out of a timeout he Panthers’ Matt Elias (eight points) picked off a pass at midcourt, leading to another three from Edgehill and suddenly the Panthers trailed 59-52 with three minutes to go.

Franklin had three chances to close the gap further but Mansfield’s defense wouldn’t allow it. Mansfield forced three straight empty trips, and then in transition, Mansfield junior Damani Scottt (19 points, four rebounds) drew the defense in and dropped a pass off right under the hoop for an easy two from Otto.

The Panthers came up short on the other end again, and Mansfield went on to sink six free throws over the final 90 seconds to secure the win the D1 State Championship.

“I can’t really put it into words,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I know the last time we were [in the state championship], the stage might have been too big. From the moment we got on the bus on Thursday, the kids were locked in. They’ve been locked in all season long. It’s been a great ride. We did great things in D1 South, we did great things in the EMass game, and we did great things tonight.”

While it looked like it may turn into a blowout in the fourth quarter, Vaughan knew that Franklin would go down swinging to the very end.

“That’s a very good team we just played,” Vaughan said of the Panthers. “We made some shots, we did some things we had to do but [Franklin] wasn’t underprepared, this wasn’t a lack of effort by Franklin. If we play this game 10 times, five go one way and five go the other. It comes down to the fact at some point in the second and third quarters, we made a few extra baskets.

“They weren’t going to go away, they weren’t going to roll over. They play hard, they compete, they do all the little things well. They were going to give us every last breath they have. Paul Mahon is one of the best players our league has seen in terms of his ability to change the game on both ends of the floor, especially defensively. He held Tyler [Boulter] (four points, seven rebounds) in check tonight plus scored points of his own. Edgehill is a special player, we still have to deal with him for two more years as a top player in the league. And Samuels is great too, and then they have great role players who step in a do a lot of things for them.”

Franklin coach CJ Neely had a similar outlook, noting that in the end, the Panthers knew it would come down to the small things. The Panthers finished 10-for-22 from the free throw line compared to 23-for-30 from the Hornets.

“As much as the hype went on all week, we talked about how at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to a couple of loose balls, rebounding and taking care of the ball, and making our free throws,” Neely said. “At the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to and they [made their free throws]. When you play in this rivalry, if you’re not making your free throws and they are, and they can go from four to an eight-point lead instead of keeping it close.

“When it starts to expand, you have to come out of what you want to do a little bit. And both teams have had to do that in all three games, we’ve gotten out of what we wanted to do because the lead extended. Then you’re doing something that you practice but it’s not your go-to or your identity. You’re trying to get back into it and you’re taking a lot of risks. Mansfield did a good job of extending their lead making their free throws, and we didn’t. At the end of the day, we didn’t do what we needed to do.”

While Mansfield had the key runs throughout the second and third quarters, they needed another one in the first quarter just to keep pace with the red-hot Panthers.

Holding a 10-9 advantage late in the first quarter behind a free throw from Samuels, the Panthers got hot from deep. Mahon took a feed from Edgehill and made a deep three, and then repeated the same sequence two plays later for a 16-9 lead with just over a minute to play.

Mansfield was able to answer over the final minute though. Hyland drove hard for two, Scott completed a traditional three-point play on a possession the Hornets had because of a steal from Khristian Conner, and then Scott came up with a late steal and went in alone for a thunderous one-handed slam to tie the game after eight minutes.

Franklin’s offense picked up where it left off as Elias drained a three to open the second quarter and junior Will Harvey joined in on the three-party with a corner trifecta for a 22-16 lead just over a minute into the second.

Hyland hit a three but Edgehill answered with a traditional three-point play to keep the Panther advantage at four. A free throw from Scott cut it to three, and two more from Justin Vine (five points) made it one after he went to the line after hauling in a defensive rebound because Mansfield was in the bonus.

With both Scott and Hockomock League MVP John McCoy (18 points, 11 rebounds) in foul trouble for the Hornets — and Samuels for the Panthers — Mansfield’s Hyland stepped up into the spotlight.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Hyland hit another trifecta, this one putting the Hornets up 27-25 with just under three minutes left in the half. Elias hit one free throw to make it a one-point game but Hyland got his layup to fall while fighting through a foul, completing the three-point play at the line. Two possessions later, Hyland once again attacked the basket, draw the foul, and got a kind bounce off the rim for another three-point play, plus a 33-26 lead.

Hyland finished with 12 of Mansfield’s 19 points in the second quarter and tied a career-high with 17 points overall on top of five rebounds and four assists.

“There wasn’t a specific game plan to get me going but we got into some foul trouble early so someone else had to step up and score points, it’s the Mansfield way,” Hyland said. “I had a couple open opportunities early that sometimes I’d pass up and wouldn’t take but fortunately I knocked them down. That gave me the confidence and then I started to get to the rim. I got a couple of bounces to go my way, a couple of calls and had a strong first half that kind of got the momentum back on our side. It ended up working out pretty nice.”

Franklin’s defense came out strong in the second half, holding Mansfield scoreless for nearly the first three minutes of the third. However, Mansfield’s defense was equal to the task and the Panthers only scored once, a layup from Mahon, during that stretch.

McCoy drained a three to give Franklin some life, pushing the lead to 38-28. Mansfield went up as much as 14 points in the frame (44-30) on a traditional three-point play from Scott. But Franklin closed with an 8-4 run with Samuels scoring the first four and Elias and Edgehill each contributing two.

Franklin nearly had a big stop to keep the deficit in single digits at the end of the quarter, but Hyland came flying in to steal an offensive board for an easy putback.

Mansfield opened the fourth with a set play to get two for McCoy, and then ran a set that resulted in a corner three for Vine. McCoy knocked down a pair of technical free throws to stretch it to 55-38.

Mahon answered for Franklin with a triple but two more from McCoy at the line, and a deep two from Otto gave Mansfield a commanding 59-41 lead, only for Franklin to charge back with its 11-0 run to make it a seven-point game.

“The resilience of this team….we’re never going to go away,” Neely said. “We’re not going to be the team that plays for the newspaper and loses by 10 or 11, we’re going to go out there and try and cut back into it as much and possible, and we’ll lose by 50 but we’ll do it trying to get back into it.

“We just couldn’t make a couple of those baskets there to get back into it. When Mansfield builds a lead like that, they do a great job of moving the ball and making you work, getting to the line and making their free throws.”

Vaughan agreed, stressing the importance of getting a big lead because he knew Franklin would continue to push back.

“This was a game we were fortunate to be up 18 so we could weather the storm and let the clock tick away,” Vaughan said. “But it comes down to what we’ve done all year. Otto steps up and has a huge basket, Vine hits the three in the corner. Different guys doing different things makes a huge difference for our team.”

While the Hornets secured their first state title win with a victory over rival Franklin, Vaughan noted his squad focused more on themselves and getting a win than about the rivalry.

“It wasn’t really about the opponent, it was just about winning this game,” Vaughan said. “If anything, there’s a part of me that knows how hard it is to get here, and I know what Franklin basketball is all about, and what CJ is all about and most of those kids I’ve coached at some point. They are great kids, great young men.

“There’s a part of me that has some sympathy. I wish there were times we weren’t in the same division and we didn’t face each other at some point. But we’ve also lost to Franklin back when they were in the South. It wasn’t about who we were playing, but it was about playing in this game and doing everything we can to win it.”

Franklin finishes the season 23-4 and had a second straight appearance in the D1 State Finals.

“The guys should be very proud of themselves,” Neely said of his team. “They are working hard year round, they are sacrificing a lot to put Franklin on the map and be one of the powers in the state. We’ve beaten a lot of good teams this season, we didn’t shy away from challenges. They should be very proud of themselves.

“These guys have brought Franklin to a place they had never been before and did it twice in a row. They have a lot to be proud of. Obviously, both teams wanted to win tonight, it’s two great teams that know a lot about each other. [Mansfield] was the better team tonight.”

Mansfield boys basketball picks up its 27th win of the season, finishing with just two losses.

“This win means a lot, I know a lot of players on [Franklin] and I’m pretty close friends with some of them,” McCoy said. “It’s definitely just amazing to beat Franklin in my last high school game.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Attleboro

2016-2017 Record: 13-10
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Mark Houle

Attleboro will be looking to its youth to try and get back to the state tournament this season. With just two seniors and four juniors, half of the Bombardiers’ roster is made up of underclassman.

But just because the Bombardiers are young, doesn’t mean they aren’t experienced. Senior Nate Douglas, a returning starter, has been getting minutes on varsity since his freshman year, and classmate Elvin Sam emerged as a reliable shooter off the bench last season. Sophomores Qualeem Charles and Bryant Ciccio made big impacts during their rookie campaigns last season. Charles (6’5) will be a big presence in the post while Ciccio will be one of the primary ball handlers.

Charles will be joined by sophomore Jason Weir (6’2) in the post while junior forward Dom Victor will be a game-changer on both ends of the floor. At 6’4, his athleticism will cause a lot of matchup problems for opposing defenses. Douglas and Ciccio will be joined by Mason Houle, Kevin Velazquez and Tim Callahan in the backcourt.

“We will need to have our younger players step up this year,” said AHS head coach Mark Houle. “We expect to be a well-rounded team who can play a fast pace game or well in a half court set.”

Canton

2016-2017 Record: 9-11
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ryan Gordy

The goal is pretty clear for Canton this season. Not only do the Bulldogs want to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014, they want to compete for the Davenport division title.

With two of the top players back in the lineup, both goals are reasonable. Senior Tony Harris and junior Devin Foster, both HockomockSports.com Third Team selections a year ago, return to anchor a Bulldogs’ team that just missed out on the playoffs last year. They’ll be joined by Austin Maffie and Jake Verille, both returning starters, as well as Paul Corcoran, Kyle Fitzgerald and Ryan Lentol, who all have varsity experience.

Harris and Foster give Canton an immediate edge on offense with two talented scorers, but it will be important for others to step up and make plays all season long. On defense, the Bulldogs will rely on their quickness to try and bother teams.

“This is a fun group who have played a lot of basketball together, they like each other which helps with team chemistry,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy. “Hopefully that will translate into a good product on the court.”

Foxboro

2016-2017 Record: 12-10
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Jon Gibbs

The mantra “Defense Wins Championships” has been proven in many different sports, at many different levels. The 2017-2018 Foxboro Warriors are hoping that will be the case this season.

Head coach Jon Gibbs says that this team has the potential to be the best defensive team that he’s coached. “We have a lot of quick, tough, physical guards that move their feet well on the perimeter and are committed to the defensive end of the court,” he said. “I think this should be a major strength of our team.”

It helps that Foxboro returns the reigning HockomockSports.com Defensive Player of the Year in senior Joe Morrison. As a junior, Morrison routinely limited opponents’ best offensive player, and was a big reason why the Warriors allowed just 55.9 points per game.

Sophomore Brandon Borde returns to the starting lineup alongside Morrison. Borde had a strong freshman season and will likely see his role increase this year, especially on the offensive end of the court. Seniors Teddy Maher and Matt Rognione, both with plenty of varsity experience will both see plenty of time this year and will be relied upon to make plays.

“We have a very good mix of experience and youth,” Gibbs said. “Our seniors have shown excellent leadership thus far, practices have been competitive, and everyone is working hard to earn their spot and get better. We hope to keep building and improving each day so that we are peaking and playing our best basketball at the end of the season.”

Franklin

2016-2017 Record: 22-5
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 State Final
Coach: CJ Neely

After making it to the Division 1 State Final a year ago, the Panthers are hoping to be just as competitive this season. With three starters back, and a handful of experienced and talented bench players, the expectations for Franklin are certainly high.

Losing Josh Macchi to graduation will hurt, but the Panthers return their best player in senior Paul Mahon, along with two terrific young talents in junior Jalen Samuels and sophomore Chris Edgehill. When playing at his best, Samuels’ athleticism and offensive skills make him one of the toughest marks in the league. Edgehill really turned it on in the tournament and if he can sustain that level of play throughout the regular season, the Panthers will be a favorite for the league title.

Seniors Alex Klowan, Matt Elias, Jack Rodgers and Gavin Farnan all picked up valuable minutes a season ago and will be key pieces for the Panthers, whether its apart of the starting line up for coming off the bench. Having so many experienced players ready to come off the bench should give Franklin the upper hand on a lot of teams.

“Our strength on the offensive end will be in our balance and willingness to share the ball and create great scoring opportunities for the team,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “On defense, we hope to make our opponents uncomfortable at all times and really focus on getting stops as a unit.”

King Philip

2016-2017 Record: 8-13
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mark Champagne

After losing just three seniors that played valuable minutes last season, and a full season complete under head coach Mark Champagne, King Philip is looking to take the next step this year and get back to the postseason.

The biggest shoes to fill are those left by Seth Sullivan and Will Weir, but the Warriors have five players back that either started or saw significant varsity minutes a season ago for a team that was just a couple games away from making the playoffs. Not only were they just a couple of games off, they were competitive in almost every game, including a three-point loss to Attleboro, a one-point loss to Taunton, and a three-point loss to Mansfield in a four-game span.

Seniors Tom Madden, Pharoah Davis, and Nolan Bradley are all back this season, along with juniors Kyle Layman and Bruce Santillus. Layman and Madden (both 6’4) will give the Warriors size in the frontcourt while Davis, one of the most experienced players in the league, will be the premier ball handler. Bradley provides King Philip with a threat from beyond the three-point line and Santillus showed this offseason the ability to fill the scoresheet up.

“With more familiarity comes trust, and a more comfortable time spent in the gym this season,” Champagne said. “Guys have worked hard in the offseason and we expect it to pay dividends as we get into our schedule. We have good depth and good leadership.”

Mansfield

2016-2017 Record: 23-3
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Mike Vaughan

This might be the most turnover we’ve seen the Hornets have in quite some time, but just because there will be a lot of new faces doesn’t meet much will change for the Hornets.

Expectations are still sky high, as Mansfield will be looking to compete for another Kelley-Rex title (Mansfield has won five straight division titles). And when it comes to the postseason, the Hornets are aiming to get back to at least the spot they got to last year – the D1 South Final – with aspirations to go further.

All six seniors that graduated all played important roles over the past couple of years for the Hornets, including last year’s HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Sam Goldberg. However, Mansfield does bring back experience in Tyler Boulter, John McCoy, Ryan Otto and Sam Hyland. Senior Nick Ferraz will give Mansfield some depth in the frontcourt after missing last year to injury, and senior transfer Justin Vine gives the Hornets another shooting option.

Junior Damani Scott showed glimpses at the end of last when he was called up while Khristian Conner and Tommy Dooling should see increased roles this season.

“I think our strength will be controlling the tempo on offense and having a bend don’t break defensive mindset,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I think we have lots of options with going small ball, playing with a taller lineup, or a good shooting line up. That creates lots of tough matchups over the course of the game.”

Milford

2016-2017 Record: 11-12
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 Central Quarterfinal
Coach: Paul Seaver

Although the Hawks graduated three of their top scorers from last year, expectations are still high in Milford. It will be tough to replace the offensive output of Zack Tamagni, Anthony Arcudi, and Nate Davila, but the Hawks will be relying on their size this season to get the offense going.

Senior Kayden Kelley is back for his third year starting on varsity and will be an important piece on both ends for Milford. Standing at 6’4, Kelley is a tough matchup and is one of the best rebounders in the league. He averaged 14.3 boards per game a year ago and led the league in double-doubles. Senior Shane Cosquete will start at point guard again this year, and will be relied upon on to set the offense in motion. He will likely be relied upon for more scoring this season.

Junior Brendan White will join the starting lineup after coming off the bench in 23 years ago. A physical presence, White brings energy and defensive toughness to the lineup. Transfers Andew Fraioli (6’5) and Joey Everett (6’3) give the Hawks depth in the frontcourt.

“We’ve improved statistically offensively and defensively over each of the past three seasons and that’s a trend that we will be hoping to continue here in 2017-2018,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver.

North Attleboro

2016-2017 Record: 15-8
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins

It’s no surprise that after graduating four starters, and the team’s sixth man that it will be a youth revolution in Big Red Country. Starters Brent Doherty, Johnny Friberg, Kyle McCarthy and Tommy Reynolds are gone, as well as Moni Cuevas, who played plenty of minutes off the bench.

The one returning starter is senior Chad Peterson, a familiar face in the Rocketeers’ lineup since his freshman year. And all four of the other returning players – senior Derek Shanks and juniors Matt Seavey, Josh Montague and Nate Gonsalves – all saw plenty of minutes last season.

While Peterson will likely take on a leadership role and see increased point production, expect Montague to emerge as a leading scorer for the Rocketeers. Shanks can stretch the floor some and hit mid-range jumpers, Seavey is a solid option in the post, and Gonsalves is a capable ball handler.

Offensive, North will rely on its size. On top of Seavey and Shanks, the Rocketeers have a pair of 6’6 forwards in Jacob Petersen and Owen Nassaney to add depth and size to the frontcourt. Junior Jonathan James, recovering from a football injury, will likely factor in as well.

“We are really looking forward to seeing how this new group gels,” said North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins. “With a lot of new faces, its really been a preseason spent trying to find our identity. We know we need to grow up really fast as the Hock won’t give us any nights off. We’re really pleased with how this group has responded to the coaching and is accepting the challenges that lay ahead. We are excited to see what this team can accomplish together.”

Oliver Ames

2016-2017 Record: 13-11
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Don Byron

Oliver Ames surpassed most expectations in its first year in the Kelley-Rex division, coming in third and opening the playoffs with a road win at Milton.

But the toughest part about the Kelley-Rex is that the challenge gets harder and harder every year. And with Oliver Ames losing three starters – Carter Evin, Nick Welch, and Dylan Mahoney – to graduation, the Tigers will be facing an uphill battle. The good news is that the Tigers have seniors Jack Spillane and Matt Muir back this year. Both were starters a year ago, and Spillane showed the ability to really fill up the stat sheet, scoring 25 points or more on three occasions.

Junior Ethan Eckstrom, a center, will see more minutes this season and his size will be key to helping defend opposing teams. Senior Noah Fitzgerald showed last year how much of a pest he can be on the defensive side of the ball, and the Tigers will rely on him to do so again this year.

Junior Jake Erlich earned his way into the lineup and picked up valuable experience last season. He will likely see an increased role this season and his strength help the Tigers in the post.

Sharon

2016-2017 Record: 7-13
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Andrew Ferguson

It will be tough to replace Ricardo Ripley at point guard, but the good news for Sharon is that the majority of the Eagles that played valuable minutes last year as returning this season.

Senior Malik Lorquet broke out of his shell last year and showed that he can take over a game. Now a senior, Lorquet will be a focal point on both sides of the court for the Eagles. Senior Jimmy Fitzhenry can catch fire at any moment, and when he does, he is one of the most dangerous shooters in the league.

Alex Kaufmann also showed glimpses last year as a sophomore, both as a ball handler and a scorer. Between him, Lorquet and Fitzhenry, the Eagles have a solid offensive core to rely on. Jayvon Monteiro is one of the most passionate players in the league and will see an increased role at guard and be key to Sharon’s defense. Aidan Kane, Ben Kaplan, and Aaron Strong will all be important players off the bench for Sharon.

“Our goal is to improve upon last year, the end of the year was a confidence boost for our returning players and we’re hoping to carry over that momentum to this year,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We have an experienced group of starters, but will be looking for our less experienced players to make a jump and help us at the varsity level.”

Stoughton

2016-2017 Record: 5-15
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: John Gallivan

Stoughton will be looking to improve on last year’s season, and the best way to do that will be to improve on the defensive end of the court.

The Black Knights haven’t had too much trouble on the offensive end, and with leading scoring Cam Andrews back for his senior year, it likely won’t be a big issue this year either. But the Knights have allowed a league-high in points each of the last two seasons.

Andrews led the Hockomock League in scoring last year with 17.8 points per game and will demand the attention of opposing defenses. Senior Colin Sanda can also hit from the outside and will be a solid second option for the Black Knights, who graduated eight players including reliable scoring options Cam Gomes and Matthew Valle.

In the frontcourt, junior David Bell (6’2) showed some potential at the end of last year and should factor in more in 2017-2018.

“Offensively we may create problems for some teams but our defense has to be better than it has been in the recent past,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan.

taunton

2016-2017 Record: 13-9
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Charlie Dacey

When it comes to pace, Taunton is hoping to be among the fastest teams in the league this season. The Tigers will still be young this year, but not as much as last year with plenty of young players returning after gaining experience last season.

Seniors Lens Esquil and Malik Charles both played last year and have shown improvement in their skills; they’ll be relied upon to be team leaders this season. Sophomore Dante Law had a tremendous freshman season, and hurt a lot of teams in a lot of ways. Whether it was from deep, like his six three pointers against Foxboro, or his ability to attack the basket, he’s one of the most dangerous young players in the league. Junior Lou Vendrell also emerged as a top scorer last season and could be one of the top shooters in the league this year.

Junior John Martins is another experienced player that is capable of scoring while Diamond Blakely and Prince Brown will share point guard duties. Naz Kenian, Tyler Medeiros, and Wesner Charles are all going to be options for head coach Charlie Dacey as well.

“We have much depth with tremendous team speed,” Dacey said. “If we can learn to harness this speed and use it productively we could be interesting.”

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 11/04/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
D1 South
#5 Mansfield, 0 vs. #12 Braintree, 1 – Final – Braintree scored the lone goal of the game in the 33rd minute, eliminating the Hornets from the D1 South tournament. Mansfield keeper Nick Ferraz made 10 saves in net.

#8 King Philip, 1 vs. #9 Natick, 0 – Final – King Philip senior Thomas Lugten was in the right spot at the right time, ripping a one-timer off a rebound to net the lone goal of the game and help the Warriors advance. In the 49th minute, junior Anthony Bozza attacked down the left side, cut it back and ripped a shot that bounced off the post. The rebound fell to Lugten just inside the 18 for his one-timer. King Philip advances to play top-seeded Brockton on Monday at 6:00.

Girls Soccer
D1 South
#7 Mansfield, 0 vs. #10 Marshfield, 2 – Final – Marshfield scored a pair of goals in the second half to land the upset on the road. Mansfield finishes the season 13-2-2.

#8 North Attleboro, 2 vs. #9 Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final (North wins 3-2 in PKs) – North Attleboro junior goalie Emma Noreck turned away two penalty kicks and three Rocketeers converted their chances from the spot as Big Red denied an upset bid from the Shamrocks. Feehan took a lead on a penalty kick early in the first half but Kayla Pasquel netted an olimpico – scoring directly off a corner kick – with five minutes to play in the half to knot the score. Feehan regained the lead in the 55th minute but Haley Guertin had an answer, finding the back of the net out of a scrum off a service from Pasquel. After two scoreless overtime periods, the teams went to PKs. Noreck made saves on Feehan’s first and fifth shots while Pasquel, Aine Mendonca and Ashlyn Gaulin scored from the spot. NAHS head coach Bill Wallace added Leah Jette, Emma Gaulin and Felicity Monfils played great and Sam Hawkins was outstanding, shutting down Feehan’s leading scorer.

Field Hockey
D1 South
#2 King Philip, 3 vs. #18 Franklin, 2 – Final (2OT) – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

#4 Canton, 2 vs. #13 Dartmouth, 1 – Final – Senior Andrea McNeil opened the scoring early on to give the Bulldogs the lead but Canton needed a late-winner to fend off an upset bid by the Indians. McNeil scored just a minute into the contest but Dartmouth knotted the score with 18 minutes left to play. Sophomore Kaitlyn Goyetch netted the game-winner off of a corner with 2:09 left.

#16 Taunton, 0 @ #1 Somerset Berkley, 5 – Final

#19 North Attleboro, 1 @ #3 Walpole, 5 – Final

Oliver Ames Wins Division With Draw Against Mansfield

Oliver Ames boys soccer
Oliver Ames senior Matt Alvarado defends against Mansfield senior Sean Lanzillo. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
NORTH EASTON, Mass. – The game ended in a draw, but Oliver Ames walked away from Val Muscato Stadium with something to celebrate.

Although neither the Tigers nor the Hornets of Mansfield scored in a showdown of the Kelley-Rex’s top two teams, the point from the draw kept OA (26 points) ahead of Mansfield (25 points) and clinched the division title in the final league game of the season.

“It’s a good draw because that’s all we needed to win the league outright,” said OA coach John Barata, who helped the program win its fifth division title in the past seven years. “However I think we were the better team today anyways. I thought we had many more chances, especially in the beginning. I thought we dominated about 80% of the game.

“But they had the best chance of the game so we escaped with the tie. Although it was a good tie, we kind of escaped because they had that chance and we got fortunate. They could be Hock champs right now.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The first half nearly picked up right where OA left off the last time these two teams met back at the beginning of October. The Tigers dominated the second half of that game with chance after chance, but only scored once in a draw.

“[Oliver Ames] is a much higher ranked team than people give them credit for,” said Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan. “They are a great team…great coach, great players. I have nothing bad to say about this game other than I wish we scored.

“We should have put away that golden opportunity. But we didn’t play our best for 80 minutes and they didn’t score on us. If this was the tournament, I’d take my chances with my goalie in PKs.”

The chances came right away for OA, who had six corners kicks in the opening 40 minutes and six long attacking throws into the area.

Michael Nikiciuk ripped a left footed shot for the Tigers in the eighth minute that was collected by Mansfield keeper Nick Ferraz. Senior Nathaniel Cardoza played classmate Brandin Osborne wide but his low drive at the near post was turned aside.

Cardoza was at it again in the 20th minute, seamlessly splitting a pair of defenders before sending in a through ball for classmate Matt Campbell, but Campbell couldn’t quite get his body turned and his one-timer rolled harmlessly to Ferraz.

Jack Sheldon forced Ferraz into a leaping save in the 24th minute on a tight angle shot, but the ensuing corner didn’t result in a chance.

Chris Lawrence’s long throw-in found Nikiciuk inside the box in the 33rd minute, but his low bid from in close skidded wide at the near post.

Matt Alvarado sent a tempting cross into the box that bounced to the far post but Sheldon was just a step late and his touch went wide into the near post side netting.

“First half almost seemed like a continuation of the second half of the first game,” Barata said. “Then in the second half they were more physical and kind of took us out of our element. But we adjusted. [Mansfield’s] a good team. We really focused on a couple players, and one of them created their two best chances. We had to prepare for this like it was a state tournament game and that’s how we played it today.”

The game, and the chances, evened out more in the second half as the Hornets came out with a more physical game plan. The style worked, as the Tigers struggled to get their offense going as they did in the first half.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Nonetheless, both sides had chances. Campbell laced a shot just over the bar after hitting it on the bounce in the 47th minute.

Cullin Anastasia did well to track down a clearance for the Hornets in the 54th minute, playing Sean Lanzillo wide, but his service to the back post was gobbled up by OA keeper Jack Carroll.

Just a minute later, Sam Hyland jumped onto a loose ball for the Hornets but his low bid was covered by Carroll.

OA senior Cam Vella connected on a header in the 61st minute, but Ferraz had plenty of time to adjust on the bounce and make the stop.

The best chance of the game for either side came in the 62nd minute when Jackson Murphy played a perfectly weighted through ball to Lanzillo on the left wing, and he centered to a wide open Anastasia inside the six, but his sliding bid went over the bar.

“For us right now, we believe defense wins championships,” Barata said. “We’ve done well not giving up goals overall this year. I’m happier with the shutout than if we would have won 4-3 because I don’t want to be giving up goals right now. If we can score one, we know we can win any game. And if it goes 0-0, we are confident with PKs.”

Mansfield kept the pressure up as Harry Braidt sent a free kick into the area in the 66th minute but it bounced through without a recipient. Hyland had another chance in the 69th minute when his long throw was cleared back out to him, but his hard show sailed over the bar at the far post.

With the Hornets – who needed a win to clinch the division title – pushing numbers forward, OA had some chances on the counter-attack. Alvarado slipped a pass in behind for Nikiciuk but Ferraz made his biggest stop of the game with a point-blank save on a shot from inside the area.

The Hornets had a chance on a scramble in the area when Luke Savoie’s free kick was dropped by Carroll, but as Nick Hyland put a header on frame, Carroll recovered quickly to make the stop.

Nikicuk nearly had the winner with the final chance of the game, again taking a pass from Alvarado but Mansfield’s Matt O’Donnell had a perfectly timed slide to just put him off and allow Ferraz to collect.

“If we have more of those chances [long throws, corner kicks]…we just couldn’t get anything going offensively, especially in the first half,” Sheridan said. “In the first half we couldn’t string together three passes. We knew what we had to do defensively. It just goes to show you our defense can hold it, we just have to get our offense clicking.”

Oliver Ames boys soccer finishes the season with an overall record of 11-2-4 and will likely be a top-four seed in D2 South when the brackets are released on Wednesday. Mansfield finishes 10-2-6 and will also likely have a home game to start the D1 South tournament.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/24/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Attleboro junior Will Halben scored the game-winner with 10 minutes to play, handing the Bombardiers their second win in three games, and three straight games with at least a point. After a scoreless first half, sophomore Michael Russo set Halben up for the late winner.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

King Philip, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – In a battle of two heavyweights, Mansfield edged King Philip to stay within one point of Oliver Ames in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex title. Senior Nick Wisnieski headed in a corner kick from Luke Savoie in the 56th minute for the lone tally. Nick Ferraz made five saves in net for Hornets.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – North Attleboro scored a pair of goals in the second half and held off a late push from the hosts to clinch its first-ever Davenport title, and first league title since 2007. Big Red took the lead in the 12th minute as Ryan Pasquel’s service was flicked by Gabe Pinhancos and then headed in by Zach Matracia. North made it 2-0 just eight minutes into the second half when Pinhancos converted at the near post on a service from Noah Barney. Milford cut the deficit to one 12 minutes later when Andre Oliveira got free and scored. But North responded five minutes later when Pinhancos volleyed in a header from Barney. Oliveira scored again on a rebound in the 76th minute.

Taunton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames celebrated senior night with seven goals from seven different seniors. OA went up 1-0 before Taunton tied it; OA extended its lead to 4-1 before Taunton found the back of the net again and then the hosts scored three straight. Nathaniel Cardoza scored once and had three assists in the win. James Gillespie, Michael Nikiciuk, Jack Galas, Mason Galbato, Brandin Osborne and Nick Zwerle each scored once. Chris Lawrence added three assists and Matthew Alvarado had one helper.

Stoughton, 2 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Sharon overcame an early deficit and then broke a 2-2 game with a late goal to earn two points against Stoughton. Stoughton senior Tyler Melo scored on a free kick from distance but Sharon’s Tyler Goldstein nodded in a throw from Tyler Hippler in the 33rd minute to tie it. Andy Reyes-Jones put the Eagles ahead in the 36th minute but Stoughton’s Terry Lapomarede knotted the score in the 65th minute. Goldstein grabbed his second, and the game-winner, heading in a free kick from sophomore Michael Baur in the 70th minute.

Girls Soccer
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Molly Duncan scored five minutes into the game off an Anna Balkus assist to put the Panthers ahead early. In the second half, Miranda Smith scored off a Duncan assist just two minutes after the restart and Calen Frongillo wrapped up the scoring from Emily Mastaj with 11 minutes to play. Franklin coach Tom Geysen said that all of the Panthers stepped up and “played really well,” despite the blustery conditions.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton scored three times in the second half to break open a tie game and earn the two points. Olivia Rodman continued her standout freshman season with a hat trick for the Bulldogs and Sarah Connolly added a 30-yard free kick in the win. Foxboro’s goal was scored by Jordyn Collins and Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said her team struggled to get into its typical passing game in the wind.

Mansfield, 0 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Milford, 1 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final North put in a stellar performance and Haley Guertin reached another career milestone in a big win. Guertin scored the game’s third goal for her 100th career point, making her only the second Rocketeers player to ever reach that mark. Haley Ferrin had a hat trick and Ashlyn Gaulin had a brace for North, while Rachel Labonte added the seventh. Gaulin added three assists, Leah Jette had two and Aine Mendonca and Guertin each had one apiece. Emma Noreck picked up the win in goal and North coach Bill Wallace said that Britta MacDonald and Brie Wescott “played inspired soccer.” Madeline Boyle scored the lone Milford goal.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Abigail Reardon and Anna Tempestoso each scored a pair of goals for OA in the win. Sophia Cox recorded a pair of assists and Emily Freeman had one.

Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Stoughton coach Tara Daniels said that Gaby Diaz, Victoria Fallon, Sarina Hutchinson, and Nikki Anderson played well defensively to limit the Sharon strikers and goalie Emma Harrington earned the clean sheet. Daniels said, “Great game played by all.”

Lanzillo Nets Two in Mansfield Shutout of Attleboro

Mansfield boys soccer
Mansfield senior Sean Lanzillo (17) scored a pair of first half goals to help the Hornets beat Attleboro and stay within three points of first place OA. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


MANSFIELD, Mass. – For the opening 15 minutes, the visiting Bombardiers controlled the play, dominating the midfield and pushing Mansfield back on its heels. In the 10th minute, Will Halben cut inside on his right foot and found space on the edge of the box. His shot beat Mansfield goalie Nick Ferraz, but not the post.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Five minutes later, Hornets senior midfielder Sam Hyland had the ball bounce to his foot inside the 18-yard-box and also saw his shot carom off the post, but the rebound went straight to classmate Sean Lanzillo and he buried his shot into the open net.

The opening goal changed the entire outlook of the game and propelled the Hornets to a 3-0 victory over Attleboro that moves Mansfield within three points of division-leading Oliver Ames with three games remaining in the regular season.

“Our first 15 minutes, I don’t think we played well at all,” admitted Mansfield coach Steve Sheridan. “We were lucky on that goal and that’s why I called a timeout after it to settle everybody down. After that first 15 minutes, I thought we played great. They were attacking us and we played good defense, it was a great game.”

Attleboro coach Peter Pereira said, “Us hitting the bar right away was tough. If he had gotten that then it would’ve been a totally different game. The first 20 minutes we ran and we denied them from playing so they couldn’t get going.”

Following Sheridan’s timeout, the Hornets settled into the game, started to possess the ball better, and played through the midfield. In the 28th minute, the hosts almost doubled the lead when Cullin Anastasia started a break with an outlet pass to Lanzillo, who then fed Hyland but the shot was saved by Nick Hasenfus. Seconds later Anastasia beat the offside trap but again Hasenfus made the stop.

“You can’t sustain it that long, it’s just too much running,” said Pereira about his team’s drop off after the midway point of the half. “You go a goal down and your energy level disappears.”

In the 29th minute, Mansfield got another break on a deflection. Luke Devine’s run was cut off by Attleboro center backs Aidan Lancaster and Colin Levis, but the ball bounced out to Lanzillo who hit a perfect, first time shot from 19 yards that curled over Hasenfus for a 2-0 lead.

“He curled it in,” said Sheridan with a laugh. “That was nice, I can’t wait to watch it.”

In the second half, Mansfield pressed its advantage and created a series of chances. Lanzillo’s cross from the right wing was headed on target by Anastasia but saved by Attleboro back-up keeper Andre Menard and two minutes later another low cross into the middle to Hyland was cut out by a sliding Levis.

In the 55th minute, central defender Sam Nugent slid a pass to spring Lanzillo down the touchline, but his cross was just behind Hyland in the middle. That turned out to be a warning for the Attleboro defense, as just a minute later Lanzillo played in Anastasia on the right and he picked out Hyland with a low cross that was side-footed in.

Pereira said, “We work hard and even after that we continued to work hard. We can play touch, but it gets into your head. Losing breeds losing and winning breads winning, we’re not confident.”

It could have been more for the Hornets. Jared Gabrilowitz cut in from the left side and had his right-footed shot saved by Menard at full stretch. From the ensuing corner, Michael Russo was forced to clear a shot off the line.

“We should’ve had more goals but…we can’t finish,” said Sheridan. ”To have that many opportunities, especially in that second half, and we’ve got to finish them.”

Attleboro struggled to sustain a consistent attack. Russo had a shot saved early in the second half and David Medeiros had an 18-yard shot comfortably saved by Ferraz (four saves).

The best chance for the Bombardiers came in the 70th minute, as Russo got forward down the left wing and sent an inch-perfect cross to Halben at the back post only to see the shot come back off the crossbar.

“The good news is this is a two-year project,” said Pereira about his young roster. “The starting lineup is back. Now we’re going to have some fun, work hard, get better as individuals and if they do that then we’ll be a better team.”

For Sheridan, it was a positive to see his team get on the score sheet multiple times, especially with the playoffs right around the corner. He joked, “Oh yeah, it was nice. I liked it. I would like to score more than three goals a game but we’re stubborn and we like to make it hard on ourselves.”

Mansfield (8-2-5, 8-1-4) will host Franklin on Thursday, while Attleboro (1-8-4, 1-8-4) will try to play spoiler when it hosts league-leading Oliver Ames.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/13/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Game of the Week – Football – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from the game.
North Attleboro, 35 @ Stoughton, 21 – Final
1st Quarter: (S) Alex Sjoquist 2-yard rush, Josh Cocchi XP good; (NA) Nick Raneri 6-yard rush, Geoff Wilson XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) Chad Peterson 4-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good; (S) Justin Ly 65-yard rush, J. Cocchi XP good.
3rd Quarter: (NA) C.Peterson 1-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good.
4th Quarter: (NA) Nathan Pearce 8-yard rush, G. Wilson XP good; (NA) C. Peterson 2-yard rush, G. Wilson good; (S) Johnny Medina 51-yard pass to J. Ly, J. Cocchi XP good.

Football
Mansfield, 31 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from the game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Michael DeBolt 26-yard field goal; (M) Aidan Sacco 27-yard fumble return, M. DeBolt XP good; (M) Damani Scott 53-yard pass to M. DeBolt, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) D. Scott 18-yard pass to Hunter Ferreira, M. DeBolt XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) A. Sacco 2-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (A) Joseph Llanos 14-yard rush, Tyler Evans XP good.

Foxboro, 24 @ Milford, 30 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Sean Lehane 42-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: (F) Mike Henri 4-yard rush, Russell Neale XP good; (M) Colby Pires 32-yard pass to Will Pointer, S. Lehane XP good; (F) M. Henri 4-yard rush, R. Neale XP good; (F) R. Neale 39-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (F) M. Henri 31-yard rush, R. Neale XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Ryan Pearl 4-yard pass to Joey Everett, S. Lehane XP good; (M) W. Pointer 31-yard rush, S. Lehane XP good; (M) Ryan O’Toole 62-yard rush, 2pt failed.

Taunton, 14 @ Franklin, 21 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (F) Jake Noviello 71-yard pass to Ryan Driscoll, Matt Zucco XP good; (F) Nick Gordon 3-yard rush, M. Zucco XP good; (F) J. Noviello 31-yard pass to Sean Leonard, M. Zucco XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 1-yard rush, John Teixeira XP good; (T) N. Leonard 15-yard pass to Jahmeir Lewis, J. Teixeira XP good.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 42 – Final
1st Quarter: (KP) Shane Frommer 10-yard rush, Cole Baker XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) S. Frommer 12-yard rush, C. Baker XP; (KP) S. Frommer 17-yard rush, C. Baker XP good; (KP) Brendan Lydon 17-yard pass to Andrew Dittrich, Cole Baker XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 4-yard rush, Lazar Rogosie XP good; (KP) R. Halliday 5-yard rush, L. Rogosie XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Boys Soccer
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro freshman Joey Soucy scored his first career goal inside the first 10 minutes of the game to help the Bombardiers earn their first win of the season.

Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro scored three goals in the opening 10 minutes and never looked back in a win over visiting Sharon. Shane VandenBoom, Nic Biegel, and Matt Rongione each scored to give the Warriors a 3-0 lead. VandenBoom converted a penalty kick in the second half for the final tally. VandenBoom also had an assist, as did keeper Bobby Harrison.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Matt Alvarado scored his first of two goals in the first half and Oliver Ames added three more in the second half to grab two points on the road. Alvarado’s goal, assisted by Nathaniel Cardoza, gave the visitor’s a 1-0 lead at the break. Michael Nikiciuk put OA up 2-0 before the Panthers cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Alvardo and James Gillespie added goals to give the Tigers insurance. Cardoza finished with three assists while Brandin Osborne had one.

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield scored three goals in the second half to turn a close game into a big win on the road. Cullin Anastasia opened the scoring on a Luke Savoie corner in the 34th minute to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead at the break. Sam Hyland converted off another Savoie corner in the 58th minute to make it 2-0. Four minutes later, Anastasia grabbed his second on a penalty kick. Jackson Murphy capped the scoring in the 70th minute on an assist from Colin Caridi. Nick Ferraz made three saves for his fourth shutout of the season.

Milford, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Milford scored once in each half to pick up two points on the road at Stoughton. Sophomore Walisson de Oliveira kept his hot streak going, opening the scoring in the first half on a volley on a feed from Joey Madden. Anthony Salvadore added an unassisted tally in the second half for the Scarlet Hawks. MHS head coach Brian Edwards said freshman Leo Coelho and sophomore Bryan Traya both played great in the midfield.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 6 – Final – The Warriors got a combined five goals and six assists from sophomores Avery Snead and Chloe Layne to stay in a tie at the top of the Kelley-Rex standings. Makayla Griffin opened the scoring in the second minute off a Layne assist and then Layne added her first 14 minutes later on a Snead assist. Four minutes later, Layne set up Snead for a third goal. Julia Hayes scored off a 20-yard free kick for Attleboro’s lone goal, but KP added three in the second half. Layne scored on a Snead assist five minutes after the break and then the same combo added another four minutes later. In the 58th minute, Snead added an unassisted goal to wrap up the scoring.

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro set the tone early, scoring the opener less than three minutes into the game. Big Red then added one late in the first half and two more in the final five minutes of the game. Kayla Pasquel netted the opener on an assist from Aine Mendonca in the third minute. Haley Guertin, assisted by Leah Jette, made it 2-0 with just two minutes to play in the first half. Emma Gaulin made it 3-0 in favor of Big Red with four minutes left in the game off an assist from Ashlyn Gaulin and then Guertin finished the scoring on a feed from Haley Ferrin with just a minute to play. Emma Noreck earned the shutout in net – “with a smothering defense in front of her,” said NAHS head coach Bill Wallace.

Foxboro, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Foxboro took a 2-0 lead into halftime and broke the game open with four goals in the second half. Mackenzie Fraser netted a pair of goals for the Warriors while Lily Sykes, Shaina Abbott, Katelyn Mollica and Yara Fawaz each scored once. “We played with a lot of energy and passion today,” noted Foxboro head coach Katie Stalcup.

Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Jackie Mills scored a last-minute goal, her second of the game, to secure a dramatic two points for the Tigers. Franklin had a chance from the penalty spot in the second half, but OA defender Maggie Ault stepped in between the pipes (starting goalie Regan Benton was forced to the bench with a yellow card) and made the save. Anabella Walsh and Abby Reardon had assists for the Tigers.

Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets stayed in a first-place tie atop the Kelley-Rex behind a Stephanie Kemp brace. Cassidy McMahon added a goal and two assists and Emily Vigeant scored one for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 1 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Milford senior Leeanne Kibbee and Ashleigh Starks each scored a pair of goals as Milford cruised to a win at home. Senior Maggie Boyle also found the back of the net while freshman goalie Carly Ferreira notched her first career win. Mia Greene had the goal for the Black Knights.

Volleyball
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – King Philip bounced back from an opening set loss to earn a win on the road, beating Attleboro 19-25, 25-15, 25-18, 25-9. Sydney Phillips led the offense with 11 kills, Michaela Palumbo had five kills with five service points, including four aces and Rachael Veillieux had 18 service points, including eight aces. Kat Kmetz added 10 service points and five kills and Grace Ely chipped in with five kills.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Despite falling behind 2-0, North Attleboro rallied with three straight wins to pick up a big division win on the road (20-25, 22-25, 25-15, 25-8, 15-8). Amelia Murphy led the offense with 22 kills and four blocks while classmate Kezia De La Cruz had 15 kills and four aces. Leah Marceau put the offense in motion with 28 assists. For Canton, Nicole Brown had 20 assists, 11 digs, and four kills, Hannah Jerrier had 10 kills, and Megan McDonough had 15 digs and a pair of aces.

Sharon, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin junior Lauren McGrath spread the ball around in the Panthers sweep of the Tigers, recording 29 assists as well as three kills and two aces. Maggie Doyle (four blocks), Meaghan Maguire (two blocks) and Hailey Sanders (block) each had six kills for Franklin. For Oliver Ames, Katie Flynn had seven kills while junior Sadie Homer had 22 serve receptions and 10 digs.

Mansfield, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield snapped its three-game skid with a 25-23, 25-13, 25-14 win on the road at Taunton. Meg Hill had a team-high 18 kills while Julia Harrison added 10 kills. Emma Ascoli had 28 assists and 10 service points and Lexi Gardner had 17 service points and four kills.

Milford, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton picked up its 13th win of the season with a 3-1 decision over visiting Milford. Senior Val Whalen led the way for the Black Knights with 13 kills, 14 digs, and nine aces while Junior Hanna Holden chipped in with 13 digs and eight assists.

Golf
Canton, 170 @ Sharon, 176 – Final – Canton’s Thomas Singleton and Sharon’s Corey Carter shared match medalist honors, each carding a round of 40 but the Bulldogs came away with a close win. Joey Vaughan shot a 41 whole Chris Lavoie added a round of 44 in the win. Matt Grosser shot a round of 44 for the Eagles.

Franklin, 168 vs. Medway, 170 – Final

Oliver Ames, 145 @ King Philip, 159 – Final – Oliver Ames seniors Ryan McGarry and Mark Bissonette earned co-medalist honors, each carding a low-round of 35 to lead the Tigers to their 12th win of the season. Nolan Donze shot a 37 and Matt Kelley added a round of 38 in the win.

Taunton, 100 @ New Bedford, 73 – Final (Stableford) – Taunton picked up a win on the road, beating New Bedford in a match decided by Stableford points system. Jack Patneaude led the way with a 42 for the Tigers while Spencer Andrews shot a 43 and Jack Giebel carded a 44.

OA Breaks Through Late To Earn Draw With Mansfield

Oliver Ames boys soccer
Oliver Ames’ Matt Alvarado (left) takes a shot past Mansfield’s Derek Mueth while goalie Nick Ferraz looks on. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
MANSFIELD, Mass. – Oliver Ames head coach John Barata was starting to run out of fingers to count his side’s chances in the second half alone.

And as the chances went calling, and the minutes ticked by, Barata began to wonder if his side would be shut out for the first time in league play this year.

“I’ll be honest, we didn’t know if it was just going to be one of those nights,” Barata said. “I believe in these kids, but I wasn’t sure if it just was going to be one of those nights. Mansfield is a very good team but I believe we were the better team tonight.

“We had an unbelievable amount of chances. They cleared some off the line, they blocked shots in the area. It was a high-intensity atmosphere. Steve [Sheridan] does a great job, they’re such a good team.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Tigers had complete control of the match for the first 25 minutes of the second half, but all they had to show for it was four corner kicks and four long attacking throws that were thwarted by Mansfield defense. And a 1-0 deficit to the Hornets, who scored midway through the first half.

But finally in the 68th minute, on the team’s fifth long throw in the attacking third, there was a breakthrough. Chris Lawrence’s toss was cleared away by Mansfield’s defense, but only to just outside the top of the area. OA senior Mason Galbato put his laces on the ball, driving a low line drive through traffic and into the back of the net, helping OA finish 1-1 with the Hornets.

“It was a great tie,” MHS head coach Steve Sheridan said. “I was hoping to get two points, but they pressuring too much in the second half so we’ll take the point. [Oliver Ames] is a great team.”

The first half was a bit more even, with Mansfield even having the better chances in the opening half hour. Senior Sean Lanzillo tested OA early, ripping a right footed shot in the fourth minute from just outside the area but Tigers’ goalie Jack Carroll was up to the task at the near post.

OA registered its first chance 10 minutes later, when the Tigers forced a turnover in the attacking third. James Gillespie was quick to play senior Nick Bloumbas, and Bloumbas’ shot from distance forced a diving save.

Mansfield finally broke through in the 21st minute. Nick Wisnieski centered a pass that was partially cleared by OA, but not past Mansfield senior Sam Hyland just a step inside the area. When the ball fell to him, he buried his shot into the upper corner at the far post, giving the Hornets a 1-0 lead.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Hornets nearly doubled their lead inside the same minute when Lanzillo dropped a pass in behind OA’s defense, leaving Hyland in alone on goal. But Carroll came out and made the big stop, with Colin Evin first to the rebound to make the clearance.

The Tigers had a chance just before half, again on the back of a long throw from Lawrence. This time senior Michael Nikiciuk got a touch at the near post but Mansfield’s Jackson Murphy did well to clear the loose ball.

“It’s a great tie,” Barata said. “The boys weren’t happy with the tie because we felt we were the better team. However…on the road, a D1 team, they are undefeated, we go down early. Coming back showed a lot of maturity.”

The second half was full of chances for OA.

In the 44th minute, Nathaniel Cardoza – who shined in midfield for OA – got his head to a throw, but it was over the bar.

In the 54th minute, Jack Sheldon played a short corner to Matt Alvarado, but his low shot to the near post was saved by Mansfield keeper Nick Ferraz.

In the 56th minute, Cam Vella got his head to a long throw, giving Gillespie a chance inside the box but Mansfield’s Derek Mueth came up with a key block.

Three minutes later, a long throw put the ball into the area but both Cardoza and Alvarado had shots from inside the area blocked away.

In the 66th minute, Gillespie played a low cross to the near post that found Matt Campbell, but his bid was blocked by right in front by Mansfield’s Sam Nugent.

“We did good defensively,” Sheridan said. “I have to look at the tape to see exactly what happened on their goal. My goal was to stay undefeated after tonight, and we still are. So we still control our own destiny.”

Oliver Ames finally broke through two minutes later on Galbato’s strike.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Each team had a chance in the final five minutes. For OA, Campbell played a low cross to the near post, but Ferraz made the charging save before Cardoza could get a touch.

And for Mansfield, Mueth played a ball in behind the OA defense but the spin on the bounce fooled Carroll and ended up just wide at the far post.

Oliver Ames boys soccer (6-1-2 overall, 6-0-2 Hockomock) returns to action on Wednesday when it starts the second half of its crossover games with Milford coming to visit. Mansfield (6-0-3, 6-0-2) will entertain Sharon on Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/28/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Game of the Week – Football
Mansfield, 10 @ King Philip, 28 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.
1st Quarter: (M) Danny DeGirolamo 39-yard run, Mike DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) M. DeBolt 37-yard field goal; (KP) Shane Frommer 96-yard interception return, Cole Baker XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (KP) Brendan Lydon 19-yard pass to Dylan Leonard, C. Baker XP good, B. Lydon 31-yard pass to Thomas Madden, C. Baker XP good; S. Frommer 47-yard run, C. Baker XP good.

Football
Foxboro, 27 @ Canton, 21 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (F) Mike Henri 5-yard rush, XP missed.
3rd Quarter: (C) Alec Ragusa 59-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) Devin Hassett 13-yard pass to Jack O’Donnell, D. Hassett 2pt pass to J. O’Donnell; (C) Kyle Fitzgerald 2-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good; (F) D. Hassett 1-yard sneak, Russell Neale XP good; (C) Johnny Hagan 70-yard pass to Tony Harris, O. Lehane XP good.
Overtime: (F) D. Hassett 6-yard pass to J. O’Donnell.

Franklin, 22 @ Oliver Ames, 40 – Final
1st Quarter: (OA) Noah Fitzgerald 29-yard rush, XP no good; (OA) Anthony Berksza 15-yard rush, XP no good.
2nd Quarter: (F) Jake Noviello 20-yard pass to Jack Nally, XP no good; (OA) A. Berksza 19-yard rush, Curtis Cann 2pt pass to A. Berksza; (OA) C. Cann 34-yard pass to Ralph Derolus, A. Berksza 2pt rush; (F) J. Noviello 25-yard pass to Sean Leonard, J. Noviello 2pt pass to Evan Wendell.
3rd Quarter: (OA) Michael Mulrean 50-yard interception return, Derick Hanscom XP good; (F) Nick Gordon 4-yard rush, J. Noviello 2pt pass to S. Leonard.
4th Quarter: (OA) A. Berksza 7-yard rush, D. Hanscom XP good.

Stoughton, 33 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (Sto) Evan Gibb 1-yard rush, XP blocked; (Sto) Justin Ly 11-yard rush, 2pt failed;
3rd Quarter: (Sto) E. Gibb 1-yard rush, E. Gibb 2pt pass to Ruben Gonzalez; (Sto) Jason Joseph 50-yard fumble return, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (Sto) J. Ly 1-yard rush, XP good.

Boys Soccer
Franklin, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Foxboro, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Mansfield, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Mansfield built a 1-0 lead at halftime and added two more in the second half to pick up a win on the road at KP. Jackson Murphy opened the scoring on an assist from Sean Lanzillo to put the Hornets ahead. Cullin Anastasia scored what proved to be the game-winner with a penalty kick in the second half and then added an insurance goal on an assist from Sam Hyland. Mansfield goalie Nick Ferraz made 11 saves in the win.

Milford, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro scored all three of its goals in the second half to pick up a key division win over Milford. Big Red went up 1-0 when Gabe Pinhancos scored just under eight minutes into the second half, running onto a flick from junior Joe Hilf and converting. Pinhancos made it 2-0 just three minutes later, heading in a cross from Zach Matracia. Milford cut the deficit in half in the 62nd minute when Anthony Salvador volleyed in a throw from Joey Madden. Nate Burns put the game away with his first career goal, scoring off a flick from Connor MacIver.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Matt Alvarado collected his third and fourth goals of the season, helping OA pick up two points on the road. Michael Nikiciuk netted his fourth goal of the season as well. Nathaniel Cardoza, Colin Evin and Cam Valla each had an assist in the win.

Sharon, 4 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Sharon had four different goal scorers in the win on the road. Tyler Hippler, Andrew Reyes-Jones, Tyler Goldstein and Michael Baur each found the back of the net for the Eagles.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin scored four times in the opening half hour to break the game wide open. Emily Mastaj, Halle Atkinson, Olivia Dellorco, and Sarah Yelle scored the goals for the Panthers before halftime and Molly Duncan added a fifth with five minutes left to play. Julia Hayes netted the lone goal for Attleboro. Breanna Atwood made five saves for the Panthers and Ashley Macia made five for the Bombardiers.

Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Katelyn Mollica scored what turned out to be the game-winner with 12 minutes remaining to extend Foxboro’s win streak to five games. Shaina Abbott had the opening goal on a volley from a Mackenzie Fraser assist before Mollica doubled the lead. Canton cut the lead to one with a late goal, but the Warriors held on for the win. Jamie DeVellis made eight saves to earn the win in goal.

King Philip, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Avery Snead scored one and set up the other to lift KP to a win over the defending Kelley-Rex champs and put the Warriors into a tie atop the standings. Chloe Layne opened the scoring off a Snead assist in the first half, firing a low shot into the corner. Kerina Geminiani equalized for the Hornets with a 25-yard free kick that sent the game into halftime 1-1. Snead scored the game-winner with 11 minutes remaining, sending her shot just past the outstretched arms of the Mansfield keeper. KP coach Gary Pichel credited his “great defensive line” for helping the Warriors earn the two points.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored all three of its goals inside the first half hour of the match and played a strong defensive game to earn the shutout. Ashlyn Gaulin opened the scoring in the 15th minute, converting a feed from Haley Guertin to make it 1-0. Guertin then doubled the lead off an assist from Kayla Pasquel before Emma Gaulin made it 3-0 in the 30th minute, with Leah Jette getting the assist. Emma Noreck made six saves for North to earn the shutout. Milford head coach Jay Mastaj said Briana Braza played well defensively for the Scarlet Hawks.

Taunton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – OA scored a pair of second half goals to come back from a goal down and pull out the win. Erin Holmberg scored off a through ball from Anna Tempestoso in the first minute after the break and Gabrielle McLaughlin netted the winner on an assist from Maeve Hogan. Samantha Tichelaar scored the lone goal of the game for Taunton in the opening minute. Alex Wapenski had the assist for Taunton.

Stoughton, 2 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Ally Filipkowski and Fallon Pfeifer both scored hat tricks for the Eagles and Filipkowski added an assist as well. Bridget McManus and Marika Fillon also had assists for Sharon. Stoughton got goals from Nicole Weir (off a cross from Brigid Pearl) and Mia Greene.

Field Hockey
Sharon, 2 vs. Bellingham, 2 – Final – Emily Locke scored both goals for the Eagles to earn the non-league tie.

Golf
Foxboro, 173 @ Stoughton, 189 – Final – Foxboro’s Dylan Quinn earned match medalist honors, carding a low-round of 41 for the Warriors. Brendan Campbell shot a team-low round of 42 for the Black Knights.

Attleboro, 197 @ North Attleboro, 198 – Final (5 cards) – It came down to a fifth card tiebreaker after rivals Attleboro and North Attleboro were knotted at 154. Kyle DelSignore led the Bombardiers with a par round of 35 while Corey McKenna carded a 38. Dylan Kane led North Attleboro, carding a 37 at the middle course of Heather Hill.

Milford, 165 @ Canton, 156 – Final – Canton’s Jack Goyetch carded a round of 37 to earn match medalist honors and help the Bulldogs pick up another key division win. Joey Vaughan finished with a 38 and Bubba McNeice chipped in with a round of 40. Zach Tammaro and Andrew Fauerbach each shot 39 for the Scarlet Hawks.

Sharon, 190 @ Mansfield, 171 – Final – Freshman Nathan Morreale carded a low-round of 41 while classmate Joseph Gormley shot a 42 to help the Hornets fend off visiting Sharon. Senior Brett Kessler, junior Jake DiSangro and freshman Brian See each carded a 44 for Mansfield.