Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 58 @ Attleboro, 62 – Final – Attleboro junior Justin Daniels hit a pair of three-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with a career-high 15 points to help the Bombardiers edge visiting Foxboro. The teams were knotted at 28 at halftime and again at 44 heading into the fourth quarter where Attleboro was able to make just enough plays to get the win. Qualeem Charles (10 rebounds) scored half of his 12 points in the fourth quarter while Bryant Ciccio (14 points), Nick McMahon, and Tim Callahan all scored in the final frame. Foxboro senior Ryan Hughes scored a career-high 20 points while Brandon Borde added 16 points, including nine in the final quarter to keep the Warriors in the game.
Canton, 44 @ Mansfield, 81 – Final – Mansfield’s TJ Guy, Matt Boen, and Sam Stevens each took a turn dominating a quarter as the Hornets cruised to a big win at home over visiting Canton. Guy scored nine of his 15 points in the opening quarter to help the hosts seize a 14-7 lead while Boen exploded for 12 of his 15 points in the second quarter to give Mansfield a 40-16 lead at the halftime break. Stevens took center stage in the third, netting 13 of his 14 points in the quarter as Mansfield extended its lead to 64-30. Canton junior Eric Mischler scored a team-high 21 points in the loss.
North Attleboro, 29 @ Franklin, 72 – Final – Franklin bounced back from its first loss in a big way, running away with a win against visiting North Attleboro. After a back-and-forth first quarter saw the Panthers take a 17-14 lead, Franklin’s defense clamped down and didn’t allow more than six points in a quarter the rest of the way. Franklin senior Brayden Sullivan scored a career-high 28 points, hitting on a three-pointer in each of the first three quarters while going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Chris Edgehill added 16 points in the win for Franklin while sophomore Brody Rosenberg netted a team-high nine points for North Attleboro.
Milford, 58 @ Taunton, 59 – Final – Taunton junior Josh Lopes sank a pair of free throws with six seconds left in the game to push the Tigers’ lead to two possessions, securing a win over visiting Milford. The Tigers, who led 22-16 after a quarter, threatened to pull away in the second quarter when they pushed their lead to 10 but Milford’s Sean Murray came off the bench, took a pair of charges and scored six points to help the Hawks go into halftime down just one. Another even quarter had the teams tied at 44-44 heading into the fourth quarter. Taunton junior Tyler Stewart scored six of his team-high 17 points in the final quarter while sophomore Trent Santos hit a big three in the final quarter, finishing with 15 points. Limited to three points through three quarters, Lopes had a big bucket and the key free throws in the fourth to seal the win. Sophomore Tristan Herry added 11 points for the hosts. Milford junior Jordan Darling had a game-high 21 points while Ben Blanchard added 17 points for the Hawks.
Sharon, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 77 – Final – After jumping out to a 15-5 lead through a quarter of action, Oliver Ames scored 23 points in the second quarter to double its lead by halftime. Oliver Ames put the game away with a strong third, adding 21 more points to seize a 59-28 lead through 24 minutes of action. OA junior Amari Brown had a strong start, scoring seven of his team-high 18 points in the opening quarter and went 7-for-10 from the line to help the Tigers get the win. Senior Jay Spillane had nine points of his 13 points in the second quarter and Ryan Burkett finished with 10 points for OA, who had 10 players get in the scoring column. Aidan Kane recorded a team-high 12 points for Sharon.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 44 @ Foxboro, 65 – Final – Three players scored in double digits for the Warriors to pick up the win against Attleboro. Katelyn Mollica continued her strong season with a team-high 19 and Lizzy Davis added 13. Foxboro also got strong play in the paint from Shakirah Ketant, who scored 12 points in the win.
Mansfield, 56 @ Canton, 61 – Final – Canton led by six after the first quarter, eight at halftime, and by nine heading into the fourth quarter but was never able to pull away from the Hornets, who scored 20 points in the final eight minutes to keep within striking distance. Kiara Cerruti scored 13 of her 16 points in the second half, including nine in the fourth, to help the Bulldogs hold on. Sydney Gallery also scored 16 for Canton, all in the first half. Fay Gallery added 10 and Lilah Milton had eight points. Point guard Carly Fitzgerald scored seven points and Canton coach Jim Choquette praised her for a great all-around game, including her defense, rebounding, and care with the ball. Kayla Vine was the top scorer for Mansfield with 16 points. Ashley Santos chipped in with 11 and Brooke Berube finished with 10 points.
Franklin, 53 @ North Attleboro, 33 – Final – Franklin remained unbeaten with a road win at North Attleboro. The Panthers scored 24 points in the first quarter to get off to a perfect start, led by 18 at the half, and then held North to only three points in the third to put the game away. Ali Brigham was the game’s top scorer with 26 points and Olivia Quinn put up 13 for the Panthers. Franklin also used its advantage in the paint to dominate on the glass. On a rough shooting night for the Rocketeers, Regan Fein led the way with nine points and Amanda Kaiser added eight.
King Philip, 69 @ Stoughton, 39 – Final – KP built a 14-point lead at halftime and continued to pull away throughout the second half. Emma Glaser and Faith Roy paced the KP offense, each scoring 12 points, while Faye Veilleux added 10. Aliyah Wright was Stoughton’s top scorer with a game-high 16 points.
Oliver Ames, 48 @ Sharon, 17 – Final – Oliver Ames shrugged off a slow start to build a 10-point lead at halftime and never looked back to earn a win on the road. The Tigers led just 5-4 after a quarter but pushed the advantage to 21-11 at halftime. OA’s defense continued to shine in the second half, holding the Eagles to just six points. Caroline Flynn led OA with 10 points while Tate Hadges added nine points.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 4 vs. Westwood, 5 – Final – Franklin went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in the state in Westwood but the Wolverines scored with less than a minute to go in the game to earn the win. The teams traded a pair of first period goals with Katelyn Brown and Libby Carter (from Lyndsey Atkinson and Amanda Lewandowski) but the Wolverines scored two straight in the second period to seize the lead. Carter scored in the final minute of the second to make it a one goal game and Lewandowski scored six minutes into the third period to bring the Panthers level. Westwood scored with 45 seconds to play to get the win.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 91 @ Oliver Ames, 74 – Final
Results: 200 Medley Relay: 1. Oliver Ames (Nick Farley, Ben Turner, Anthony Carraggi, Ryan Moore) – 1:57.72 | 2. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, Anthony Burns, Aaron Dumont, Zack Moore) – 2:24.61 | 3. Attleboro (Aiden Moore, Ninad Bartakke, Brady Dumont, Aidrinn Nottage) – 2:52.44 200 Free: 1. Colton Mangion, Att – 2:18.03 | 2. Dylan Nisbet, Att – 2:20.76 | 3. Cormac Ganshirt, OA – 2:21.21 200 IM: 1. Ben Turner, OA – 2:14.41 | 2. Damien Geltrade, Att – 2:41.66 | 3. Zack Dorrance, Att – 3:08.79 50 Free: 1. Anthony Carraggi, OA – 23.59 | 2. Brett Wortham, Att – 27.40 | 3. Nick Farley, OA – 27.72 100 Fly: 1. Ben Turner, OA – 58.75 | 2. Alex Harrop, Att – 1:05.13 | 3. Zack Dorrance, Att – 1:28.88 100 Free: 1. Anthony Carraggi, OA – 52.06 | 2. Matt Marcil, Att – 55.28 | 3. Evan Foltz, OA – 58.91 500 Free: 1. Colton Mangion, Att – 6:33.81 | 2. Cormac Ganshirt, OA – 6:40:38 | 3. Robert Winkler, Att – 7:22.76 200 Free Relay: 1. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Zack Dorrance, Dylan Nisbet, Brett Wortham) – 1:44.30 | 2. Oliver Ames (Alex Priajinski, Evan Foltz, Nick Farley, Cormac Ganshirt) – 1:51.81 | 3. Attleboro (Colton Mangion, Brandon Sanford, Zack Moore, Alex Harrop) – 1:23.31 100 Back: 1. Matt Marcil, Att – 1:04.84 | 2. Naaman Wheeler, OA – 1:23.00 | 3. Andrew Greaves, Att – 1:23.31 100 Breast: 1. Evan Foltz, OA – 1:16.31 | 2. Anthony Burns, Att – 1:37.72 | 3. Ninad Burtakke, Att – 1:47.69 400 Free Relay: 1. Oliver Ames (Anthony Carraggi, Evan Foltz, Ryan Moore, Ben Turner) – 3:48.31 | 2. Attleboro (Alex Harrop, Zack Dorrance, Damien Geltrude, Colton Mangion) – 4:14.66 | 3. Attleboro (Dylan Nisbet, Andrew Greaves, Justin Wennerberg, Robert Winkler) – 4:36.24
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 72 @ Oliver Ames, 90 – Final
Results: 200 Medley Relay: 3. Attleboro – 2:22.13 200 Free: 4. Ally Cronin, Att | 5. Olivia Mastandrea, Att 200 IM: 3. Shanis Tolliver, Att | 5. Lily Schuerger, Att 50 Free: 2. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att – 27:09 (sectional qualifier) | 4. Brenna O’Connell, Att 100 Fly: 3. Lily Schuerger, Att | 5. Victoria Greaves, Att 100 Free: 1. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 59.76 | 5. Brenna O’Connell, Att 500 Free: 3. Faith Morrison, Att | 5. Jenna Torres, Att 200 Free Relay: 2. Attleboro (Ella Lynch-Bartek, Brenna O’Connell, Rachel Priestley, Jackie Lynch-Bartek) 100 Back: 1. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:09.72 | 2. Olivia Mastandrea, Att | 3. Ally Cronin, Att 100 Breast: 1. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:13.03 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att | 3. Rachel Priestley, Att 400 Free: 1. Attleboro (Ella Lynch-Bartek, Brenna O’Connell, Faith Morrison, Jackie Lynch-Bartek) – 4:18.81 | 2. Attleboro (Ally Cronin, Shanise Tolliver, Jenna Torres, Rena Danho)
Boys Basketball
King Philip, 54 @ Attleboro, 62 – Final – Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio connected on a key three-pointer in the final minutes of the game and went 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the final quarter to help the Bombardiers pull out a win over visiting King Philip. With the game tied 42-42 through 24 minutes of action, Ciccio netted eight of his team-high 15 points in the final quarter while classmate Qualeem Charles (12 rebounds) netted half of his 12 points in the fourth. Nick McMahon (nine points) and Jason Weir (six rebounds) also had key buckets in the fourth for Attleboro. King Philip, which led by three after a quarter (19-16) and outscored the hosts in the third to bring the game even heading into the fourth, got 25 points from senior Alex Fritz while classmate Andrew McKinney added 10 points.
Sharon, 43 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Canton won each quarter but it was its lopsided second quarter that created the necessary separation to secure a win over visiting Sharon. The Dogs held a 14-11 lead through eight minutes but limited the Eagles to just five points in the second while its offense produced its best frame of the game with 17 points, creating a 31-16 advantage at halftime. Junior Eric Mischler drained three of his five triples in the second quarter, totaling 11 of his career-high 25 points in the frame to help Canton create its big lead. Nick Cushman gave the Bulldogs a big boost, scoring nine second half points while senior Kyle Fitzgerald scored all seven of his points after the break. Andrew Burton scored a team-high 12 points for the Eagles, who were limited to just one three-pointer in the second half and three total for the game. Caleb Gayle added 10 points for Sharon.
Stoughton, 46 @ Foxboro, 64 – Final – Foxboro had one of its best offensive quarters of the season, exploding for 26 points in the third quarter to turn a close game into a runaway win over visiting Stoughton. The Warriors built a 16-10 lead through eight minutes and took a 26-19 advantage into the locker room at halftime. A 7-0 run to start the third sparked the big quarter as Foxboro held a 52-35 advantage with one quarter to play. Senior Brandon Borde scored seven of his team-high 21 points in the third, Ryan Hughes had six of his nine points, Will Morrison (10 points) drained a pair of three-pointers, and Kevin Gallagher added a trifecta of his own. Senior Tahkwan Gates Brown netted a team-high 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace the Black Knights. Ahmad Jahed and Myles Grigalunas-Powell each chipped in with eight points.
Milford, 56 @ North Attleboro, 46 – Final – Milford built its lead over the first two quarters and got key contributions up and down the lineup to stay in front the rest of the way. The Scarlet Hawks jumped ahead 19-12 after a quarter and pushed the advantage to 29-20 at halftime. Milford senior Colby Pires scored 13 of his career-high 23 points in the first quarter whole Ralph Franklin Jr. (eight points) and Matty Varteresian (six points) combined to score all 10 of Milford’s second quarter points. Pires went back to work in the third, hitting two more threes while Jordan Darling and Dom Schofield also scored to keep Milford up 43-33 going into the fourth. Junior Ben Blanchard helped put the game away with an early three, scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth. Junior Edan Kelley scored a career-high 17 points to pace the Rocketeers, who were without leading scorer George Ladd (illness). Ethan Friberg added 13 points for North.
Mansfield, 71 @ Oliver Ames, 59 – Final – Trailing at halftime and holding just a one-point lead after three quarters of action, the Hornets used a strong start to the fourth quarter to pull away from the win. Five Hornets factored into the fourth quarter scoring with senior Sam Stevens scoring seven of his 19 points, junior TJ Guy adding six of his 20 points, and Cincere Gill giving the visitors a boost with five of his seven points. Drew Rooney (seven points) and Matt Boen (16 points) also scored in the fourth, a period in which the Hornets won 22-11. Oliver Ames had a 24-point second quarter to take a halftime lead. Junior Amari Brown scored seven of his game-high 24 points in the second while Jay Spillane had seven of his 12 points and Ryan Burkett netted six of his 11 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 44 @ King Philip, 62 – Final – KP broke the game open by winning the third quarter 18-6 and pushing the lead out to double digits. Emma Glaser was the top scorer for the Warriors with 14 points. Faye Veilleux and Claire Keswick each scored 11 in the win.
Canton, 44 @ Sharon, 20 – Final – Canton locked down on the defensive end in the fourth quarter, holding the Eagles to just two points and running away with a road win. The Bulldogs led by only two points after one quarter (8-6) and extended that to six (17-11) low-scoring first half. Canton held Sharon to single digits in all four quarters and extended the lead to 28-18 heading into the final eight minutes. Fay Gallery paced the visitors with 15 points and Kiara Cerruti scored 10. Lilah Milton added eight points and freshman Erin Beatty made her varsity debut and added to the team’s strong defense in the fourth.
Foxboro, 79 @ Stoughton, 39 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. For the second time this season, Foxboro shutout an opponent in the first quarter, while scoring more than 20 points of their own. The Warriors raced out to a 23-0 lead after the opening eight minutes, extending the lead to 31-0 before Stoughton got on the board. Foxboro led 49-11 at halftime. The second half was just about even, with the Black Knights continuing to battle despite the deficit. Katelyn Mollica scored 27 points through three quarters, burying seven three-pointers in the process, but Foxboro had a number of players step up. Jamie DeVellis came off the bench and scored 11 points, Lizzy Davis scored 10 points, and Hannah Blake scored nine. Abby Hassman (nine rebounds and five assists), Shakirah Ketant (eight rebounds) and Yara Fawaz (11 rebounds and six assists) each scored six points. Shyanne Trinh scored 22 points over the final three quarters and Aliyah Wright added seven points (six in the fourth quarter).
Taunton, 18 @ Franklin, 66 – Final – Ali Brigham scored 17 points and Olivia Quinn added 12 to help the Panthers continue their unbeaten start to the season.
Oliver Ames, 58 @ Mansfield, 38 – Final – The Tigers took control from the start, leading 18-4 after the first quarter and 33-12 at the half to earn a road win and extend their win streak to four. Caroline Peper scored 13 to lead the way for OA, while Tate Hadges and Jess Erlich each scored nine. For the second straight game, Kayla Vine scored 20 points to lead Mansfield. Ashley Santos chipped in with eight in the loss.
North Attleboro, 53 @ Milford, 23 – Final – North Attleboro tossed a shutout in the second quarter, outscoring the Hawks 15-0 in the frame, and allowed only two points in the first half. Big Red led 24-2 at the break, but Milford won the third quarter 11-10. North pulled away with 19 points in the fourth. Amanda Kaiser caught fire from three-point range, knocking down five shots from beyond the arc, on her way to a game-high 19 points. Regan Fein scored 15 and Summer Doherty scored 11 in the win. North coach Nikki Correia praised her team’s full-court defense and the control that the Rocketeers played with on the other end.
Boys Swimming
Canton @ North Attleboro, 7:00
Sharon @ Foxboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 73 @ Franklin, 92 – Final
Milford @ Stoughton, 6:00
Girls Swimming
Canton @ North Attleboro, 7:00
Sharon @ Foxboro, 7:00
Mansfield, 56 @ Franklin, 107 – Final
Milford @ Stoughton, 6:00
Attleboro’s Bryant Ciccio (left) and Qualeem Charles (35) double team North Attleboro’s Edan Kelley (15) in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – For three quarters, not much could separate rivals Attleboro and North Attleboro on the hardwood inside Kenneth Pickering gymnasium.
A two-point lead for the visitors after a quarter, a tied game at the halftime break, and just a one-point advantage for the Bombardiers made it anyone’s game heading into the final frame.
And even two minutes into the final quarter, just one basket separated the rivals with Attleboro holding onto to a 45-43 lead.
But just like that, the Bombardiers flexed their muscles on both ends of the court. Attleboro hit six of their next seven attempts from the floor with the lone miss hauled in for an offensive rebound that resulted in two free throws. And defensively, the Rocketeers missed three shots while committing four turnovers.
The result was an 18-0 run that turned the game on its head and a close contest into a comfortable 63-46 win for the Bombardiers.
“We made that run because we played defense,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “You can’t score 18 straight if you’re giving up baskets on the other end. We talk about being consistently good on defense and during that segment, we were very good.
“We went to a little different look on offense and we were able to spread them out a little bit. Obviously, when you make shots it changes everything. But we were stagnant on offense but it was because their defense kind of made us play like that.”
North Attleboro junior George Ladd (eight points, five assists) finished off a tough layup through contact to bring the hosts within 45-43 with 6:01 left on the clock.
Nick McMahon (nine points, seven assists) penetrated the North Attleboro zone and kicked it out to classmate Tim Callahan (17 points) for his fifth trifecta of the game, a shot that sparked the Attleboro offense.
Attleboro got a stop on the other end and senior Bryant Ciccio (15 points) sank a difficult baseline jumper before the Rocketeers had an empty trip. Ciccio took a pass from Jason Weir at the top of the key and sank another three for the Bombardiers, putting the visitors up 53-43 with just under four minutes to play.
North’s turnover woes (16 in total) factored in as Ciccio came up with a steal, the play resulting in two made free throws from Qualeem Charles (16 points, nine rebounds). It was near deja vu on the ensuing Rocketeer possession as Ciccio stripped the ball free and went in for an uncontested layup.
“We have to have more urgency at all times,” said North Attleboro coach Sean Mulkerrins. “When the moment gets big, we can’t change our focus level or let the scoreboard dictate how we play. It’s a hard lesson for our guys to learn but that’s back-to-back games, five minutes to play against a quality team…we’re not about moral victories, we have to be better. We have to do a better job coaching too.
“Credit to their better players, Ciccio stepped up in that fourth quarter, McMahon had a nice play, they hurt us inside on the glass. But selfishly from my end, we can’t turn the ball over and then have a breakdown defensively, it’s a double whammy. And then look up at the scoreboard and feel bad for yourself and let that dictate how you play. It certainly snowballed. Ultimately we have to step up and have more urgency.”
A travel gave the visitors the ball back, and despite their first miss of the stretch, Charles hauled in the board and was fouled going back up. He hit two more free throws while North’s cold stretch continued with a missed corner three.
McMahon capped the run with back-to-back strong takes to the rim sandwiched around a Rocketeer turnover after a double team from Ciccio and Charles.
“I thought Nick started feeling more comfortable towards the end,” Houle said. “He’s been terrific for us this year and against a zone, you can’t just pass it around the whole time you have to slip and look to attack a little bit. And then he started hitting wide open guys. So it was a win-win when you knock them down, you get a paint touch on the dribble penetration then kick it out.
“And for us in the second half, every time Q touched it we wanted him to score it. He’s a very unselfish player, he’d rather pass to his teammates but for us to be successful, we need him scoring in there.”
While the Bombardiers finally pulled away in the fourth quarter, they were on the verge of doing so in each of the previous two quarters but the Rocketeers continually made timely shots and stops to stay in it.
Callahan (twice) and Ciccio both connected on early threes for the Bombardiers but Brody Rosenberg (eight points), Edan Kelley, and Ethan Friberg (11 points, eight rebounds) were equal to the task. A bucket from Lorenzo Wilson and two free throws from Ciccio had Attleboro up 15-13 at the end of one.
Another triple from Callahan opened the second quarter, Charles finished off a three-point play, and Callahan sank yet another three as Attleboro started the frame strong. But a triple from Rosenberg and another from Friberg kept the Rocketeers in the game.
After a Callahan putback, the Rocketeers closed the first half on a 7-0 run with Ladd scoring down low, Friberg connecting on his third trifecta of the half, and Tommy Whalen finishing off a nice pass from Josh Porter to make it 26-26 at the break.
“They shot very well tonight, they had nine threes,” Houle said. “When they hit them back-to-back, you can’t get over that hump to pull away. They started to miss some shots but I think our defense started forcing some different things. And then they started over-penetrating a little bit and we swallowed them up.”
Timmy carried us in the first half, he was terrific. And he needed that because he’s had some good looks throughout the season and he really stepped up tonight.
Attleboro created some room with a 9-4 run capped by a Ciccio three to start the second half but Whalen answered with a triple and Jared Vacher hit back-to-back threes as North Attleboro surged ahead for the first time, 39-37.
But North closed the quarter with a pair of misses and three straight turnovers, the latter turning into a bucket from Alvin Harrison that gave Attleboro a 40-39 lead heading into the fourth.
“I think it was a combination of them having a concerted effort on where to attack us,” Mulkerrins said of the fourth. “We were mixing up man and zone, I have to see it but my feeling is that we got a little tired and got stuck watching. You can’t be late against that quality of a team.”
Attleboro boys basketball (4-1 Hockomock, 5-2 overall) will host King Philip on Friday. North Attleboro (2-3, 3-5) will try to bounce back when it hosts Milford on Friday.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 61 @ Oliver Ames, 52 – Final – After a close first half, Attleboro created its separation between the third and fourth quarters before holding off a late surge from Oliver Ames. A three-point lead at halftime (30-27) ballooned to 45-34 as the Bombardiers held the hosts to seven points in the third quarter. The Tigers went on an 11-0 run late to cut into Attleboro’s 17-point lead but ran out of time as the visitors took care of business at the free throw line. Qualeem Charles got Attleboro off to a strong start with 11 of his 20 points coming in the first quarter, giving Attleboro a 20-15 lead after eight minutes. Senior Bryant Ciccio hit a pair of threes in the third, finishing with 10 of his game-high 25 points in that quarter to help create the needed cushion. Tim Callahan added a big three in the fourth quarter while Nick McMahon had a strong game defensively. Jay Spillane paced OA with 15 points while classmate Owen Friel added 13 points and Ryan Burkett finished with 12 points.
Canton, 42 @ Stoughton, 61 – Final – Stoughton built a double-digit advantage in the first quarter and never looked back to pick up a win over neighboring Canton. The Black Knights jumped ahead 15-5 after the first and were able to double the lead heading into the fourth quarter with a 46-26 lead. Stoughton senior Obinna Ugwuakazi (five steals) scored seven points in the opening quarter to help build the lead and added eight more in the third to help expand it, finishing with a game-high 25 points to pace the Black Knights. Tahkwan Gates Brown added 11 points and Myles Grigalunas-Powell chipped in with eight points. Eric Mischler had a team-high 11 points for Canton while senior Mike Dorcelus scored 10 points.
Foxboro, 37 @ Milford, 61 – Final – In what was a close contest for the majority of the game, Milford’s defense limited Foxboro to just five fourth-quarter points to pull away for a large margin of victory. “We did a good job defensively against a very good opponent,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver, noting the balanced offensive attack and timely shots on the offensive end of the court. Milford had five players score in each quarter, increasing its lead each frame. Milford expanded its 14-12 lead after one to a 28-20 advantage at halftime. A strong third quarter pushed the lead to 44-32 going into the fourth. The Hawks hit five of their six threes after the break with Ben Blanchard (eight points) and Tyler Wetherbee (12 points) each responsible for a pair. Colby Pires had a team-high 13 points while Ralph Franklin Jr. added 12 points. Jordan Darling added eight points and Dom Schofield, who also had a second half three, finished with six points. Senior Donald Rogers scored 14 points for Foxboro, who was limited to just one made three-pointer in the contest.
King Philip, 62 @ Taunton, 73 – Final – Taunton pushed its three-point halftime lead to a 55-47 lead through three quarters, and finished strong with 11 points in the final three minutes to secure a key division win over King Philip. The Tiger trailed by one after a quarter (16-15) but held a 37-34 lead at the halftime break. With just under three minutes to go, the Tigers led 62-56 and went on to close out the win. Junior Tyler Stewart scored 12 of his team-high 20 points in the first half while sophomores Tristan Herry and Trent Santos along with junior Josh Lopes came up with key buckets in the second half to secure the win. Stewart and sophomore Faisal Mass (10 points) helped the hosts create the lead at the break. Herry added six of his 10 points in the second half, Santos scored 10 of his 15 points after the break, and Lopes added eight of his 15 in the second half for Taunton. Andrew McKinney scored a team-high 21 points for the Warriors while Alex Fritz added 19 points.
Sharon, 37 @ North Attleboro, 46 – Final – The Rocketeers buckled down defensively in the second half, limiting the visitors to 14 points over the final 16 minutes, while exploding for their best quarter of the game in the fourth to secure a win. North held an early 13-8 advantage after one period of play but Sharon took a 23-22 lead into the locker room and a 29-28 advantage into the fourth. Senior Ethan Friberg came up big on the offensive glass, scoring eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Big Red get the win. Junior George Ladd added 10 points while senior Josh Porter chipped in with nine points. Sharon senior Andrew Burton scored a game-high 15 points and junior Matt Baskin added eight points for the Eagles.
Girls Basketball
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Attleboro, 27 – Final – Tate Hadges scored 12 points and Caroline Flynn (eight rebounds) added 11 as the Tigers pulled out a tough win on the road with a strong defensive performance. Nyah Thomas and Liv McCall scored seven points apiece for the Bombardiers.
Stoughton, 43 @ Canton, 35 – Final – Stoughton’s Aliyah Wright recorded a double-double, Shyanne Trinh led the team in scoring, and Kyla Sheedy-Goff gave the Black Knights a big boost to deliver a key division win on the road at Canton. Wright had 10 points and 10 rebounds, Trinh recorded a team-high 14 points to go along with four steals, and Sheedy-Goff finished with eight points and 11 rebounds.
Milford, 14 @ Foxboro, 86 – Final – Katelyn Mollica bounced back from a tough shooting night against Canton on Thursday with a 26-point night against Milford on Friday. Shakirah Ketant added 15 points and Lizzy Davis chipped in with 12 for the league-leading Warriors. Ten players scored for Foxboro.
Franklin, 67 @ Mansfield, 39 – Final – Franklin controlled the paint to earn the big road win. Ali Brigham scored 20 points to lead the way and fellow forwards Olivia Quinn (16 points) and Meghan O’Connell (11 points) also had big nights. The Panthers jumped out to a 22-3 lead after one quarter and also held the Hornets to just four points in the third, as they built a 34-point advantage heading into the fourth. Mansfield was paced by Kayla Vine’s 17 points and freshman Abby Wager’s 11. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Their post players were just too much for us. They dominated the paint and got a bunch of second chance points.”
Taunton, 33 @ King Philip, 60 – Final – The Warriors got back into league play with a bounce back victory over Taunton. The game remained close until the third quarter when KP’s high-tempo style started to wear the Tigers down and allowed the Warriors to pull away. Faye Veilleux was the top scorer for KP, pouring in 17 points in the win. Claire Keswick and Emma Glaser each scored 10 points in the win. Sonya Fernandez led the Tigers with nine.
Boys Swimming
Attleboro, 75 @ King Philip, 92 – Final – Derek Whyte and Jake Hokanson each won a pair of individual races and made up half of the winning 200 medley relay team to help King Philip pick up a division win over Attleboro. Whyte touched first in both the 500 free (4:59.72) and 100 backstroke (1:01.15) while Hokanson earned first place in both the 100 breast (1:10.89) and 200 IM (2:14.58). Whyte and Hokanson were joined by Andrew Pham and Jackson Klein to win the 200 medley relay (1:53.95).
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Derek Whyte, Jake Hakanson, Andrew Pham, Jackson Klein) – 1:53.95 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Brett Wortham, Colton Mangion) – 2:06.03 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zack Moore) – 2:09.39 200 Yard Free – 1. Cam Stringfellow, KP – 2:04.30 | 2. Dylan Nisbet, Att – 2:22.51 | 3. Brett Wortham, Att – 2:39.33 200 Yard IM – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 2:14.58 | 2. John Donis, KP – 2:35.06 | 3. Alex Harrop, Att – 2:38.97 50 Free – 1. Matt Marcil, Att – 25.46 | 2. Jackson Klein, KP – 25.49 | 3. Andrew Pham, KP – 26.56 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Andrew Pham, KP – 1:03.82 | 2. Alex Harrop, Att – 1:09.34 | 3. Kyle Norman, Att – 1:19.85 500 Yard Free – 1. Derek White, KP – 4:59.72 | 2. John Donis, KP – 6:32.20 | 3. Colton Mangion, Att – 6:50.13 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (Morrsion, Donis, Hokanson, Klein) – 1:44.03 | 2. Attleboro (Matt Marcil, Alex Harrop, Dylan Nisbet, Brett Wortham) – 1:49.47 | 3. Attleboro (Zack Moore, Damien Geltrude, Kyle Norman, Zach Dorrance) – 1:56.33 100 Back – 1. Derek Whyte, KP – 1:01.15 | 2. Robert Winkler, Att – 1:24.02 | 3. Andrew Greaves, Att – 1:24.70 100 Breast – 1. Jake Hokanson, KP – 1:10.89 | 2. Matt Marcil, Att – 1:13.35 | 3. Damien Geltrude, Att – 1:17.53 400 Free Relay – 1. King Philip – 3:55.28 | 2. Attleboro (Colton Mangion, Zach Dorrance, Kyle Norman, Dylan Nisbet) – 4:24.77 | 3. Attleboro (Robert Winkler, JR Sarcione, Andrew Greaves, Brandon Sanford) – 5:09.89
Canton, 88 @ Oliver Ames, 71 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 68 @ Milford, 94 – Final
Girls Swimming
Attleboro, 77 @ King Philip, 87 – Final – King Philip’s Megan Campbell won a pair of individual races and helped a relay team win another as the Warriors took a win over Attleboro. Campbell was first in both the 100 yard butterfly (1:11.44) and the 200 yard free (2:07.17) and was part of the 200 medley relay team that won in 2:09.71 along with Abby Lyons, Morgan Sachleben, and Olivia Bailey.
Results: 200 Medley Relay – 1. King Philip (Lyons, Sachleben, Bailey, Campbell) – 2:09.71 | 2. King Philip (Lauren Klein, Lia Burns, Emily Campbell, Bri McMaster) – 2:11.13 | 3. Attleboro (Ella Lynch-Bartek, Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Faith Morrisson, Rachel Priestley) 2:11.52 200 Yard Free – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 2:07.17 | 2. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att – 2:08.07 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 2:29.31; 200 Yard IM – 1. Morgan Sachleben, KP – 2:28.75 | 2. Lia Burns, KP 2:49.34 | 3. Shanise Tolliver, Att – 3:08.02 50 Yard Free – 1. Brenna O’Connell, Att – 28.88 | 2. Cate DiGiacomo, KP – 28.94 |3. Bri McMaster, KP – 28.91; 100 Yard Butterfly – 1. Megan Campbell, KP – 1:11.44 | 2. Emily Campbell, KP – 1:11.60 | 3. Lily Scheurger, Attleboro 1:30.75 100 Yard Free – 1. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:00.09 | 2. Lauren Klein, KP – 1:03.63 | 3. Cate DiGiacomo, KP -1:05.33 500 Yard Free – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 5:50.98 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 6:47.34 | 3. Bri McMaster, KP – 6:54.31 200 Yard Free Relay – 1. King Philip (DiGiacomo, Freese, McMaster, Klein) – 1:57.31 | 2. Attleboro (E. Lynch-Bartek, F. Morrsison, R. Priestley, J. Lynch-Bartek) – 1:58.83 | 3. King Philip (E. Campbell, B. Avignon, Burke, Foster) – 2:06.69 100 Yard Back – 1. Olivia Bailey, KP – 1:08.19 | 2. Ella Lynch-Bartek, Att – 1:08.38 | 3. Abby Lyons, KP – 1:17.44 100 Yard Breast 1. Jackie Lynch-Bartek, Att 1:15.52 | 2. Faith Morrison, Att – 1:26.52 | 3. Rachel Priestley, Att – 1:28.39 400 Yard Free Relay – 1. Attleboro (Brenna O’Conell, Tolliver, Cronin, Danho) – 5:05.34 | 2. Attleboro (Schuerger, Torres, Masandrea, Sutherland) – 5:23.78
Canton, 73 @ Oliver Ames, 95 – Final
Foxboro vs. Norton, 7:00
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:00
Sharon, 92 @ Milford, 78 – Final
Girls Gymnastics
Attleboro vs. Norton, 4:30
King Philip, 127.70 @ Franklin, 136.50 – Final
Oliver Ames @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Mansfield boys basketball junior TJ Guy goes up for a layup against Attleboro’s Lorenzo Wilson in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. – With under a minute to play and the game almost out of reach, Attleboro senior Bryant Ciccio had his shot blocked but never gave up on the play and was the first to pounce on the loose ball, keeping possession by earning a jump ball.
The ensuing possession ended up in a three-point play by the Bombardiers, cutting Mansfield’s lead to just five points with 25.5 seconds to go. While the Hornets went on to sink all of their free throws to secure the win, it was that play by Ciccio and the no-quit attitude from the Bombardiers in which made it so tough for Mansfield to earn the 71-62 victory.
“They’re a good team,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan on what the challenge was of pulling away. “Ciccio had over 30 points and kind of kept them in the game on key possessions and key times where we had them on the ropes. He’d come down and hit a shot when they needed it. I thought we got sloppy when we got up.
“We’re still trying to find our identity and there were a few times I thought we had them on the ropes and we’d come down and throw the ball out of bounds or fouling when we had no business fouling. Instead of a seven or nine-point lead, it goes to five. We’re getting better with our turnovers but we have still have to take care of the ball and be more efficient.”
Mansfield made small runs to create separation a handful of times throughout the game, but never orchestrated a run to pull away completely. Instead, the Bombardiers would come up with an answer of their own, and more often than not a basket or defensive play made by Ciccio, who had a career-high 32 points, was the catalyst in it.
Holding a two-point lead to start the fourth quarter, junior Matt Boen (nine points, eight assists, seven rebounds, three steals) scored his first basket, assisted on a pull up jumper from Sam Stevens (26 points), and came up with a steal that led to two free throws of his own to give the hosts a 53-46 lead three minutes into the fourth.
But Nick McMahon drove to the basket for two and Ciccio (five rebounds, three assists, three steals) earned two free throws late in the shot clock, sinking both to bring it right back to a one-possession game, 53-50, with four minutes to go.
Boen found Drew Rooney (five points, five rebounds, four assists) for a huge three-pointer, the Hornets got a stop that Boen brought down and quickly pushed up court for an easy two from junior TJ Guy (24 points, four assists), and back-to-back Bombardier turnovers led to baskets from Guy and Boen (traditional three-point play) for a 63-50 lead with two minutes to go.
“Even though we have a senior group, we’re still molding into the team we want to be,” Houle said. “We’re still trying to figure out roles on the team. You never like to lose but playing in a game like tonight, knowing that we fought back and did some good things, is encouraging.”
An easy two from Qualeem Charles (nine points, four rebounds) preceded a big three from Ciccio, who then came up with a steal and finished in at the rim for a quick 7-0 surge in a one-minute span to make it 63-57. Ciccio and Stevens traded free throws, Boen added two more, and the Hornets finished 11-for-11 from the free throw line in the quarter to secure the win.
“We have a team full of kids that have played a lot of basketball and they have a lot of heart,” said Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “It’s a gritty group and we’re not going to lie down. Back to the wall, it was nice to see some kids step up to make some plays for us, get some big rebounds, and claw our way back into it. Ultimately that first quarter, you can’t spot a team like Mansfield 10 points like that in a game on their home court. We’re striving to play 32 minutes…and I thought we played better in the second, third, and fourth quarters.”
The 10-point spot that Houle referenced was Mansfield’s strong start to the game. Stevens sank a pair of threes in the first minute, Guy scored twice, and Rooney finished off a layoff as the Hornets jumped ahead 12-3 three and a half minutes into the game.
Jason Weir (eight points) hit two first quarter threes and Tim Callahan hit another to help the Bombardiers stem the tide the rest of the frame, trailing 20-12 after one. Charles picked up his second foul in the first quarter and did not play for large portions of the second and third quarters.
“That’s a credit to Lorenzo [Wilson], Adam Pearstein stepped in and gave us some good minutes, and I thought Jason probably had his best game,” Houle said of the Bombardiers sustaining without Charles. “We knew it’d take around a month for him to get his basketball legs under him and he had his best game tonight. We just need to guys to continue to find their roles and step up when we need them.”
An early three from Callahan and a jumper from Ciccio made it a one-possession game but Stevens sank another triple to keep the hosts ahead. Mansfield pushed the lead to 12 after a steal from Boen, an assist from Guy, and bucket from Stevens but Attleboro responded with a 9-1 surge to close the gap by the break. Ciccio scored all nine points to get Attleboro within 31-26 halfway through the game.
“When you talk about kids that compete, he’s definitely one of those kids you want on your team,” Houle said of Ciccio. “He competes hard on both ends of the court, and this means a lot to him.”
Threes from McMahon and Ciccio brought the visitors within two but Stevens had an answer from deep again and he scored through contact for a 44-37 lead late in the third. Attleboro countered with a three from Ciccio and Charles’ first basket in the final seconds of the third to make it 44-42 heading into the fourth.
“We never got that run,” Vaughan said. “Without watching the film, I’m not sure if it was those turnovers or if it was just the way they defended, I thought they did a good job of taking some things away. We never really got that run which is rare. I guess we got it a little at the start of the game but they seemed to answer.”
Mansfield boys basketball (2-0 Hockomock, 3-1 overall) is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Bridgewater-Raynham at 3:30. Attleboro (2-1 Hockomock, 3-2 overall) returns to action on Friday at Oliver Ames.
Attleboro senior Tim Callahan puts up a three-point shot in the second quarter against Stoughton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The Attleboro boys basketball team was at its best in the second quarter of Friday night’s contest against visiting Stoughton.
The Bombardiers were zipping passes all around the court, sharing the ball among all five players, hitting teammates in stride on cuts to the basket, and draining shots from three-point range. And Attleboro was good on the defensive end too, having a hand in eight Stoughton turnovers while holding the visitors to just three makes from the floor, none from three-point territory.
The result of that quarter, and a strong start to the second half, was an 18-point advantage for the hosts with just over a quarter and a half to play.
But with two minutes to play, that lead had dwindled to just six points behind a spirited defensive effort from Stoughton, a halftime switch from zone to man-to-man helping the Black Knights get back into the game.
A three from Stoughton senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell (17 points, 3 rebounds) forced the Bombardiers into a timeout with 2:01 to go, the hosts having scored just four points over the first six minutes of the fourth quarter.
In desperate need of a basket to halt Stoughton’s run, which was 12-4 across the entire quarter so far, the Bombardiers turned to their “Mr. Reliable” – senior Bryant Ciccio (23 points, four assists). Ciccio, who had scored Attleboro’s lone two buckets of the frame and was playing in his 65th varsity game, took it himself, getting a step on the defender to attack the basket before pulling up and sinking an elbow jumper with 1:22 to give Attleboro a 59-51 advantage.
Stoughton, which never developed a rhythm from downtown, missed on its next three shots including two from deep, and the Bombardiers held on for a 59-53 win.
“We worked really hard adjusting in the second quarter, and I think our defense in the second quarter was terrific too,” said longtime Attleboro head coach Mark Houle. “We shot the ball well, and we were getting more paint touches too and that’s how we built the 18-point lead. We wanted to extend the lead in the second half but [Stoughton] came out and got right back into it. They switched to man, and they played terrific. They forced us into a lot of things that we weren’t comfortable doing.
“We weren’t comfortable against the zone in the first quarter, then after we got comfortable against it in the second, they went man and I don’t think we ever felt comfortable against it. They did a nice job, they have some terrific athletics and they defended really hard. But we didn’t lose our composure as a team and Bryant hit that big elbow jumper.”
Ciccio scored Attleboro’s first field goal of the fourth with 6:15 to go, and finished off a nice layup along the baseline for the Bombardiers’ only other points with 4:19 to play in the game.
“He’s been in a lot of games for us, and he made the right play and we trust him to do that,” Houle said of Ciccio. “He pulled up at the elbow, and that’s a shot he practices a lot and we have confidence he’s going to make those plays. If he wasn’t open, he’s the type of player who’s going to find someone who is. Stoughton’s defensive intensity in the second half was really good, we didn’t get any second-chance points, we didn’t get to the foul line. We didn’t execute well against the zone in the first quarter or against man in the second half.”
The Black Knights built a 9-2 lead early on but Attleboro slowly found success against the Stoughton zone and started to get hot from three-point range as both Ciccio and Tim Callahan (11 points, six assists) each connected from deep in the last two minutes to get the Bombardiers within one, 13-12, at the first break.
The momentum carried into the second as the Bombardiers exploded for 22 points in the frame. Callahan sank a three off a feed from Nick McMahon (eight assists), who followed up with a triple of his own off a feed from Ciccio.
Stoughton senior Tahkwan Gates Brown (nine points, seven rebounds) kept the Black Knights close with a bucket from down low but Ciccio sank another triple followed by a pair of free throws. Callahan found classmate Qualeem Charles (12 points on 6-for-7 shooting, 11 rebounds) on a cut to the basket for an easy two, and Ciccio sank yet another triple for a 32-19 advantage with just over a minute to go in the frame. Stoughton finished the first half 0-for-9 from three-point range.
“We lost this game in the second quarter,” said Stoughton coach John Gallivan. The Black Knights outscored the hosts 34-25 in the second half but couldn’t overcome the 22-6 second quarter. “We had three good quarters but we always talk about having four. There are so many ways that Attleboro can hurt you, and we were probably a little too focused on them hurting us inside which led to all the threes. Second half, they got some twos but twos are less than three. And it was a bad combination in the second quarter of them hitting those shots and us not hitting.”
Stoughton senior Ahmad Jahed (11 points, seven rebounds) sank a three and classmate Obinna Ugwuakazi (14 points, 10 rebounds) found Gates Brown for an easy two out in transition to help spark the Black Knights’ comeback.
Ciccio swished his fourth triple of the night to push the lead back to 18 at 46-28 but Stoughton closed the third with 11 points in the final 3:15 to stay in the game. Ugwuakazi scored six straight and Grigalunas-Powell buried a deep three just before the buzzer to make it 53-39.
“In the second half, the guys just started playing,” Gallivan said. “In the past, we’ve had some teams that have may have folded. That’s a great environment, its hostile, and it’s a lot of fun but it’s hard to play in. And these kids responded and kept it a game the entire way.
“There was nothing positive to say after last Friday and tonight, this was a building block game. There are no moral victories in this league but if you get something out of it, you can use it in your next game.”
Attleboro boys basketball (2-0 Hockomock, 2-0 overall) is back in action on Monday when it travels to Durfee. Stoughton (1-2, 1-2) hosts Fenway on the same night.
2018-2019 Record: 18-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Mark Houle
Attleboro fulfilled high expectations last year with a terrific regular season but had its postseason run cut short in the opening round of the tournament. With an experienced, battle-tested, and deep group of seniors, the Bombardiers are hoping to take the next step during the 2019-2020 season.
The Bombardiers have seven seniors on the roster with six having plenty of valuable minutes at the varsity level. It all starts with a pair of four-year varsity players and captains Bryant Ciccio and Qualeem Charles. Both have played over 60 games for head coach Mark Houle and earned HockomockSports.com First Team honors a year ago. Ciccio (14.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) is like a coach on the floor and Charles (13.8 ppg, 11.2 rpg) is a matchup nightmare and one of the most dominant post players in recent years.
But there is much more to the Bombardiers, such as senior captain Tim Callahan. Callahan had a strong junior season with 7.7 points per game and can change a game with his outside shooting. He will also be relied upon to anchor the defense. Guard Nick McMahon and forward Lorenzo Wilson provided a spark off the bench last season and will be key pieces this season. And senior Jason Weir is back in the mix after missing last year due to injury. Weir showed flashes during his sophomore season, a versatile player that can play in the post or step outside and knock down a three.
Attleboro has a variety of weapons on the offensive end and that will make them difficult to defend. They have a couple of good weapons that can score down low and then a handful of shooters, so the inside-out game will be a big part of the game plan. Charles gives the Bombardiers protection around the rim while all five players are the court will have to contribute on the boards to eliminate second-chance points.
“We will rely on a battle-tested group of seniors, but we will need our underclassman to continue to develop and be ready to step in and play important roles on the team,” said head coach Mark Houle. “We have a hard-working group of players who compete and challenge each other every day in practice.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-10 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Ryan Gordy
After winning back-to-back Davenport division titles, the Bulldogs know it will be a grind to try and get a third with a big target on their backs.
Gone is the program’s all-time leading scorer and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Devin Foster, who was one of the most dynamic offensive players in the league over the past two seasons. That means there is going to be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up for the Bulldogs. Canton head coach Ryan Gordy said this year’s team will be a “much more space and paced” orientated team. Gordy is expecting a more spread out opportunistic approach that will feature contributions from anyone who checks in.
While Foster graduated, the Bulldogs do have a handful of talented and experienced players back on the roster. Senior Kyle Fitzgerald is the top returning scorer from a year ago, netting double figures in six contests. He is also a workhorse on defense and will be one of the leaders on the court. Robbie Gallery, Matt Giglio, and Eric Mischler were all starters at some point during the 2018-2019 season so Gordy will have some veterans to lean on during the year. Gallery, Giglio, and Mischler all showed the ability to come up with a big shot at any time and will help space the floor.
Defensively, the Bulldogs are looking at their versatility and depth to give them flexibility. Gordy believes he has a strong mix of players that will allow him to switch things up and adjust each and every game. Sophomore Lanse Dorcelus earned minutes for the final month of last season and could be a key piece this season.
“We feel like our program is healthy and players have made a commitment to growth,” Gordy said. “This season we are going to focus on the process and maximizing the strengths of our players. Our culture and direction has been a bright spot as we focus on the player person and team development each practice and game. We’re excited to see where we are and where we can get too.”
2018-2019 Record: 14-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South First Round Coach: Jon Gibbs
There is good news and bad news when it comes to the Foxboro boys basketball team this season. The good news is that the Warriors expect to once again be one of the toughest defensive teams in the league. The bad news is for the rest of the Hockomock League as Foxboro boasts an improved offense, and combined with their traditional tough defense, has the Warriors in position for a Davenport division title.
With four of their five top scorers back this season, including senior Brandon Borde (team-high 15.3 ppg) and junior Kevin Gallagher (12.9 ppg), the Warriors are looking to ride a balanced approach on offense to improve their scoring after finishing 10th in scoring in the Hockomock League last season (54.4 points per game). Borde is one of the most experienced players back in the league and has the ability to create his own looks as well as lead the team as the floor general. Gallagher had a breakout sophomore season and can really fill up the scoring column, especially from deep.
Borde and Gallagher will also get help from senior Will Morrison, who can catch fire from deep, and senior Ryan Hughes, who can give opponents trouble in the paint. All four players are returning starters from a season ago, so that gives Foxboro an advantage, especially defensively. Head coach Jon Gibbs called the defense the “foundation” of the team. Foxboro has consistently been very fundamentally sound and disciplined on the defensive end.
Seniors Dylan Barreira, Michael Devlin, Liam Devlin, and Donald Rogers all played important minutes last season and will provide a lot of depth for Foxboro.
“We have been making progress each day,” Gibbs said. “Practices have been very competitive so far as guys work hard to carve out a role for themselves by earning the trust of their teammates and coaches. If we stay hungry, humble, and unselfish, it has the potential to be a very successful season.”
2018-2019 Record: 17-6 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 Central Quarterfinal Coach: CJ Neely
Ever since the Hockomock League split into two divisions, Franklin has entered each season as one of the top teams in the Kelley-Rex and that looks to be the case yet again this year.
As it does each and every season, defense comes first for the Panthers. Franklin was the best defensive team in the Hockomock League last year, allowing just 48.9 points per game. Not only did the Panthers lead the league in that category, they were the lone team to keep opponents under 50 points on average. It’s the second straight year they’ve had the best defense in the division and third straight year they are in the top three. There are a lot of talented individual defenders on the team but year in and year out, Franklin’s team defense gives them a chance to win.
Offensively, the Panthers boast the top returning scorer in the league in three-year starter Chris Edgehill. Edgehill, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark last season, is an absolute handful to deal with on the offensive end of the court. He can score in a variety of ways, and on top of that, he is very good at getting teammates involved (four assists per game last year). Seniors Jack Rudolph and Steve Karayan are also back after playing valuable minutes last season and will be relied upon on both ends of the floor.
“We have a lot of guys who worked really hard in the offseason to improve and are excited to get on the court,” said head coach CJ Neely. “It’s a great group of people who have a lot of fun together. We need to stay aggressive and share the ball. We hope that strong team defense will continue to be something that defines our program.”
2018-2019 Record: 7-13 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Dave DeStefano
With a solid group of players returning from last season, second-year head coach Dave DeStefano is hoping to guide his Warriors back to the state tournament for the first time since 2015.
The Warriors showed flashes throughout last year, including an upset win of Kelley-Rex champions Mansfield on the road. But they were also on the wrong end of a handful of close games, losing five games by five or fewer points. With a year of experience in DeStefano’s system, and for a lot of players their first year of varsity under their belts, King Philip is hoping to turn those close games into wins.
KP boasts two returning starters in Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney, both standing at 6’3. Fritz had a breakout junior campaign and was the fourth-highest scorer in the Hockomock League with 15.5 points per game. He was able to score in a variety of ways, including through contact at the rim, and will be a vital piece this year. McKinney was fifth on the team in scoring last year, scoring in double-figures in five contests, including a career-high 19 points at Stoughton. Senior Tommy Donahue looks to give the Warriors a strong presence in the post while classmates Owen Conlin and Chris Roy look to be in the mix. Seniors Robbie Jarest and Tom Weir are back in the mix after a year away from the program.
Defensively, King Philip will be relying on its size and physicality. While Donahue (6’5) will be the main rim protector, having long guards and forwards will help KP make life difficult for opponents. The Warriors will need to improve on the defensive end after surrendering a division-high 63.7 points per game last year. DeStefano is looking to get some contributions from junior juniors Donte Barros, Cole Breen, Joe Cullen, Evan Stephens, Will Kinney, and Jake Silveria while sophomores Charlie Grant and Braeden Sottile will likely be in the mix too.
“The boys have really worked hard this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The practices have been really competitive and physical. For us to be successful we will need to make a big commitment on the defensive end of the floor. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2018-2019 Record: 22-5 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Final Coach: Mike Vaughan
The Hockomock League continues to run through Mansfield.
The Hornets have won the Kelley-Rex division title in eight of its nine years, and it looks like Mansfield will be the team to beat again this year. Three players that burst onto the scene last year – Sam Stevens, TJ Guy, Matt Boen – are now three of the top players in the Hock heading into this season. Mansfield certainly graduated a lot of talent in Tommy Dooling, Damani Scott, and Khristian Conner, but with those three starters back plus seniors Drew Rooney and Makhi Baskin, as well as a handful of newcomers ready to make an impact, Mansfield is poised for another deep tournament run.
Stevens (11.2 ppg) will be one of the toughest players to stop with his ability to finish around the rim as well as deadly three-point shooting, Guy (10.9 ppg) is very good in the post on both ends of the floor, and Boen (9.5 ppg) can score in a variety of ways. All three are capable of filling up the stat sheet on any given night. Baskin provides a lot of energy and can change the game with his effort while Rooney showed last year that he can matchup with some of the top players in the league on the defensive end.
Juniors Brian and Jason See are both strong shooters that work tirelessly on both ends of the floor and should be in the mix for the Hornets this year. Juniors Jack Colby and Brendan Foley will be looking to bring a spark off the bench while sophomore Matt Hyland and freshman Chris Hill are promising young players that could contribute right away.
“I think our depth and ability to play different styles will be a strength of this team,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I’m excited to see where this team can get to as they continue to work hard in practice and mix their individual talents to form our team identity. Transition play, scoring inside and out will be strength on offense. Playing solid man to man and uptempo defense with our depth could create some issues for our opponents.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Paul Seaver
After a season of ups and downs, the Milford Scarlet Hawks are hoping last year’s growing pains transition into a playoff berth this season.
With a large group of returnees, the Hawks will certainly be in the mix for the Davenport division title. While head coach Paul Seaver returns the majority of his team, he will need some of the those players to step up on the offensive end the fill the void left by graduation. The Hawks graduated its top three scorers, including the second-highest scorer in the league in Brendan White (18.2 ppg). That means there will be a lot of opportunities for new players to step up and contribute.
Junior Jordan Darling (7.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and senior Colby Pires (6.1 ppg) are the top two point producers back this year while junior Dom Schofield also returns after starting as a sophomore. Darling started 19 games this year and was selected to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team after a strong season on both ends of the court. Pires is a leader both on and off the court and plays well in all aspects of the game, and Schofield gives Milford a strong post presence on the defensive end, recording a team-high 38 charges taken last season.
Ralph Franklin Jr., Matty Varteresian, Tyler Whetherbee, and Ben Blanchard all saw time throughout last season and could all be in line for bigger roles this season.
“Our depth will matter, our balance will matter, our chemistry is this group’s most important attribute,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver. “We were the youngest team in the league last season and this group has a lot of players back who are attacking this year with a chip on their shoulder. This group defines what Milford basketball is and that’s a testament to who these kids are hard workers and higher character individuals. I could not be any more excited to coach and work with these kids on a daily basis.”
2018-2019 Record: 9-11 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
There are going to be a lot of new faces dawning the Big Red uniform this winter. After losing nine seniors to graduation, head coach Sean Mulkerrins has just three players back from last year’s nine-win squad.
With a large amount of new players comes a large amount of opportunities. The Rocketeers graduated its two top scorers but bring back senior Ethan Friberg (7.0 ppg) and junior George Ladd (7.4 ppg) to lead the charge offensively this year. Friberg, standing at 6’5, can cause problems in the paint but also van step out and play along the perimeter. Ladd had a breakout sophomore season and was named to the HockomockSports.com All Underclassman team. He is a little of a throwback player that is very fundamentally sound on the offensive end. Senior Josh Porter, the third returner, saw an expanded role at the end of last season and played well.
Defensively, the Rocketeers will be focusing on limiting opponents to one shot per possession. With some size in the frontcourt, North will try to make it difficult to finish at the rim, and with all five players committed to rebounding, try and minimize second-chance points.
“There will be a lot of new faces with opportunities to make an impact on this year’s team,” Mulkerrins said. “There will definitely be some growing pains and the sooner the new faces adjust to the rigors of varsity basketball, the better we will be.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-12 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Don Byron
Last season, Oliver Ames came up just one game shy of the state tournament. Goal number one for the 2019-2020 season is to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.
With a strong mix of experienced players and hungry new additions, Oliver Ames is ready for the grind that is the Kelley-Rex division and the Hockomock League.
“The expectation is to always get [to the tournament], that’s our first goal,” said Oliver Ames head coach Don Byron. “We’re pretty optimistic but we know it’s going to be a grind, you have to show up every night, you can’t take a night off.”
Byron has been impressed with his guard play so far this preseason, and that will likely mean featuring three guards in the lineup for the majority of the time. Senior Jay Spillane is a returning starter while classmate Owen Friel and junior Amari Brown were top options off the bench a season ago. Spillane can score in bunches, especially from the outside, while Friel combines a solid shooting game with a hard-nosed defensive approach. Friel’s ability to guard a variety of position makes him a valuable piece in the lineup while Brown is a crafty player that does a nice job getting teammates involved.
Senior center Evan Craig (6’5) will be joined by classmate Ryan Burkett (6’2) in the frontcourt. Both picked up valuable minutes at the varsity level last year and Byron is hoping that will help with their expanded roles this year. Senior guard Adam Cann and junior forwards Trey Buggs and Drew Nickla will provide depth for the Tigers.
“It takes some time to get accustomed to the varsity speed and what we expect at this level,” Byron said. “All of these kids gained experience with us last year, and that year of experience is invaluable.”
2018-2019 Record: 3-17 2018-2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Andrew Ferguson
After a couple of down seasons, the Eagles will be making a strong push to get back into the state tournament for the first time since 2016.
Sharon boasts a number of players who gained varsity experience that will be looking to help the program bounce back. The first being senior Aidan Kane, the team’s leading scorer last season with 11.5 points per game. When he’s on from keep, Kane is one of the top three-point shooters in the league. He has the ability to change a game very quickly if he gets hot from deep. Senior Andrew Burton emerged as one of the Eagles’ top players last year and could be poised to have a breakout year. Sophomore John Baez will start at the point after joining the varsity team for the final month and a half last season.
The Eagles will be relying heavily on its frontcourt to step up on both ends of the court. Senior Caleb Gayle is a traditional post player that will compete hard on both ends of the court, senior Cam Baker is fundamentally sound and a reliable option and junior Hank Ward picked up valuable minutes as a sophomore and will be an important part of the rebound game as well as defensively. Senior Aaron Karten will be in the mix as well, giving the Eagles an athletic frontcourt.
Junior Jordan Barboza should give the Eagles a spark off the bench this year and head coach Andrew Ferguson will look for him as an important defensive piece. Kiran Chandrasekaran had flashes of the strong play off the bench last year and should see an expanded role this year, while junior transfer Matt Baskin could provide a needed scoring punch.
“This group has worked tremendously hard in the offseason and the preseason and is looking to translate that into success throughout the regular season,” Ferguson said. “Many of the players have gained valuable experience at the varsity level over the past two years and our senior class are tremendous leaders who provide a great example for our younger players.”
2018-2019 Record: 10-11 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Preliminary Round Coach: John Gallivan
Stoughton ended its playoff drought last season and with a good amount of those players back again this year, the Davenport division title and a deep playoff run could be in the forecast this season.
The Black Knights have their leading scorer back in 6’5 senior forward Obinna Ugwuakazi, who averaged 14 points and eight rebounds per game with nine double-doubles last year. His athleticism and ability to finish through contact made him a tough matchup for opponents, and he will be at the forefront of the Stoughton offense again this year. Fellow senior Tahkwan Gates Brown, who also stands at 6’5, is also back and we could see the duo play together at times which will certainly make life tough for opponents.
Senior Myles Grigalunas-Powell is back for his third year on varsity. After improving each of the past two seasons, the 2019-2020 season could be a breakout year for Grigalunas-Powell, who can score from three-point range but is also a crafty finisher attacking the rim. Ahmad Jahed had flashes of strong play last year and will be back in the mix again this year, and the same goes for Tommy Sanda. Juniors Brett Pendenza and Jake Queeney are also back after earning some minutes last year.
“We feel like we can score this year both from downtown and from down low,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan. “And with our size in the paint, we hope to make it difficult for opponents to score consistently.”
2018-2019 Record: 15-9 2018-2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Semifinal Coach: Charlie Dacey
After a strong regular season, the Taunton boys basketball team flipped a switch in the tournament and made a run to the D1 South Semis, nearly knocking off powerhouse Mansfield. With a taste of postseason success, the Tigers are hoping to replicate that success this year with another impressive playoff stretch.
The Tigers boast speed, skill, and depth this season and will be in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. While Taunton lost a lot of production from last year (Lou Vendrell, Mike Quinn, John Martins, Wesner Charles), there are a handful of players battling to earn their chance at minutes in the Tigers’ lineup. One constant in that lineup over the past couple of years is senior Dante Law, who enters his fourth year with the varsity group. Law was Taunton’s leading scorer a year ago with 14.1 points per game but none of the other returners were over five points a game, meaning there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up.
Seniors Fabio Goncalves (6’6) and Aiden Pelot, as well as junior Tyler Stewart (6’6) make up the frontcourt for the Tigers. All three played at the varsity level last year and will be key pieces at helping the Tigers defend and win the battle on the boards. Law will be joined by junior Josh Lopes, who showed flashes during his sophomore season, DaeDae Kenion, and sophomore transfer Tristan Herry as key pieces of the offense.
The Tigers are also excited about the depth on the team this year. Junior Danny MacDougall earned starting minutes last year and is a reliable option in a variety of roles while Trent Santos, Logan Lawrence, and Jonathan Torres will all be in the mix for Taunton.
“With this team, press and run should be ‘Plan A’ although there are skills available to play at a slower pace,” said Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey.
Taunton captains (L-R) Josh Lajoie, Evan Melo, and Jack Moynihan celebrate with the D1 South championship trophy. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
BROCKTON, Mass. – Taunton junior Nic Notarangelo joined the Tigers’ starting lineup on his birthday on May 16th in the City Championship against rival Coyle & Cassidy.
After going a perfect 3-for-3 that day, Notarangelo stuck in the lineup and hasn’t stopped doing damage since.
Notarangelo, patrolling left field for the Tigers since that game, had two hits and drove in three runs on Saturday, including the game-winner in the second inning with a triple, to pace fourth-seeded Taunton to a 6-1 win over #11 Attleboro in the D1 South Sectional Final at Campanelli Stadium.
It’s the first sectional title in program history for the Tigers.
“This feels great, it’s all my team, my team is always there to back me up, I always hear them cheering,” Notarangelo said. “It gives me adrenaline, it gives me confidence at the plate. We were great in the field, our pitching was outstanding but we had some trouble getting the hitting going at the beginning of the year. But it’s all about practice, we all feed off each other. Every day, we’ve been in the cages whether we’ve had practice or not and now it’s all paid off.”
Notarangelo, who has hit safely in all but two games since joining the lineup (with eight multi-hit games), smoked a two-out triple to deep left centerfield to bring in Sean Quinlan (single) and Evan Melo (single) and put Taunton up 3-0, a lead it never relinquished.
One game that Notarangelo didn’t have a hit was the Tigers’ playoff win over Xaverian. But instead of a hit, he had arguably the biggest play of the game with a diving catch in the first inning, stranding two Hawks on base. Taunton went on to win 2-0.
“Nic had that diving catch against Xaverian that really changed the momentum even it was the first inning,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And then he came up huge again this game. Those were huge runs for us to get. He’s a kid that is quiet, does the right things, works hard, stays after. I’m really proud of him, he’s come a long way this year. He started to get some at-bats later in the season and was doing some damage and hasn’t looked back since.”
Three runs was plenty for right-handed pitchers Logan Lawrence and Josh Lajoie. Lawrence, a junior, earned the win by allowing one unearned run in four innings of work, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out six.
Lajoie, a senior, allowed just three bases runners (one hit, two walks) in three innings of work while recording four strikeouts. None of the three Bombardiers advanced past first against Lajoie.
“Logan was great, he came up big and executed pitches when he needed to, which was important,” Bourque said. “He was scrapping and thew the ball well, his location was a little off today that got him in some trouble. Then Josh did a phenomenal job coming in and shutting the door, making sure they didn’t get too many guys on.
“Last year we lost to Durfee in a playoff game after beating them twice in the regular season. We knew it’d be tough coming in today, especially the second game against Attleboro when we were able to hit the ball pretty good but they had played five games in five days so we kind of threw that game away. We knew they are a good team, they are here for a reason. We knew the challenge that was ahead of us and we met that challenge and I’m really proud of these guys.”
Taunton’s Jared Roderick, Andrew Gomes, Quinlan, and Melo all clubbed consecutive singles to lead off the second inning, with Melo’s hit bringing Gomes home (Roderick was picked off at second by Attleboro starter Ryan Morry [5IP, 8H, 2BB, 6ER, 2K). After Morry got a ground out, Notarangelo smacked his third triple of the season to bring in two more runs.
“I think early on, we might have been pressing, I’m not sure what it was exactly,” Bourque said the offensive turnaround this season. “But as the weather warmed up, so did our bats. I think there were some games we needed the offense when the pitching wasn’t there and it came through. It’s a team game and I think we’ve proven that.”
Attleboro had a chance to respond right away as they loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third. Both Troy Gamache and Nick McMahon singled and Tim Callahan reached on an error after a bunt. It looked like the Bombardiers would bring at least one run in on a bloop single to shallow left, but Taunton sophomore shortstop Ty Cali, who joined the starting lineup for the playoffs after the Tigers lost Danny MacDougall to injury, sprinted and made the catch on the run to hold the runners in place.
“That was the play of the day there,” Bourque said. “He played in the New Bedford game when Danny pitched so he had a couple of innings of varsity experience but not much. We were just asking for him to make the routine plays and he’s done a great job stepping in for us.”
After the first out, Lawrence came back with back-to-back strikeouts against the heart of the Bombardiers’ lineup to escape without any damage done.
Lawrence’s momentum carried to the plate as he clubbed a one-out triple in the bottom of the inning, and beat the throw on Roderick’s squeeze bunt to make it 4-0.
The Bombardiers had another chance to cut into the lead in the top of the fourth but only managed to put a dent into it. Troy Van Vliet reached on a one-out error, Gamache singled with two outs, and McMahon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Van Vliet to score but Lawrence induced a ground ball up the middle that Cali fielded and fired to first for the third out.
“They were definitely lacking,” Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea said of timely hits. “Part of that is on us, part of it you tip your cap because they made some good pitches.
“That’s a talented pitching staff [Taunton] has, really talented. I was just saying to the kids how this is the farthest an Attleboro team has been in quite some time. I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished this year, this senior group. None of them had played in a tournament game before and made it all the way to here, that takes leadership. We started 0-2, kind of a tough 0-2, but we pulled together as a family and that’s how they played the rest of the season.”
Taunton canceled that run with one of its own in the bottom half. Evan Melo drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a chopper to second, and Lucas Martins brought the run in, slicing a single to right field just fair to make it 5-1.
The Tigers tacked on another insurance run in the sixth inning as Gomes led off with a walk, ending Morry’s day. Eoin Kelleher, the Bombardiers’ ace, came on in relief on just two days rest. Kelleher got a fly out to left before Evan Melo’s single put two on. A fielder’s choice advanced Gomes to third and Notarangelo singled to bring in pinch runner Nolan Melo in to make it 6-1.
Cali erased a leadoff single in the top of the seventh by turning a double play and Lajoie got the last out on called strikes to send the Tigers into a big celebration.
“I don’t think its hit home yet but it’s something I’m really proud of the kids and what they’ve accomplished so far,” Bourque said. “You couldn’t ask for a better group of guys, of hard workers. The camaraderie they’ve had all season. The offseason weight room, the captain’s practices, you name it. They deserve everything they get.”
Attleboro finishes the season at 14-10, concluding a terrific postseason run that saw the Bombardiers knock off Barnstable on the road, Bridgewater-Raynham, and second-seeded Durfee.
“I think they are starting to figure what they’ve accomplished and obviously it hurts right now,” Dunlea said. “You want to continue on but for me, it was just a great experience with an unbelievable group of seniors. They really cared about the program, they had goals for this team, and it was just really fun to be a part of that.”
Taunton baseball (19-7) advances to the D1 State Semifinal and will take on North sectional champion Lincoln-Sudbury (21-2), the top seed in that bracket. The Tigers will take on the Warriors on Tuesday at Alumni Field in Lowell at 7:00.
Baseball Super 8
#7 Mansfield, 9 vs. #5 BC High, 10 – Final – Mansfield erased an 8-1 deficit, even briefly taking a lead, but the Eagles of BC High earned a walkoff win to knock the Hornets out of the Super 8. Mansfield went up 1-0 in the top of the third but BC High plated eight runs in the bottom of the third to create a big lead. The Hornets scored three times in the fourth (highlighted by an RBI triple from Matt Scibilia) and then four times in the sixth inning, including a two-run double from Sam Nugent, to make it 8-8. Garrett Burke scored in the top of the seventh to put Mansfield ahead 9-8 but the Eagles responded with a run in the bottom half to tie it before getting the winning run two innings later. Burke and John Carney (run) each had two hits for the Hornets while Nugent finished with three RBI.
D1 South
#9 Xaverian, 0 vs. #4 Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton senior Jack Moynihan tossed his third straight complete game shutout, and second straight in the postseason, to pace the Tigers to a win over Xaverian. Moynihan allowed just two hits while walking three, striking out seven to earn the win. Moynihan was aided by a huge defensive play by Nic Notarangelo, who made a terrific diving catch in left field to end the first inning with runners on first and second. Taunton scored twice in the fifth inning, starting with a single from Jared Roderick. Andrew Gomes then smacked an RBI triple to put Taunton up 1-0 and Evan Melo dropped down a bunt single to bring Gomes in to make it 2-0. Taunton will play Hockomock rival #11 Attleboro in the D1 South Final on Saturday at 1:00 at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton.
#11 Attleboro, 2 vs. #2 Durfee, 0 – Final – Attleboro senior Eoin Kelleher was masterful on the mound, allowing just three hits with no walks to lead the Bombardiers to an upset win over Durfee. Kelleher retired the first 11 batters he faced, didn’t allow a base runner past first base, had 17 first pitch strikes and struck out four in a complete game shutout. The Hilltoppers got their first hit in the fourth with two outs but the runner was gunned down at second on a great throw from Alvaro Espinal. Attleboro did its damage offensively with a run in the second and another in the third. in the second, Nick McMahon drove in Lorenzo Wilson with a sacrifice fly after Wilson singled, advanced to second on a single from Troy Van Vliet, and to third on a wild pitch. In the third, Tim Callahan walked, took second on a passed ball and scored on a double from Camden Fitzpatrick. Attleboro will play Hockomock rival #4 Taunton in the D1 South Final on Saturday at 1:00 at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton.
D2 South
#5 Stoughton, 1 vs. #1 Hopkinton, 12 – Final – Hopkinton pushed across six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to turn a close game into a big win. Evan Jackman had a strong outing on the mound for the Black Knights.
#11 Oliver Ames, 2 vs. #7 Westwood, 6 – Final – Oliver Ames erased an early 2-0 deficit, tying the game in the top of the fifth but the Wolverines responded with two runs in each the fifth and sixth innings to pull away for the win. Jared Spillane had two singles and an RBI for OA while Matt McCormick also drove in a run. Reid Latham had two hits offensively and had a strong outing on the mound for OA.
Girls Tennis D1 South Final
#2 Wellesley, 3 vs. #1 Sharon, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match. – Sharon sophomore Charlize Martinez rallied in the second set, winning three straight to force a deciding third set, but Wellesley senior Sophia Arts grabbed a win in a tightly contested set to give the Raiders the sectional crown. Arts won the first set 6-2 and was up 4-3 before Martinez won three straight games to take a 6-4 decision. Martinez cut the deficit to 2-3 in the final set but Arts won three tight games in a row to get the win. Sharon senior Nupur Shukla shined in her final match, winning 6-2, 6-1. Freshman Valeria Barajas earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles for the Eagles. Wellesley won both doubles matches in straight sets.
Baseball D1 South
#13 Marshfield, 0 @ #4 Taunton, 6 – Final – Taunton senior Jack Moynihan tossed his second straight complete game shutout, this time lifting the Tigers in their tournament opener against Marshfield. Moynihan scattered five hits and one walk across seven innings, striking out 12 to earn the win. Taunton scored three runs in the second inning and tacked on one more in each the third, fourth, and sixth innings. Nic Notarangelo (run), Logan Lawrence, and Evan Melo (run) each had a hit and an RBI for the Tigers. Lucas Martins, Colby Lariviere (two walks), Jared Roderick, and Andrew Gomes each had a hit for Taunton as well. The Tigers will host #12 Catholic Memorial, who knocked off #5 Plymouth North 1-0, on Monday at 4:00.
#11 Attleboro, 5 @ #6 Barnstable, 3 – Final – Attleboro raced out to a 4-0 lead over the first three innings and Ryan Morry (4.1 IP, 1ER, 4K) and Eoin Kelleher combined to tame Barnstable to earn the upset on the road. The Bombardiers scored once in the first, twice in the second, and once more in the third. After the Raiders got on the board with runs in the third and fourth, Attleboro pushed the lead to 5-2 with a run in the sixth. Barnstable loaded the bases in the sixth with one out but Kelleher limited the hosts to one run and pitched a 1-2-3 final inning to secure the win. In the first, Alvaro Espinal (1-for-2, two walks, stolen base) singled, stole second and scored on a single from Camden Fitzpatrick (two RBI). In the second, both Troy Gamache (two hits) and Tim Callahan scored, the latter driving in the former, who then scored on a sac fly from Fitzpatrick. Nick McMahon drove in Morry in the third to make it 4-0. In the sixth, Gamache drove in Mason Houle with a double. Attleboro will now host #14 Bridgewater-Raynham, who upset #3 Natick 5-1, on Monday at 4:00 at Hayward Field.
D2 South
#9 Milton, 7 @ #8 North Attleboro, 2 – Final – Milton raced out to a 4-0 lead over the first two innings and never looked back to knock off the defending D2 State Champions. Jake Carroll had a pinch-hit RBI to get the Rocketeers on the board in the seventh and Kyle Bolger launched a solo home run in the seventh for North. Rocketeers coach Mike Hart said Dennis Colleran had a tremendous relief outing.
#11 Oliver Ames, 1 @ #6 Duxbury, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Reid Latham pitched a gem, tossing a complete game shutout to lead the Tigers to an upset win on the road at Duxbury. Latham scattered five hits and two walks while striking out nine to earn the win. The Tigers were able to manufacture a run against Duxbury ace Charlie Coon (7IP, 3H, 3BB, 14K) in the fourth inning. Junior Jacob Levine reached on a walk, pinch-runner Justin Sarnecki stole second, and scored on an error. Jake Erlich, Nate Fulford, and Latham each had a single in the win. Junior Kyle O’Connor had the defensive play of the game for the Tigers, fielding the ball in right with his bare hand and gunning a runner at the plate in the bottom of the fourth. The Tigers will now travel to #3 Dartmouth on Monday at 4:00.
#13 Milford, 13 @ #4 Southeastern, 3 – Final – Milford’s offense exploded for 13 runs to earn an upset on the road at fourth-seeded Southeastern. Justin Applebee continued his strong season at the plate with three hits and a walk, scoring four runs while driving in a run. Tyler Almeida had two hits, a walk, a run scored and drove in three runs while Danny Corsini had two hits, a walk, and a run scored. Corsini earned the win on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out six in a complete game effort. Milford awaits the winner of #5 Stoughton and #12 Greater New Bedford, which is on Saturday at 11:00 AM at Stoughton High.
D2 South
#20 Foxboro, 5 @ #13 Dedham, 8 – Final – Camryn Willis pitched a “terrific game,” according to head coach Mark Maguire, striking out three and allowing just seven hits in the loss. The Warriors got two hits apiece from Peyton Feldman, Chelsea Gibbons, and Morgan Sylvestre.
Boys Lacrosse D1 South
#7 Natick, 2 @ #2 Franklin, 10 – Final – The Panthers put on a defensive clinic, limiting the visitors to just two goals on 10 total shots to advance to the D1 South Semifinals. Franklin’s defensive unit of Pat Morrison, Liam Arsenault, and Spencer Briggs, along with close D Will Harvey and Luc Sweeney limited Natick from getting many good looks throughout the night. Franklin led 5-1 at halftime and held the visitors to just one goal through three quarters. Nitin Chaudhury had three goals and an assist, Matt Lazzaro scored twice with two helpers, Jake Davis netted a pair of goals with one assist, and Ben Kolb and Harvey each scored once. Jacob Alexander won 13-of-16 faceoffs while Will Davis made seven saves in net. The Panthers await the winner of #3 Xaverian and #6 Duxbury, which will be played on Friday at 5:00. Franklin will play the winner on Monday.
D2 Central/East
#5 Westwood, 10 @ #4 Foxboro, 8 – Final – Charlie Baughan, Bobby Yerardi, and Aidan Stapleton each scored twice but the Warriors saw their lead slip away in the final minutes of the game. Foxboro held an 8-7 lead with 6:50 to go but Westwood scored twice to take the with just under three minutes to go. Foxboro had one final chance in the last minute but couldn’t convert its chance and the Wolverines added an empty net goal. Pete Conley and Brendan Tully each scored once while freshman Matt Tully made 11 saves.
Girls Lacrosse D1 East
#7 Hopkinton, 11 @ #2 Franklin, 19 – Final
#8 King Philip, 9 @ #1 Walpole, 21 – Final
Boys Tennis D1 South
#9 Franklin, 0 @ #1 Brookline, 5 – Final
Girls Tennis D1 South
#5 King Philip, 1 @ #4 Hopkinton, 4 – Final – King Philip sophomore Mia Valencia was the lone Warrior to grab a win, earning a 7-5, 6-4 decision at third singles.
D2 South
#10 Canton, 1 @ #2 Old Rochester, 4 – Final – Canton sophomore Rachel Kupferman ended the season with a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles but the Bulldogs lost the match to ORR.
