Tag: Nicole Connor

2019 Hockomock League Girls Hockey All Stars

Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Girls Hockey All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Maggie Malloy, Canton

Hockomock League All Stars

Maggie Malloy, Canton
Lauren Fitzpatrick, Canton
Leah McLellan, Canton
Ava Pacitti, Canton
Lizzie Tassinari, Canton
Cassi Ronan, Franklin
Regan Paterson, Franklin
Tina Pisano, Franklin
Gabby Colace, Franklin
Nicole Connor, King Philip
Sydney O’Shea, King Philip
Avari Maxwell, King Philip
Danae Reager, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Mackenzi Fraser, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Isabelle Shanteler, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Katie Widrow, Stoughton
Morgan Lessa, Stoughton

Honorable Mentions:
Alexa Maffeo, Canton
Gianna Cornetta, Franklin
Meghan Gorman, King Philip
Skylar Sharfman, Mansfield/Oliver Ames
Brianna Buckley, Stoughton

Malloy Scores Four to Lift Canton Over KP

Canton girls hockey
Canton senior Maggie Malloy scored all four of the Bulldogs’ goals in a 4-1 road win at King Philip. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FOXBORO, Mass. – During last year’s state tournament, forward Maggie Malloy caught fire and gave Canton the offensive firepower to match its solid play in the defensive zone. Malloy scored six goals and had three game-winners during that tournament run and it appears that momentum has carried right over to this season.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Malloy scored all four of her team’s goals on Wednesday night at the Foxboro Sports Center to help Canton open its Hockomock League title defense with a 4-1 road win against King Philip. She has six goals in three games to start the new year.

“She’s always going to have the offensive stuff but coming into this year we talked about how we needed her to be more complete,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich about Malloy’s play in all three zones. “We have a lot of young kids and her defensive game has really improved a lot and everybody sees that and that’s what they want to do too.”

It didn’t take long for the Bulldogs to open the scoring. Sophomore Ellie Rae Roberts (two assists) drove down the right side of the ice and sent a puck into the slot where Malloy was camped out. She fired a shot past KP goalie Lilly Potts (12 saves) and handed the visitors a 1-0 lead inside the first two minutes.

“We talked about getting off to a good start,” Aldrich explained. “They always play us really well and we thought it was important to come out quick and really pressure them. They’ve got some really dynamic players…so we had to get on them and not give them any space.”

Canton nearly doubled the lead a couple minutes later with Roberts having a shot from the right circle kicked aside and then Potts was quickly out to smother Malloy’s rebound attempt. KP’s first attempt on target came with four minutes left in the first when freshman Sydney O’Shea forced a save from the right wall.

KP started to get a foothold in the game over the final few minutes of the first period, but again Malloy was there to pounce on a rare scoring chance. On the power play, Alexa Maffeo kept the puck in at the blue line and got the puck to Malloy, who was able to pick an opening past Potts.

“That goal late in the period was kind of deflating at the time because the girls were playing really well at that point,” said KP coach Jack Unger. “Canton is a very, very good team and you can’t afford to make any mistakes and we had times where we couldn’t get the puck out of our zone just due to a couple small errors and they took advantage of it.”

Down 2-0 at the start of the second, the Warriors had a great chance to cut the lead in half. Alli Meehan weaved through the Canton defense onto her backhand, but was denied by Canton goalie Ava Pacitti. It was a big moment for the senior netminder, who is in her first varsity season, taking over after Colleen Kelleher graduated.

Aldrich said, “Ava’s been really making some good saves for us. We’re used to having that, it’s just a different number but she’s really embraced this team and the team has embraced her. It certainly doesn’t look like she hasn’t played before this year.”

The Bulldogs came close to a third midway through the period when freshman Tess Khoury teed up Malloy in the slot, but Potts was there for a big stop. Maria Femia followed that with a shot off that caromed off the post and then Potts made good stops to deny Roberts and Malloy on the edge of the crease. Lauren Fitzpatrick also forced a save with a shot from the right circle.

Malloy completed her hat trick with three minutes left in the second. Khoury set her up alone in the middle of the zone and Malloy showed remarkable patience before firing a shot under the bar.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Canton was holding KP to just eight shots through two periods, combining strong defensive play with aggressive back-checking from the forwards. In particular, Aldrich praised his seniors, Malloy and Fitzpatrick for setting the tone.

“Lauren Fitzpatrick is one of those players who can have a great game without scoring a goal,” he said. “This was one of the best games she’s ever played and I don’t think she got a point.”

KP came out strong in the third period, but Malloy essentially sealed the win inside three minutes. She stole a puck on the edge of the attacking zone, dragged the puck to her left, opened up her body and found the back of the net.

The Warriors didn’t stop skating, despite being down by four goals. Sammy Robison fired a shot from the point that was redirected inches wide by Meghan Gorman. Nicole Connor, who was all over the ice for KP, fired a shot from the point that Pacitti (16 saves) gloved and then was denied by a quick pad on a wraparound attempt.

With 3:49 left to play in the game, KP got on the board. Sophomore Avri Maxwell went five-hole with a shot from outside the right circle for a power play goal. She almost got a second a minute later but Pacitti stopped two efforts on goal.

KP outshot the Bulldogs 9-3 in the third and 17-16 for the game. “We knew we were down by three goals and it’s a young team but we’ve got some veterans who are pretty competitive and they don’t like to lose, so they wanted to go out and at least try to win that third period.”

He added, “They had the effort from start to finish, we just need to put the puck in the net more.”

Canton (3-0) will look to continue its unbeaten start to the season on Saturday with a trip to Whitman-Hanson. King Philip (1-2-1) will take the trip to Dennis-Yarmouth looking to get back to .500 on the season.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

2018-2019 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

2018-2019 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview
King Philip and Franklin will do battle again this winter in the second season of Hockomock League girls hockey and both will look to unseat inaugural champion Canton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017-2018 Hockomock Girls Hockey Preview

Canton

2017-2018 Record:
2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 state title game.
Coach: Dennis Aldrich
For two straight winters, Canton has advanced to the TD Garden to play in the Div. 2 state title game. Two years ago, the Bulldogs shocked everyone by getting to the final, but last season there was an expectation that Canton could make a deep tournament run. Those high expectations are there again this year, as the first-ever Hockomock League champions return two experienced lines of forwards and defensemen that all saw time during the tournament run.

The first line returns the team’s top two scorers with senior forwards Maggie Malloy (10 goals, 13 assists) and Lauren Fitzpatrick (14 goals, nine assists) forming a dynamic partnership that sparked the Bulldogs attack last season. Malloy was particularly prolific in the playoffs, providing decisive goals throughout the playoffs. Second line center Andrea McNeil has graduated but sophomores Lizzie Tassinari, Maria Femia, and Ellie Rae Roberts provided speed and energy during solid rookie seasons.

Defense has been Canton’s best weapon in each of the last two seasons. Although outstanding goalie Colleen Kelleher has graduated, senior Ava Pacitti is earning rave reviews during the preseason and she will have a well-drilled group of defensemen in front of her. Seniors Katie Trerice and Leah McClellan and junior Meg Aldrich and Alexa Maffeo will form a solid top two pairings at the blue line, with McClellan adding the different dimension of also jumping into the attack as often as possible.

“Canton’s staple has always been one of a hard skating, defensively stingy, opportunistic team. This year should be no exception,” said Canton coach Dennis Aldrich, who is looking forward to the new challenge of defending a Hockomock League title.

Franklin

2017-2018 Record: 14-4-4
2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 first round.
Coach: Margie Burke
Franklin had a very strong 2017-18 season, winning 14 games, including one in the postseason, and will try to build on that momentum to make another run at the postseason and to challenge inaugural league champ Canton at the top of the standings.

There is plenty of experience coming back to power the Panthers up the league standings. Senior Regan Paterson is one of the league’s top skaters and was the league’s top scorer last year with 18 goals and seven assists. Sophomores Victoria Quinn, Amanda Lewandowski, and Libby Carter will also provide offense after combining for 16 goals as freshmen. Junior Jordan Dwyer is also back up top after a 12-point season last year. While this a lot of youth in the forward lines, all saw time last season.

Defense will be one of the team’s strengths this season, with juniors Tina Pisano, Gina Vignone, and Gianna Cameron and senior Cassi Ronan all back to lead a veteran crew. One of the biggest changes for the Panthers will be in goal. Natalie Stott had an impressive freshman campaign but left to attend prep school, so Franklin will turn to sophomore Gabby Colace, who allowed only 0.56 goals against, saved 96 percent of the shots she faced, and had three shutouts as a freshman, and is ready to step into a bigger role. Senior Gianna Cornetta will also see time in net.

Franklin coach Margie Burke, who was honored with the National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) Coach of the Year award last March, said, “I expect the hockey [in the league] to be very competitive again this year.”

King Philip

2017-2018 Record: 11-9-2
2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 2 first round.
Coach: Jack Unger
King Philip finished second in the inaugural season of Hockomock girls hockey and nearly reached the Div. 2 quarterfinal, only losing to Archbishop Williams by single goal, and the Warriors bring back their leading scorers to try and make a run at the Hock title. With a mix of experience and youth, KP could give Canton a run in the league and be poised for a tournament run as well.

The forward line will be very experienced with seniors Meghan Gorman, Alli Meehan, Alli Wilson, and Emily Brawley all back to provide scoring punch. Leading scorer Nicole Connor is also back and the senior defender is one of the most dynamic players in the league, giving KP strong play at the blue line and adding to the attack. Connor will be joined in the defense by seniors Madelyn Kelley and Lilly Worthington.

Goaltending should be a strength for the Warriors this season with senior Lilly Potts and junior Cristina Coleman both capable of shutting down the opposition. The team is also loaded with underclassmen, which bodes well for the program’s future. Freshmen Sydney O’Shea and Morgan Cunningham are a pair of newcomers that could make instant contributions for the Warriors this season.

“Despite being a younger team overall, the players have tremendous potential,” said KP coach Jack Unger. “Typical of all the sports programs within the Hockomock League, each game is against the best inter-league contestants out there. We all have the ability to beat one another each time out.”

Mansfield/Oliver Ames

2017-2018 Record: 12-7-3
2017-2018 Finish: Reached Div. 1 first round.
Coach: Roy Bain
While Mansfield/Oliver Ames has a new coach, as Roy Bain takes over the program this season, and will be looking to move on without leading scorer Cat Luciano, who is now at Holy Cross, there are 15 players returning from the team that got back into the state tournament last winter and nine freshmen that have added depth to the growing program.

Seniors Isabelle Shanteler (Mansfield) and Mackenzi Fraser (Foxboro) will try to make up some of Luciano’s scoring from last year. The duo will be on the top scoring line along with freshman Kylie O’Keefe (Foxboro) and provide the speed and energy to jumpstart the MOA attack. Unlike past years, the Warriors won’t be counting on one player to dominate the stats but will look to take advantage of its depth. Senior Lindsey Corning (Mansfield) will center the second line between sophomore wingers Ella Waryas (Foxboro) and Emma Garland (Mansfield), while sophomores Alex Ledin (OA) and Lily O’Brien (Mansfield) have shown promise as centers as well.

The defense is led by senior Danae Reager (Foxboro), who has been a varsity player for four years and sets the standard for the blue line group. Sophomores Melissa Shanteler (Mansfield) and Emma Pereira (OA) will be paired together, while Reager will be paired with sophomore Megan O’Hara (Mansfield). Freshman Jess Widdop (OA) has been outstanding in net during the preseason and has built the team’s confidence heading into the opening game.

Bain said of his new goalie, “In the 10 days since we’ve started practicing, she’s been nothing short of impressive. Her athleticism and work ethic will serve the team well as we enter the season.”

Stoughton

2017-2018 Record: 4-17
2017-2018 Finish: Missed postseason.
Coach: Rich Grasso
Last winter, Stoughton had its best season as a program, winning four games, including a three-game win streak early in the schedule. This year, the Black Knights will get a boost from a co-op with Sharon, which should increase the numbers in the program as it tries to add its first win in the Hockomock League to its recent accomplishments.

The loss of leading scorer Julia Russell to an injury, which also kept her out of the field hockey season, will be tough, but the Black Knights have several other experienced players coming back to try and pick up the slack. Senior Katie Widrow is one of the leaders on the forward line and she will be joined up front by sophomore Morgan Lessa and a pair of newcomers to keep an eye on: junior Taylor Kim and sophomore Samantha Sherman.

On defense, senior Jordan Lyons and sophomore Haley Nelson will be the returning players to watch, keeping things organized on the blue line. Behind the defense, junior goalie Brianna Buckley will be between the posts to try and keep the opposition out. Stoughton coach Rich Grasso called Buckley the team’s “show stopper” and she is looking to build off a solid year of experience in goal.

“The team has one goal in mind and that is to make the tournament,” said Grasso. “This is a huge task being in the Hockomock League playing against powerhouse teams…We are small in numbers but talented. Looking forward to proving we belong in that league.”

Girls Hockey: Ten Players to Watch in 2018-2019

2018-2019 Girls Hockey Players to Watch
Canton senior forward Maggie Malloy (27) is one of the players to watch as the Hockomock Leagues second season of girls hockey kicks off. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Player are listed alphabetically

Brianna Buckley, Junior – Stoughton

The Black Knights are coming off the best season in the young program’s history, having won four games last winter and Buckley was one of the reasons for the team’s success, backstopping the defense and at times doing everything she could to keep Stoughton in games. While not one of the biggest goalies around, Buckley plays much larger (like she is 6-foot-3, according to head coach Rich Grasso) and she is able to cover a lot of ground with her quickness. She is also an aggressive goalie, challenging shooters, and athletic enough to pull off the tough saves. Stoughton has added a co-op with Sharon for this season and the program is continuing to grow. With Buckley in net, the Black Knights have a great building block to try and carry over the momentum from last season and take it to another level this year.

Nicole Connor, Senior – King Philip

Connor is one of the top defensive players in the Hockomock League, but it is her versatility that really sets her apart. Connor was KP’s top goal scorer last season with 12 and was second on the Warriors (and tied for sixth in the league) with 22 points. Not only is she able to stop the opponents in one zone, but she can carry the puck the length of the ice and create a scoring chance on the other end. A tenacious player, who brings a ton of energy to the ice, Connor is also a talented skater and has the stick skills of a forward. With Connor returning at the blue line, and giving a boost to the Warriors experienced forward line, KP will be expecting to challenge Canton for the league title.

Lauren Fitzpatrick, Senior – Canton

Fitzpatrick was one of the main reasons that the Bulldogs won the inaugural Hockomock League title and reached a second straight Div. 2 title game at the TD Garden. She was tied for the team lead with 23 points and was the team leader with 14 goals on the season. Fitzpatrick has great skill on the puck and with her strength is tough to move off it as she carries into the attacking zone. She also has a great shot on the move and can score from different areas of the ice. Her partnership with Maggie Malloy heading into the state tournament last year was a huge boost for the Bulldogs and she is already off to a great start with a pair of goals in the season-opening win against Sandwich on Saturday. Canton will be hoping to make a third straight run to the Garden and if the Bulldogs are going to get there again Fitzpatrick’s goals are going to be a critical piece.

Meghan Gorman, Senior – King Philip

Gorman, who is also a star on the softball field, led the Warriors and was second in the Hockomock League in scoring last season. She finished with 24 points (eight goals and 16 assists) and she was one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers. Gorman has speed all over the ice and the vision to set up her teammates in great positions. She is strong on the puck and willing to chase it down into the corners to create scoring chances and her energy and aggressiveness sparks the rest of the team. KP was very close to a spot in the Div. 2 quarterfinal, losing by a single goal to Archies, and the Warriors will have their sights set on more this winter. Gorman is the focal point of the forward line and her experience and skills will be a big boost to KP this season.

Maggie Malloy, Senior – Canton

Malloy was the spark plug behind Canton’s tournament run last winter, scoring six goals and recording two assists in three playoff games and scoring the game-winner in all three to push the Bulldogs back to the TD Garden for the Div. 2 state title game for a second straight season. Malloy is one of the most tenacious forwards in the league, willing to chase down any puck into the corners, and with the strength to come out of any physical battle with the puck on her stick. A strong skater, an accomplished finisher, and a tough competitor in the face-off circle, Malloy brings a lot to the table and was one of the league’s leading scorers with 23 points in the regular season. Having already shown her capability of coming up big in the big moments, Malloy will once again be a focal point for the league’s top attack as the Bulldogs try to make it two league titles in two seasons.

Leah McClellan, Senior – Canton

While a lot of the attention is paid to the Canton forwards, the Bulldogs defense was critical to making a run to back-to-back state title games. Canton brings back an experienced crew of solid defensemen, but McClellan brings something a little different to the blue line group with her seemingly endless desire to get the puck forward quickly and try to create offense in transition. A three-zone player, McClellan has the speed to turn opposing attacks into offensive opportunities for the Bulldogs and the stick skills to weave her way through the neutral zone. Not just an attacking player, McClellan is also strong in the defensive zone and reads the play well to force the opposition to the outside. Scoring goals is a lot of fun, but defense is a key to success. Of course, if you can do both then it’s the perfect combination and the Bulldogs have the best of both worlds. McClellan is part of that balance with her skill set and she will be a major part of Canton’s attempt at defending its league title.

Regan Paterson, Senior – Franklin

The Panthers had a strong season in 2017-18 and Paterson’s return is a major reason why confidence is high that Franklin can put together another run at the postseason and also put together a challenge for the league title. One of the most skilled forwards in the league, Paterson has the rare ability to pick up the puck in the defensive zone and carry it through the opposition to create a scoring chance on the opposite end. She also showed the patience and confidence in possession to bring the puck backwards if it will open up space. Paterson led the league with 18 goals and 25 points in the regular season last winter and she was able to create scoring chances for a talented group of underclassmen forwards. If the Panthers are going to push Canton in the league this season (after handing the Bulldogs their only league loss last year), Paterson’s leadership and scoring will be key.

Victoria Quinn, Sophomore – Franklin

The Panthers have the potential to be one of the teams to watch out for in the league this season and a lot of that comes from the talented group of young forwards who stepped in an provided immediate contributions last year. Quinn was one of those rookies who stepped in an instantly proved that she belonged at that level, scoring 16 points on five goals and 11 assists, with her speed, tenacity, and ability to finish. Along with classmates Amanda Lewandowski (forward) and Libby Carter (defense), the freshmen combined for 16 goals altogether and helped the Panthers score 69 goals as a team, which was second best in the Hock. Quinn has the potential to pair up with Regan Paterson and provide one of the top scoring groups in the league again this year.

Danae Reager, Senior – Mansfield/Oliver Ames

One of the top returning defensemen in the league, Reager is a four-year varsity player and the leader of the Mansfield/Oliver Ames back line. The Foxboro senior is strong in the defensive zone and reads the play well to cover for teammates and be in the right spots when called upon. She also doesn’t shy away from the physical play, whether battling for a puck in the corner or trying to move forwards out of the crease. As MOA keeps trying to build and challenge for the top spot in the Hock, as well as get back into the state tournament, having a strong defensive unit will be a key for the Warriors. Reager gives MOA a tough presence at the blue line and sets the standard for the rest of the defensive pairings. The Warriors only gave up 31 goals last year, which is third best in the league and only nine more than league champ Canton, so Reager and her teammates will be looking to keep things solid in the back again and keep the program’s upward momentum.

Isabelle Shanteler, Senior – Mansfield/Oliver Ames

While Reager and the defense (see above) will be a key to Mansfield/Oliver Ames making a run this season, Shanteler has a big role to play as well, in trying to fill the skates of graduated forward Cat Luciano, who was the team’s leading scorer last year. Shanteler had a strong winter with nine goals and six assists, good for second best on the team, and the Warriors will be counting on her to fire in the goals this year to keep the program heading in the right direction. A speedy forward with strong skill on the puck, who can carry it through the neutral zone and find scoring opportunities for herself or her teammates, Shanteler has the ability to find little seams in the opposing defense. MOA has aspirations of making a push at the top of the Hockomock League and Shanteler is one of the reasons why the Warriors are confident that a tournament run is on the horizon.

2018 HockomockSports Field Hockey Awards

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

KP’s Reign in D1 South Ends Against the Raiders

King Philip field hockey
King Philip freshman Meghan MacDonald chases down a ball on the sideline in front of Somerset-Berkley’s Alex Millar. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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TAUNTON, Mass. – It has been a remarkable two-year run for King Philip. The Warriors have won back-to-back Kelley-Rex division titles in dominating fashion, leading the league in goals scored and fewest goals allowed both years, and won a Div. 1 South crown in 2018.

The quest to repeat as sectional champions came to an abrupt end on Thursday night in the semifinal at Taunton’s Tiger Aleixo Stadium, as the Warriors gave up three straight goals, including two in two minutes, against Somerset-Berkley and lost 3-1 in a rematch of last year’s South final.

“I think the girls were nervous coming in,” said Kim Meehan, who, along with Erin MacDonald, was one of King Philip’s two coaches this season. “There was so much hype around this game that we’ve tried to keep them focused on their game.”

There was plenty of excitement surrounding this matchup of two of the top programs in the state, and a little bit of controversy as well. The Raiders have two boys, Alex Millar and Lucas Crooks, in the starting lineup and there has been a debate raging about whether or not that is fair to other programs.

The question was put to the KP coaches after Millar scored the game-winning goal on Thursday and Crooks added the insurance goal that sealed the victory, but both wanted to focus on the play of their team and not on something that can’t be changed.

“I’m more concerned about the game,” said Meehan. MacDonald added, “We’ll talk about our team and the strategy. We don’t want to talk about the rest.”

It was an end-to-end game, played at a pace that few teams in the state would be able to match for a full 60 minutes. KP had an early chance to try and break the deadlock with Nicole Connor finding Alli Meehan off a corner and she quickly swung it to Katie Lindmark for a shot that was just wide of the post.

Somerset had a good look minutes later when Crook got in behind the KP defense off a pass from Megan Salsinha, but he couldn’t put his shot on target. Meehan again got going with a winding run through the defense and her shot into the middle was redirected just wide by freshman Meghan MacDonald.

Camryn Crook had a good look at goal in the 17th minute but pressure from KP defender Emma Izydorczak put her off enough that the shot went wide. Millar also went close with a powerful backhand shot off a corner.

Meehan drew a save with six minutes left in the first half and the rebound came to Connor but her effort hit the side of the goal. A minute later and the Raiders missed a golden opportunity when Salsinha stole the ball on the restart and broke free only to rifle a shot wide when clean through.

Lucas Crook had another good chance just after halftime when he stole the ball in the attacking zone, but Grace May came up with a big kick save. MacDonald nearly fashioned a good chance for KP when she took it off Millar’s stick and tried to hit Abby Nixon right in front, but again it went wide.

The breakthrough finally came in the 39th minute. Meehan picked out Claire Lawler on the left side of the goal. Lawler played it back to Meehan in space and she was able to draw a save our of Madison Ferrara. The rebound went right back across goal to the far post, where Lawler was ready for the tap in.

Rather than give KP a momentum boost, the goal seemed to spark the Raiders into life and Somerset-Berkley quickly turned the game on its head.

“I was a little surprised by that,” MacDonald admitted. “I thought scoring the goal would take us to the next level intensity-wise and I don’t know that it did.”

In the 45th minute, Camryn Crook forced May into a save and Millar drew another good save off the resulting corner but finally on the third try Salsinha managed to knock in a rebound and tie the game.

When asked about the play of May in goal, Meehan said, “She made a couple of great saves,” while MacDonald added, “She was like a super hero out there today.”

All the energy was with the Raiders and they quickly went back to work in the attacking half of the field, earning another corner. The ball was played out to Millar and he fired a shot into the mass of players in front of the goal. It took a deflection off a KP stick and looped into the top corner of the net for what turned out to be the game-winner.

KP tried to push and get back into the game, but the Warriors were struggling to create clear chances against the Somerset-Berkley defense. In the end, it was the Raiders that would add another goal. Lucas Crook drove across the crease onto his backhand and he fired a shot into the far corner.

“I’m super proud,” said Meehan. We have 10 athletes on the field who have given 100 percent all season long, six seniors, and they’ve just put in so much work. It wasn’t that we didn’t play well. We held our own.”

King Philip finishes the season at 18-2-1.

Second Half Surge Sends King Philip Into South Semis

King Philip field hockey
King Philip’s Alli Meehan brings the ball up against Barnstable in the second half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
WRENTHAM, Mass. – King Philip field hockey dominated the first half, applying a lot of pressure and keeping the ball in its attacking half, but the Warriors had no success finding the back of the net.

Despite five penalty corners and three shots on goal — and one that hit the post, and one just over the crossbar — King Philip’s offense was stymied by a compact Barnstable defense and went into the halftime break scoreless.

So King Philip co-head coaches Erin MacDonald and Kim Meehan decided to even up the numbers to start the second half, bringing up sophomore Abby Nixon from the midfield to be a fourth forward.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The change paid off as King Philip’s offense finally broke through off the stick of Nixon, and from there the third-seeded Warriors rolled to a 4-0 win over #11 Barnstable.

“We had to put another forward up top,” MacDonald said of the adjustment. “We took a midfielder and moved her up because we weren’t getting through all of the players they had inside the circle. Abby Nixon getting the first goal started the momentum, that one goal changed everything.”

King Philip’s best chances of the first half came in a five-minute span. In the eighth minute, senior Nicole Connor hit a hard shot through traffic but it bounced off the post and hit off a teammate’s foot to give possession to the Raiders.

And four minutes later, Connor found senior classmate Kate Lindmark on a corner and Lindmark lofted a shot over the defense but the ball bounced just over the crossbar and on top of the cage.

The Warriors continued the pressure in the second half, and the adjustment of Nixon up top paid off in the 42nd minute. King Philip peppered the Barnstable keeper with four shots in a shot, first off the stick of Alli Meehan, then from Nixon, again from Meehan, and the final one from Nixon into the back of the cage to make it 1-0.

“We needed more forwards, we had so many opportunities in the beginning but we weren’t scoring.” Kim Meehan said. “So we made some adjustments to get another player forward. It felt like we got the right mix on the field and then we scored.”

After going scoreless for just over 40 minutes, King Philip’s offense needed less than a minute to double its lead.

The Warriors quickly pushed the ball up field and earned a corner. Off the corner, the ball worked its way around to freshman Meghan MacDonald and she used a nice back hand shot to beat the keeper to make it 2-0 in the 43rd minute.

“When you have four forwards, it just changes the whole dynamic because you get more touches in the offensive end,” Kim Meehan said. “We’ve been playing with three forwards the whole season but we had to adjust to their line. They had everyone but one player back in the circle at times. It shows we’re doing something right on offense but we had to make an adjustment.”

The offense continued to click, converting another corner in the 50th minute. After Lindmark sent the ball into the circle, Alli Meehan and Connor executed a perfect give-and-go. Meehan found Connor, who dished it right back and Meehan smashed her shot in to make it 3-0.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

With so many numbers back trying to stop KP’s offense, Barnstable’s best chance offensively was on the counter attack. One of the few chances they had going forward came in the 53rd minute. Barnstable’s forward came streaking up field but her counter bid was thwarted by Emma Izydorczak.

King Philip added one final tally in the 54th minute. The Warriors used its speed to get past the defense as Alli Meehan connected with Nixon right in front. But instead of shooting, Nixon used an extra pass to find Raegan Simeone all by herself in front of goal and the junior buried her chance to make it 4-0.

King Philip field hockey (18-1-1) advances to the D1 South Semifinal and will play #2 Somerset-Berkley (19-1) in a rematch of last year’s D1 South Final (KP won 1-0). The game is scheduled to start at 7:30 at Taunton High School.

Saturday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 11/03/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Football – Non-Playoffs
Oliver Ames, 12 @ Norwood, 28 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (N) Solomon Klarou 5-yard rush, Jay Wladkowski XP good.
2nd Quarter: (N) Marc Murphy 51-yard pass to J. Wladkowski, J. Wladkowski XP good; (OA) Nathan Cabral 29-yard rush, 2pt rush failed.
3rd Quarter: (OA) Cam Perron 1-yard rush, 2pt pass failed.
4th Quarter: (N) M. Murphy 32-yard pass to J. Wladkowski, J. Wladkowski XP good; (N) Jason Denehy 12-yard pass to Tim Denehy, J. Wladkowski XP good.

Taunton, 3 @ Brockton, 34 – Final

Boys Soccer
D1 South
#3 Mansfield, 1 vs. #14 Plymouth North, 0 – Final (2OT) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

#7 Franklin, 1 vs. #10 BC High, 2 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery from this game.

D2 South
#3 Milford, 3 vs. #14 Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final – Milford scored a pair of goals in the first 10 minutes while keeper Josh Orellana made a key save to preserve a one-goal lead and the Hawks went on to pick up the win. Jordan Borges’ left-footed strike from 35-yards out just over two minutes into the game set the tone for the Hawks. Joao Vitor Neiva netted his first goal just minutes later, finishing off a service from Tiago Carvalho at the back post. Feehan scored in the 14th minute to get within one and Orellana made a terrific kick stop in the final minutes of the first half to preserve the lead. Neiva notched his second goal of the game in the 72nd minute to secure the victory. Milford will host the winner of #6 Oliver Ames and #11 Walpole on Tuesday at 6:00 at Milford High.

Girls Soccer
D1 South
#12 King Philip, 0 @ #5 Mansfield, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

#8 North Attleboro, 0 vs. #9 Weymouth, 2 – Final – Weymouth scored once in each half to pick up the win, putting an end to an impressive Rocketeer season. Sam Hawkins, Emma Gaulin, Kayla Pasquel, Ashlyn Gaulin, and Hayley Ferrin all played well for North Attleboro, which finishes the season at 12-3-4.

#11 Franklin @ #6 Hingham – Postponed to Sunday, 11/4 at 6:30.

#13 Oliver Ames, 0 @ #4 Bridgewater-Raynham, 2 – Final

Field Hockey
D1 South
#3 King Philip, 3 vs. #14 Norwood, 1 – Final – Norwood scored with 15 minutes left to cut the King Philip advantage to just one goal but Claire Lawler scored her second goal of the game to give the Warriors some breathing room. King Philip built a 2-0 lead behind goals from Lawler and Nicole Connor. “It was a huge team effort, both offensively and defensively,” said KP co-head coach Kim Meehan. The Warriors advance to the D1 South Quarterfinals to take on #11 Barnstable (13-5-2) on Monday at 3:45 at home.

#7 Canton, 2 vs. #10 Duxbury, 1 – Final (OT) – Canton senior Katie Trerice scored on a penalty stroke six minutes into the overtime period to lift the Bulldogs to a win. Maggie Malloy opened the scoring in the first half, a lead that the Bulldogs took into the second half. Duxbury tied the game with just under 10 minutes to play and Canton defended back-to-back corners with no time left in regulation to force overtime. With the win, Canton advances to play #2 Somerset-Berkley (18-1-0) in the D1 South Quarterfinals on Monday at 6:00 at Somerset-Berkley High School.

#13 Franklin, 3 @ #4 Notre Dame Academy, 1 – Final – Franklin goalie Christina Luccini had a terrific game in net, making nine saves, and the Panthers scored a pair of second half goals to earn the upset on the road. Cassi Ronan gave the Panthers the lead with just under four mintues left in the first half but Notre Dame Academy answered less than two minutes later to tie the game 1-1 at half. Ashley Reutlinger put Franklin ahead midway through the second half with an unassisted tally, and Ronan added an insurance goal on a penalty stroke with just over five minutes to play. Franklin advances to the D1 South Quarterfinals to play #5 Plymouth North (16-3-0) on Monday at 4:00 at Plymouth North High School.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/26/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Football – Playoffs
D1 South
#4 Franklin, 26 vs. #5 Brockton, 3 – Final
1st Quarter: (B) Carlens Jean 27-yard field goal; (F) Nick Gordon 32-yard pass to Jack Nally, Parker Chevrant XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) P. Chevrant 23-yard field goal; (F) N. Gordon 10-yard pass to Sean Leonard, P. Chevrant XP good; (F) Safety.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (F) N. Gordon 1-yard rush, P. Chevrant XP good.

#6 Attleboro, 19 @ #3 Catholic Memorial, 42 – Final
1st Quarter: (CM) Barrett Pratt 16-yard pass to Hunter Tully, Thomas Leonard XP good; (CM) Darius Leclair 2-yard rush, XP blocked.
2nd Quarter: (CM) B. Pratt 30-yard pass to Brian Stubbs, Owen McGowen 2pt rush; (CM) Zach Mitchel 53-yard rush, Matt Sokol XP good.
3rd Quarter: (CM) B. Pratt 21-yard rush, M. Sokol XP good; (A) Jason Weir 1-yard rush, Colby Briggs XP good.
4th Quarter: (CM) B. Pratt 20-yard pass to B. Stubbs, M. Sokol XP good; (A) Justin Cote 94-yard kickoff return, XP failed; (A) Kevin Velazquez 44-yard fumble recovery, XP failed.

D2 South
#1 Mansfield, 21 vs. #8 Bridgewater-Raynham, 7 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Aidan Sacco 38-yard pass to Makhi Baskin, XP failed.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (BR) Anthony Morrison 56-yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 12-yard rush, A. Sacco 2pt rush good; (M) Michael DeBolt 8-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.

#3 King Philip, 21 vs. #6 Braintree, 7 – Final
1st Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 4-yard rush, Cole Baker XP good.
2nd Quarter: (B) Michael Tellier 1-yard rush, XP good; (KP) R. Halliday 1-yard rush, C. Baker XP good; (KP) Robbie Jarest 38-yard pass to David Morganelli, C. Baker XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

D3 South
#4 North Attleboro, 21 vs. #5 Whitman-Hanson, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: (NA) Brendan McHugh 18-yard rush, Tyler DeMattio XP good.
2nd Quarter: (WH) Rian Schwede 5-yard pass to Nate Beath, Jake O’Brien XP good; (NA) Nick Raneri 2-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (WH) Ethan Phelps 7-yard rush, XP blocked.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (NA) B. McHugh 5-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good.

#8 Stoughton, 14 @ #1 Duxbury, 35 – Final
1st Quarter: (D) John Roberts 11-yard pass to Will Prouty, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (D) J. Roberts 15-yard pass to W. Prouty, XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (D) Tim Landolfi 12-yard rush, XP good; (S) Jeff Grier 18-yard rush, Jeff Cocchi XP good; (D) Jack Jacobson 42-yard rush, XP good; (S) John Burke 64-yard pass to Christian Ais, J. Cocchi XP good; (D) J. Roberts 15-yard pass to Ryan Prudente, XP good.

D5 South
#4 Canton, 27 vs. #5 Hanover, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: (C) Brendan Albert 2-yard rush, Owen Lehane XP good; (C) Kyle Fitzgerald 5-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (H) Andrew Carroll 60-yard pass to Drew Berard, Robbie Barrett XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 13-yard pass to Jace Emma, XP missed; (H) Ethan Ritchie 66-yard rush, XP missed; (C) K. Fitzgerald 1-yard rush, O. Lehane XP good.

#8 Foxboro, 14 @ #1 Falmouth, 22 – Final
1st Quarter: (Fal) Jake Murphy 10-yard rush, J. Murphy 2pt rush; (Fox) Mike Luong 2-yard rush, Liam Foley 2pt pass to Brian Derba.
2nd Quarter: (Fal) J. Murphy 5-yard rush, Kyle Connolly 2pt rush; (Fox) L. Foley 15-yard pass to Shayne Kerrigan, 2pt pass failed.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (Fal) J. Connolly 9-yard rush, 2pt failed.

Football – Non-Playoffs
Milford, 42 vs. Dartmouth, 6 – Final

Oliver Ames, 16 @ Medfield, 34 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) James Wilder 80-yard kick off return, Cameron Lund XP good; (M) Colby Gonser 3-yard rush, C. Lund XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Jimmy Cosolito 10-yard pass to Luke Slavick, C. Lund XP good.
3rd Quarter: (OA) Nathan Cabral 5-yard rush, Jake Erlich 2pt rush; (M) C. Gonser 5-yard rush, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (OA) N. Cabral 3-yard rush, Cam Perron 2pt pass to Ethan Eckstrom; (M) Luke Eilberto 3-yard rush, C. Lund XP good.

Sharon, 6 vs. Brookline, 24 – Final

Taunton, 47 vs. Weymouth, 20 – Final

Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 0 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final

Milford, 2 vs. Hopedale, 0 – Final – Milford scored once in each half to pick up a win at home over non-league rival Hopedale. Jordan Borges picked up where he left off from his game-winner against Canton, putting the Hawks up 1-0 in the first half on an assist from Leo Coelho. In the second half, junior Walisson de Oliveira doubled the lead on an assist from Joao Vitor Neiva. Lucas Caetano had a strong game defensively and Cam Doherty recorded the shutout in net.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – North Attleboro won the Blue-Red Cup behind two goals and an assist from Ashlyn Gaulin. Alex Moulson was also on the board for the Rocketeers, who got a team-record 10th shutout from goalie Emma Noreck. Morgan Silver, Bri Westcott, Sam Hawkins, Lydia Hershey, Liz Smahi and Olivia Bishop all had strong games defensively in front of Noreck.

Stoughton, 0 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon scored with 11 minutes to play to earn a win over Stoughton. The Black Knights thought they had the equalizer in the final minute but the goal was waved off for offside. Stoughton coach Tara Daniels said Nicole Weir had an outstanding game defensively for the Black Knights.

Field Hockey
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final

Milford @ Bellingham, 3:30

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – Grace Cole, Jessica Stratham, and Hannah Alarie each scored once as North Attleboro earned a win at home over visiting Stoughton. Alanna McCormick scored for the Black Knights.

King Philip, 5 @ Algonquin, 0 – Final – King Philip built a 2-0 lead by halftime and finished strong with three goals in the second half. Meghan MacDonald (from Dana Truini) opened the scoring just over a minute into the game and then set up Abby Nixon five minutes later to go up 2-0. In the second half, Nicole Connor and Alli Meehan set each other up three minutes apart to increase the lead to 4-0. Claire Lawlor capped the scoring with 10 minutes to play on a feed from MacDonald.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final

Canton, 3 vs. Quincy, 1 – Final – Canton fended off a comeback attempt from the Presidents of Quincy High, earning a 3-1 win at home (25-18, 25-18, 24-26, 25-18). Erin Devine had nine kills and six blocks to pace the Bulldogs at the net while Taylor Harris and Liz Bickett combined for 18 kills. Megan McDonough was amazing on defense with 22 digs and Nicole Brown continued her strong season with 25 assists and 10 digs.

King Philip, 0 @ North Quincy, 3 – Final – King Philip went on the road and suffered a 3-0 setback (21-25, 22-25, 13-25). For the Warriors, Catherine Waldeck had 11 kills and two blocks and Lily Carlow finished with five digs.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Brockton, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames won the second set to knot the score at 1-1 but Brockton prevailed in the next two sets to get the win (17-25, 25-12, 12-25, 12-25). Jordan Bosse paced OA with 12 digs, eight kills, and a pair of aces. Sadie Homer added 37 digs, Allie Kemp finished with 22 assists, and Jackie Raymond chipped in with six blocks.

Sharon, 3 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 3 @ Cardinal Spellman, 0 – Final – Stoughton wrapped up the regular season with a sweep of Spellman. Molly Turner and Delaney Nagel combined for 23 kills and Amaya Morris (six blocks) and Mia Bennett (22 digs) provided strong defense for the Black Knights. Hanna Holden had 10 assists in the win.

Taunton vs. New Bedford, 5:30

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/24/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Steph Kemp was involved in over half of the Hornets’ goals, helping her side clinch at least a share of the Kelley-Rex division title. It marks the third straight division title for Mansfield, who can win it outright with a draw or win against Taunton. Kemp scored a hat trick and had two assists, Cassidy McMahon added a goal and two assists, and Kerina Geminiani finished with a pair of goals. Melissa Reef, Sarah Sacco, and Kerrin Sears also scored for Mansfield.

Milford, 2 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Anna Tempestoso (on her birthday), Erin Holmberg, and Brianna Gibson each scored a pair of goals as Oliver Ames recorded a big win at home, giving head coach Britt Sellmayer his 400th career win. Tempestoso scored the first two goals of the game, Holmberg found the back of the net twice in a row, and Gibson scored two straight as OA led 6-0 at half.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – Attleboro scored early in the second half to cut Franklin’s lead in half but the Panthers responded with five goals in a 15-minute span to earn a big win. Cassi Ronan and Regan Paterson (from Amanda Lewandowski) scored in the first half to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead at the break. Alex Compton scored for Attleboro to make it 2-1 just two minutes into the second half. Franklin responded with goals from Victoria Quinn (from Paterson) in the 41st minute, Ashley Reutinger (from Lewandowski) in the 45th minute, Paterson just 17 seconds later, Lewandowski in the 50th minute, and Ronan in the 55th minute. Christina Luccini and Anna Jardine each had three saves in net.

Milford, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton’s Maggie Malloy paced the Bulldogs to a shutout win over Milford. After a scoreless first half, Malloy scored a natural hat trick in the second half to help Canton earn the win.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final

Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip took the lead just over a minute into the game but didn’t add to its total until the final five minutes of the game. Claire Lawler scored an unassisted goal 1:19 into the contest but neither side found the back of the net over the next 50 minutes. Nicole Connor added the insurance goal on an assist from Meghan MacDonald with 4:59 to play.

Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 6 – Final – Stoughton’s Morgan Lessa scored her first career goal as the Black Knights rolled to a win at home. Haley Nelson led the Stoughton offense with three goals while Allie Howe found the back of the net twice.

Taunton, 4 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Taunton built a 2-1 lead by halftime and never relinquished that advantage on its way to a 4-2 decision over Mansfield. The Tigers had four different goal scorers as Alana Tavares (assist), Jillian Pagliuca, Hannah Blackwell, and Cierra Bartel each found the back of the net. Lauren Torres had two assists and Emma Sheehan made five saves in net.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin completed its undefeated regular season (17-0) with a 3-0 win over visiting Attleboro (25-9, 25-14, 25-11). Ellie Wisniewski (three aces) had a team-high eight kills while Peyton Arone (two aces), Hailey Sanders, and Lily Galluccio had six kills apiece. Lauren McGrath finished with 26 assists while Emma Clifford ended the game with an ace for the Panthers.

Milford, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton clinched the Davenport division outright, its 10th title in the last 11 years, with a 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-10) win over Milford. Nyah Claiborne played great with 14 service points, including three aces and six digs, Rose Hazam added four kills and had a strong game at the net, and Nicole Brown continued her stellar senior year with 21 assists and three kills.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final

Oliver Ames, 3 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip got back into the game with a close third set win but Oliver Ames closed the match out with a big win in the fourth set (25-13, 25-14, 25-27, 25-11). Allie Kemp had a strong game for OA with 40 assists and three aces. Sadie Homer added 38 digs and four aces, Jordan Bosse had 17 kills and six aces, and Grace McCallum finished 12 digs and seven aces for the Tigers. For King Philip, Nicole Coughlan and Catherine Waldeck each had seven kills.

Taunton, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – After going up 1-0, Taunton rallied for a 2-1 lead but the Hornets won the final two sets to prevail 3-2 (25-16, 11-25, 20-25, 25-14, 15-5). “All of our seniors played a great game,” said Mansfield head coach Melissa Heeden. Abby Sullivan had eight of her 17 service points in the last game to help the Hornets get the win. Greenly Kelly had eight kills and eight service points, Katie Dardinski added five digs and six service points, and Meg Haradon finished with 10 service points.

Sharon, 1 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton overcame a 1-0 deficit to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Delaney Nagel led the Black Knights with 14 kills and 10 blocks, Molly Turner had 10 aces and 16 digs, and Mia Bennett was strong on defense with 26 digs.