Franklin junior Rex Cinelli has been a mainstay in the Panthers’ back four over the past two seasons, and for good reason. The league was littered with talented center backs last year and Cinelli was right there at the top and earned HockomockSports.com Best XI honors. He sets the tone with his strong aerial challenges, consistently winning important challenges from clearances and crosses. But he’s also very good with the ball at his feet and that allows the Panthers to play out of the back and keep possession. Franklin is always well organized in the back and Cinelli is a big reason for that.
King Philip had a lot of new faces in its lineup last season after graduating over a dozen players from the class of 2020, and then the Warriors had to deal with an abundance of injuries throughout the year. One versatile piece back in the puzzle this season for head coach Mike O’Neill is midfielder Matt Crago. Crago is a true box-to-box player that we’ve seen play in the heart of the field before, but can also venture out to the wing if needed. Wherever the ball is on the field, Crago isn’t far off — whether it’s sitting deep in the midfield to help the defense and then offer an outlet option out of the back, or in the attack with the ball at his feet looking for diagonal runs behind the defense. And he showed last year (and so far this preseason) the ability to score from distance and make things happen as he pushes forward.
Although just a junior, Carson Dameron begins his third year as a member of the North Attleboro varsity program and the Rocketeers will be looking to lean on his experience as they try to challenge in a crowded Kelley-Rex division. A crafty midfielder, Dameron was North’s honorable mention selection for Hock All Stars a season ago. The Rocketeers trust him with the ball at his feet and he is a good decision maker — whether it’s to play in a service (like his assist in the Leach & Garner Cup last year) or to have a go from distance (his blast from just outside the area in overtime against Dartmouth smacked off the underside of the bar and stayed out). North was a relatively young squad last season so, with a bit more experience, the Rocketeers will be a team to keep an eye on.
Sharon senior Rhys Davis is coming off a great junior season, and would likely have been a HockomockSports Best XI selection in any other year except the 2021 season featured the deepest pool of talent at that position in a long time. Back again this season to anchor the Eagles’ defense, Davis is right near the top of the list of best defenders in the Hockomock League and in the surrounding region. Sharon is another team that fought its way through some injury challenges last season but so far so good this season for the most part, and behind a talented and sizable senior class — Davis is one of 16 seniors on the squad — the Eagles are a serious contender for the Davenport division title. Davis will partner with classmate Tyler Goodman in the middle of the defense with fellow seniors Tony Yang and Malachi Diaz, and that will give Sharon a formidable, veteran back line with Davis right in the heart of it all.
Canton had a terrific season a year ago and one of the several reasons for that was the emergence of Jake McCabe as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the Hock, and by the season’s end, one of the best in the state. McCabe has all of the skills and intangibles that you want in your No. 9: a great touch, speed, vision, and as he showed just about every team he played last year, the ability to finish. Despite defenses preparing and game planning for him throughout the year, McCabe found his way to 13 regular season goals (tied for most in the Hock) and three more during the Bulldogs’ run to the state finals. He’s already off to a great start with a goal in Canton’s first league game and that’s likely just the first of many this season.
It’s not often an underclassman makes the list, but it’s an easy choice after watching what Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken during as a freshman during the 2021 campaign. Strictly by the numbers, Milliken had 10 goals (fourth most in the Hock) and 11 assists (second most in the Hock) to finish the regular season with a league-high 21 points — as a freshman. But there’s much more than just the numbers. Milliken covers a ton of ground and has a high work rate. If the ball is in the area, expect Milliken to provide a hard challenge and quickly turn defense into offense for the Tigers. OA graduated some key weapons but there is plenty of talent still back, and Milliken is off to a flying start with an assist in the opener and essentially created both of OA’s final goals.
There aren’t many players in the league that can play in as many positions at such a high level as Taunton senior Riley Rebello. Over the past two seasons (although the 2020 campaign was brief for the Tigers), we’ve seen Rebello up top scoring goals, sitting in as the holding mid, pushing up as an attacking center mid, or anchoring the defense at center back. And it seems wherever he goes, that part of the field becomes a strength for the Tigers. He earned HockomockSports Best XI honors a year ago at center back but it looks like he’ll venture more into the attacking third this season from the middle of the pitch. It’s nothing overly flashy from Rebello but his play is consistent and reliable, and you can count on him to make the right play.
Milford has enjoyed a resurgence of the past couple of seasons with four straight division titles (two Davenport, the past two Kelley-Rex division), and over that span, the Scarlet Hawks have had some of the top players in the Hock come through the program. An Eastern Mass. All Star selection a year ago, Milford senior Nick Ribero is right up there with the best of them. Patrolling the center of the pitch, Ribero is such a vital piece in the heart of the midfield, and everything they do really runs through him. One of the best possession teams in the league, Ribero does a great job of finding space to make himself available and then is so good at finding open teammates to keep the ball and spark the attack. And on top of it all, he’s smart with the ball: he makes the right choice on when to keep possession or when to hit the ball forward to try and get behind the defense.
Mansfield graduated one of the biggest senior classes in the league last year (14) so as they integrate a lot of new faces and younger players, head coach Steve Sheridan is going to lean on his three captains, including striker Aiden Steele. Steele is the type of player you don’t want to give any space to — sometimes easier said than done — because he’s shown in the past that he can punish opposing defenses anytime he gets into the attacking third. He does well to find those spaces, whether it’s dropping back a bit to collect the ball, pressuring defenders into a turnover, or finding space in behind the back line. The Hornets will be looking for Steele to set the pace up front after graduating the majority of their goals scored from a season ago.
Attleboro looks like a team ready to compete for the division title this season, and one reason for that is that the Bombardiers had a handful of options for this watch list. But the list wouldn’t be complete without the 2021 HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli. After breaking onto the scene during the truncated 2020 season, Vecchioli really put his name on the map with a tremendous season a year ago. Whether he’s dropped back into an attacking center mid role or moved up front to a striker position, he’s an impact player. He’s very confident with the ball at his feet and has no fear taking defenders on 1-on-1. He scored a team-high 10 goals a season ago and registered two assists. He has a strong group of players around him like classmates Luke Hagopian and Billy Badger and formed a great partnership with senior Esvin Morales last year that will be a challenge for defenses again this year.
Football
Attleboro, 35 @ Durfee, 6 – Final 1Q: (A) Matt Harvie 41-yard pass to Adrian Rivera, Ethan Lako 2pt rush good; (A) M. Harvie 5-yard pass to Malachi Jefferson, Josue Salguero XP good.
2Q: (A) M. Harvie 25-yard pass to Ayden Ramirez, J. Salguero XP good; (A) Brody McKenna 30-yard interception return, XP failed.
3Q: (A) M. Harvie 59-yard pass to Andre Turner, J. Salguero XP good.
4Q: (D) Durfee 4-yard rush, XP failed.
Canton, 30 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 7 vs. Holliston, 33 – Final
Franklin, 32 @ Wachusett, 22 – Final 1Q: (W) McGeary 3-yard rush, XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 65-yard pass to Luke Davis, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (W) Wachusett touchdown, XP good; (F) G. Portesi 30-yard field goal. (F) J. Lyons 60-yard pass to L. Davis, XP failed.
3Q: (F) J. Lyons 35-yard pass to L. Davis, XP failed; (F) G. Portesi field goal.
4Q: (W) McDonald rush, McGeary 2pt rush; (F) Mike Davide 4-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good.
BC High, 0 @ King Philip, 35 – Final 1Q: (KP) Rudy Gately 10-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good; (KP) R. Gately 19-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good,
2Q: (KP) Tom McLeish 6-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Aiden Astorino 4-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (KP) Kyle Abbott 1-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
Mansfield, 35 vs. St. John’s Shrewsbury, 6 – Final 1Q: (M) CJ Bell 32-yard pass to Trevor Foley, Travis Hennessey XP good; (M) Rocco Scarpellini 1-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) Conner Zukowski 9-yard pass to Ryan DeGirolamo, T. Hennessey XP good.
2Q: No scoring.
3Q: (M) R. Scarpellini 4-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
4Q: (M) T. Hennessey 15-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
Milford, 42 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (M) Nate Scudo 5-yard rush, Nicholas Araujo XP good; (M) Evan Cornelius 13-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
2Q: (M) E. Cornelius 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
3Q: (M) N. Araujo 12-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
4Q: (M) E. Cornelius 9-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) Owen Callahan 17-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
North Attleboro, 28 @ Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final 1Q: (NA) Nathan Shultz 27-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good; (NA) N. Shultz 41-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
2Q: (BF) Nick Yanchuk 82-yard rush, XP no good.
3Q: (NA) Greg Berthiaume 22-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
4Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 1-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
Oliver Ames, 41 vs. Brookline, 12 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 8-yard rush, Nick Ferrini XP good.
2Q: (OA) C. Silva 24-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good; (OA) Wayne Casey 56-yard pass to Andrew Whiteside, XP blocked.
3Q: (OA) W. Casey 12-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good; (B) Joshua Karp 53-yard pass to Andrew Bamberg, XP failed; (OA) Harold Smith 18-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
4Q: (B) J. Karp 4-yard pass to Caetano Drinkwater, 2pt pass failed; (OA) CJ Crocker 19-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
Stoughton, 28 vs. Norwood, 13 – Final 1Q: (S) Jarred Daughtry 14-yard pass to James Currier, XP good; (S) Alex Huynh 45-yard interception return, XP failed.
2Q: (S) Liam Pearl 3-yard rush, Alex Huynh 2pt rush good.
3Q: (N) Jack Dwyer 4-yard rush, XP good; (N) J. Dwyer 13-yard rush, XP failed.
4Q: (S) L. Pearl 1-yard rush, XP failed.
Taunton, 33 @ New Bedford, 7 – Final 1Q: (T) Jacob Leonard 34-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, Elias Foreman XP good; (T) Elijah Prophete 62-yard fumble return, XP failed.
2Q: (T) J. Leonard 61-yard pass to Jose Touron, Abby Doherty XP good; (NB) Amari Harris 5-yard pass to Darrin Godine, Brent Sharples XP good; (T) Malachi Johnson 86-yard kickoff return, A. Doherty XP good.
3Q: (T) Anthony Petijohn 48-yard interception return, XP failed.
4Q: Not played.
Sharon, 27 @ Weston, 14 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Attleboro scored the first and last goals of the game, the latter coming with less than 10 minutes to play to help the Bombardiers secure a tie and a point on the road. Luke Hagopian bagged a brace on his birthday, finishing off an assist from Esvin Morales in the 74th minute to bring the Bombardiers back level. Hagopian opened the scoring in the 16th minute off an assist from Steve Etienne. Mansfield leveled the game less than 10 minutes later on a blast from distance from Aiden Steele. Mansfield took the lead in the 34th minute as Grady Sullivan buried a rebound off a shot from Steele. For Mansfield, Matty Sullivan, Derek McGrath, Aiden Jones, Brendan Flynn, and Kyle Johnson all played well defensively.
Milford, 4 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Milford scored a pair of goals in each half to pick up a pair of points on the road at Foxboro. The Hawks converted a pair of crosses to establish the lead, starting with a finish from Eduardo Santana on a service from Saverio Fulgitini. Milford double its lead when Kaua Pereira scored off a cross from Nick Ribero. In the second half, Pereira set up Arthur Tome to make it 3-0 and then Santana fed John Borges for a finish to make it 4-0.
Franklin 1, @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Oliver Ames raced out to a three-goal lead by halftime and then tacked on two goals inside the final 15 minutes to secure a 5-1 win over Franklin in its season opener. Five different players scored for the Tigers, starting with a goal just over five minutes into the game. Sophomore Luke Churchill lifted a ball over the top of the defense and junior Ryan Linhares ran onto it and calmly chipped the oncoming keeper on the bounce. Less than 10 minutes later, sophomore Casey Milliken played in a through ball to junior Ryan Carney and he finished low to the far post. OA made it 3-0 in the 35th minute as Hector Bucio was first to a corner from Linhares, hitting a low one-timer into the back of the net from inside the area. Franklin had a strong start to the second half and played equal to the hosts. The Panthers pulled one back in the 47th minute after good pressure from juniors Andrew O’Neill and Hansy Jacques ended up in a combination between the two and the latter smashed a low left-footed shot off the far post and in. After some more even play, OA cashed in on a Franklin turnover. Andrew Martins took down a failed clearance connected with Milliken, who fired a cross/shot that was spilled in the area and Mirray Dasilva was first to the loose ball and fired it in. Michael MacAdam came up with a turnover at midfield and quickly hit a counter pass up to Milliken that drew Franklin goalie Griffin Tolonen well off his line. Tolonen got the ball but it deflected right to Martins, who passed one into the back of the net.
King Philip, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield opened league play with a solid road win. Kara Santos put the Hornets in front, finishing a corner by freshman Olivia Dunham, who recorded her first varsity point. Meghan McCann doubled the lead when she ran onto a through ball from Lauren Signoriello and finished the breakaway. Olivia Salisbury made three saves to get the clean sheet.
Canton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton scored a pair of second half goals to break things open and secure a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs opened the scoring midway through the first half on a goal by Emily McCabe. North started the second half on the front foot, but Canton regrouped and in the 60th minute freshman Georgia Campbell got her first varsity goal to make it 2-0. Emma Cahill sealed the win with a goal in the final minute. Mekahala Costello, freshman Alyssa Wong, and Tess Giglio recorded assists. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo praised Wong and Campbell for giving Canton a needed energy boost in the second half. Maddie Ferrin made six saves for the Rocketeers.
Foxboro, 2 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Neve Taylor scored a pair of unassisted goals and Allie Sougaris made a huge save in the closing minute to secure a hard-fought win for the Warriors. The game was scoreless at halftime and it was the home team that broke the deadlock when Paige Caldon finished off a pass from Dani Atherton. Foxboro responded almost immediately, as Taylor equalized. With about 18 minutes to play, Taylor struck again for what turned out to be the game-winner. Atherton had a chance to steal a point with nearly the final kick of the game, but Sougaris made a brilliant save on the breakaway to keep the Warriors in front. Freshman Kaliegh Tourtellot had a strong game in goal for the Hawks, filling in for injured Chloe Murdock.
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – KP took 32 shots on Friday but only managed a pair of goals, pulling out a tough home win in its league opener. Ella Pisani’s through ball set up Dani Lomuscio for a goal early in the first half. In the second half, Dani Gresham’s corner kick went off a defender to double the lead.
Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 4 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the third quarter and then held off a fourth quarter comeback bid from North Attleboro to secure a 5-4 win. The Bulldogs built a 2-0 lead in the second quarter but Julia Puccio scored a pair of goals, including one off a Kelsey Thompson corner with 31 seconds left in the half to bring the Big Red level. Canton extended its lead to 5-2 with a big third quarter but Puccio scored two more times in the fourth to make it a one-goal game. Puccio netted a deflected shot with 9:05 left in the game and then scored off a pass from Madison Folan with 3:54 left to make it 5-4. Canton had five different goal scorers, including one goal and two assists from freshman Carolyn Schiavo.
Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final – King Philip continued its strong start to the season with a dominating 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-8) sweep over Walpole. Sami Shore led the offense with seven kills, Ahunna James added six kills and a pair of aces, Emily Sawyer registered four kills, two aces, and two blocks, and sophomore Madison Asprelli landed four aces in the win.
Canton, 1 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final – Canton jumped ahead in the match with a win in the first set but North Quincy bounced back with three straight to claim victory, 3-1. For Canton, Jess Wright had an outstanding performance with 14 kills and a pair of aces.
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-8-3 Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.
There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.
That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.
Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.
“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.
2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist) Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.
Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.
Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.
“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”
2021 Record: 9-9-1 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.
The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.
Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.
“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.
2021 Record: 11-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.
The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.
Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.
“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 3-13-2 Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.
The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.
Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.
“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”
2021 Record: 8-5-4 Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.
The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.
It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.
Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.
2021 Record: 12-4-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.
Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.
After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.
“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”
2021 Record: 8-8-2 Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.
Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.
Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.
“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”
2021 Record: 13-4-2 Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.
Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.
On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.
“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”
2021 Record: 6-9-3 Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.
With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.
The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.
“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”
2021 Record: 0-17-1 Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.
First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.
Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.
2021 Record: 5-10-3 Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.
With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.
Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.
Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.
“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.
Boys Soccer
Milford, 6 vs. Hopedale, 0 – Final – Milford freshman Danny Da Silva had a grand debut, scoring twice and adding an assist in his first varsity game as the Scarlet Hawks rolled to a big win to open the 2022 campaign. Da Silva scored the first goal of the game, finishing off a flick from Eduardo Silva to make it 1-0 and then beat his man 1-v-1 before setting up John Borges with an open net for a 2-0 lead. Borges then recorded his first assists, setting up Santana for a 3-0 advantage. Andre Baiano joined the scoring party after converting a feed from Arthur Tome. Santana (on a cross from Nick Ribero) and Da Silva (from Ribero) each scored once more to make it 6-0. Lucas Fernandes recorded the shutout before a strong performance from the Hawks’ defense.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro vs. Braintree – Postponed to Monday, 9/12 at 3:45.
Taunton vs. New Bedford – Postponed to Saturday, 9/17 at 10:00AM.
Field Hockey
Attleboro vs. Bishop Feehan – Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton vs. East Bridgewater – Postponed to TBD.
Volleyball
Milford, 2 vs. Nipmuc, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 3 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final – Stoughton started off the season in style, sweeping visiting East Bridgewater, 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-21). Sophomore Reagan Lewis and junior Alyssa Edwards both played well offensively while senior Patrik Oliveira had an outstanding game defensively for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 3 @ New Bedford, 1 – Final
Cross Country
Milford @ Hopedale – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/7 at 3:45.
Golf
Stoughton @ Weymouth – Postponed to TBD.
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Oliver Ames @ Foxboro – Postponed to Friday, October 7 at 3:15.
Franklin @ Taunton – Postponed to TBD.
