Baseball Division 1
#18 Springfield Central, 0 @ #2 Taunton, 8 – Final – Taunton scored in four separate innings and Jack Cali had a dominant performance on the mound as the Tigers rolled past Springfield Central. Cali scattered three hits and two walks, striking out five in a complete game shutout on the mound. Offensively, Dwayne Burgo set the tone with a three-run triple in the first inning; Taunton added a single run in the third inning on an RBI single from Ryan MacDougall to score Dawson Bryce (triple) and one more run in the fifth when Burgo scored on a passed ball. The Tigers put the game away with a three-run sixth inning including a two-run double from MacDougall and an RBI single from Sean Murphy. #2 Taunton will host #7 BC High on Saturday at 1:00.
Division 3
#22 Archbishop Williams, 0 @ #6 Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Foxboro only had two twos in a pivotal fourth inning but managed to manufacture three runs, and Nolan Gordon tossed six scoreless innings to help the Warriors blank visiting Archbishop Williams. Ryan O’Leary had a leadoff single and Mike Marcucella had a two-out single to put runners on the corners; an intentional walk to Mat Sullivan loaded the bases. A passed ball allowed O’Leary to score while Gordon drew a walk to load the bases again. Tyler Prescott was hit by a pitch to bring a run in, and another wild pitch brought one more run home as Foxboro staked a 3-0 lead. A sacrifice from Louis Carangelo in the bottom of the fifth produced another run for Foxboro. Gordon allowed just two hits and issued four walks, striking out four in six shutout innings. Sean O’Leary struck out the side in the top of the seventh to slam the door shut. #6 Foxboro will travel to #3 Bishop Stang on Saturday at 11:00AM.
Boys Lacrosse
Division 1
#13 Needham, 6 @ #4 Franklin, 18 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Franklin dominated the two middle quarters of the game, outscoring the visiting Rockets 12-2 in that 24-minute span to pull away for a convincing win in a Round of 16 matchup with Needham. Franklin put up five goals in the first for a 5-2 lead but pitched a shutout in the second for an 11-2 halftime lead, and added six more goals in the third to carry a 17-4 lead into the fourth. Senior Jayden Consigli scored six goals and had one assist while Luke Davis scored a hat trick along with four helpers. Tyler Sachetti also had a hat trick in the win and Drew Hansen chipped in with a pair of goals. Ben Harvey, Braeden Leonard, and Drew McCarthy all played well defensively in the win.
Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 12 – Final – Ryan Landry (RBI), Peter DelPozzo, Casey Victorio (RBI), and Johnny Pagano (run) each had a hit for the Bombardiers while Jackson Huntington tossed a scoreless sixth inning in relief, striking out a pair.
Canton, 6 vs. Brookline, 3 – Final – Canton rallied from two runs down and then broke open a tie game with a three-run fourth to pick up an important non-league win, as the Bulldogs fight for a playoff spot. Brookline scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs answered back with three in the second. After the Warriors tied the game with a run in the fourth, Canton put together a three-run rally in the bottom half to take control. Hayden Rose went the distance on the mound to pick up the win. He walked three and allowed five hits, striking out seven. Jack Digirolamo led Canton’s efforts at the plate with a pair of hits and four RBI. Matt Hart continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-3 with a run, Shane Kelleher and Nick Gillis each had two hits, with Gillis driving in a pair. Owen Lane and Matt Chafin each doubled and scored runs.
Foxboro, 2 vs. Oakmont, 3 – Final – Foxboro carried a 2-1 lead into the final inning but visiting Oakmont (#3 in MIAA Division 3 rankings) plated a pair in the top of the seventh to take the win. Ryan O’Leary went 2-for-3, Sean O’Leary hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and both Tyler Prescott and Mike Marcucella had a hit. Nolan Gordon had a strong start for the hosts, allowing one run on five hits and three walks, striking out four in five innings.
Mansfield, 7 @ Xaverian, 10 – Final – Mansfield had 10 hits and pushed across seven runs but couldn’t overcome an early deficit against this year’s recently crowning Catholic Conference champions. Jake Maydak continued his strong month by going 2-for-3 with three RBI, Wyatt Bolduc (two runs), Brian Butler (run), and Anthony Saraiva (two RBI, two runs) each added a pair of hits, and Conner Zukowski and Aiden Jones each had a base hit. Luke Rogan pitched well in relief for the Hornets, striking out six with seven hits and no walks resulting in three runs (two earned) in four innings.
Softball
Franklin, 12 @ Braintree, 6 – Final – Franklin had a big start with five runs in the first inning and finished strong with seven runs in the sixth to pull away from the hosts. Junior Katie Dowley and sophomore Marley Allen led the offensive charge, each going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while sophomore Sarah Boozang had three hits and two runs scored. Carly Johnson-Pellegri (RBI, run) and Katy Liberman (double, two RBI, two runs) each added two hits in the win. Freshman Sophia Sacramone pitched well in relief, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, striking out five in 4.1 innings of work.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 14 vs. Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of goals late in the third quarter to create some separation and held the Shamrocks to just one goal in the fourth quarter to land a key non-league win. The Warriors built a five-goal lead (10-5) by halftime but the visitors pulled even with a 5-0 run in the third; KP tacked on two late goals to stake a 12-10 lead going into the fourth. Offensively, Hayden Schmitz scored four goals and had two assists, Donovan DeVellis recorded seven points (three goals, four assists), Mason Thompson potted a pair along with three helpers, and Noah Minkwitz scored a hat trick. Tommy Kilroy had a trio of assists, Pat Weiblen scored once with one assist, Henry LeClair scored once, and Alex Viscusi added one assist. James Boldy had another strong game in net for KP, turning away 10 shots.
Milford, 16 @ Hudson, 0 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 15 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final – KP rolled to a big win over a fellow D1 playoff contender. Sarah Brown led the way offensively with four goals, while Nicole McDonald had a hat trick and Makenzie McDevitt scored twice and assisted on two others. Alyssa Legere chipped in with two goals and a helper and Abby MacDonald and Kelly Holmes each found the back of the net twice. Emily Campbell made five saves to backstop a strong defensive effort.
Mansfield, 12 @ Norwood, 8 – Final – Mansfield outscored Norwood 6-4 in each half to pick up a crucial win in is bid to get back into the D2 tournament. Ava Adams scored five times and Brooke Butler added four goals for the Hornets. Rose Maher (assist), Carys Colby, and Maeve Anastasia each scored once in the win. Lola Varricchione dished out a pair of assists and Keira Fitzpatrick set up one goal. Caitlyn Zajac made 13 saves to help the Hornets beat the Mustangs, who are ranked No. 22 in the division.
Milford, 15 vs. Hudson, 8 – Final – Milford freshman Avalina DiGiallonardo had a strong showing in net in her first career start to help the Hawks land a season sweep of Hudson. Sophomore Alexa Landry netted a game-high five goals while senior Emily Croteau moved into a tie for second place in program history at 150 points after adding three goals and three assists. TJ Downing and Kiara Ortiz each added a pair of goals while Erin Michelson, Yasmin Martinez, and Jordan Douglas each scored once. Senior Molly Hartman earned her first career point, assisting on a goal from Ortiz.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 1 vs. Xaverian, 4 – Final
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 0 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 5 – Final
King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – King Philip took two wins from singles and doubles to land a victory on the road over Foxboro. Shea Mellman (6-3, 6-0) and Caroline Freese (6-2, 6-2) took straight-set victories at second and third singles, respectively. The team of seniors Carlie Burns and Priya Riar only dropped a pair of goals in a 6-1, 6-1 verdict at first doubles, while senior Lauren Casper teamed up with Jaelyn Dang for a 6-4, 7-5 second doubles win. Foxboro’s Hailey Kornbluth picked up another impressive win at first singles (6-0, 6-0) for the Warriors.
Baseball
Mansfield, 4 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Mansfield won its third straight one-run game, using a pair of runs in the sixth inning to edge out Canton on the road. The Hornets built a 2-0 lead by scoring once in the second (Dylan Saraceno RBI) and once in the third (Matt DeShiro RBI double) but Canton stormed back with three runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. Owen Lane’s RBI single got the Bulldogs on the board, Shane Kelleher tied the game with an RBI double, and Matt Hart’s RBI ground out put the hosts ahead 3-2. It stayed that way until the sixth when Jake Maydak smacked an RBI triple to score DeShiro to make it 3-3, and Maydak came home the next at-bat on an RBI ground out from Brian Butler. Maydak got the win on the mound, scattering six hits and two talks for three runs, striking out six in six innings, and DeShiro slammed the door with a scoreless seventh inning. Kyle Redquest pitched well for the Bulldogs, striking out eight with four runs allowed on eight hits and one walk in seven innings.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Locked in a two-run game through four innings, Foxboro exploded for five runs in the fifth to pull away from visiting Oliver Ames. The Warriors scored once in the first and twice more in the third to take a 3-1 lead. Senior Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish going 2-for-2 with two walks, two RBI, and three runs, and came through with a big hit to ignite Foxboro’s big fifth inning. LeClair drove in Aidan Stow (HBP) and Tyler Prescott (single) to make it 5-1. Ben Angelini, Ryan O’Leary, and Mike Marcucella followed with two-out RBIs to extend Foxboro’s lead. Sophomore Nolan Gordon had an impressive showing on the mound, allowing just one run (unearned) on three hits and a walk. He also recorded seven strikeouts in five innings while O’Leary tossed two scoreless innings in relief.
Milford, 0 @ Franklin, 10 – Final (6 inn.) – Locked in a one-run game through 4.5 innings, Franklin’s offense roared to life with a six-run fifth inning followed by three more in the sixth to earn a big win over Milford. The Panthers scored in the first when Eisig Chin reached on an error and Ryan Gerety (walk) scored but the Hawks escaped a bases-loaded situation with no outs to limit the damage. The game stayed 1-0 for the next three innings and Alfred Mucciarone escaped a bases loaded jam for the Hawks, inducing a ground ball to second baseman Luke Sidwell, who started a 4-6-2 double play to end the threat and the inning. Chin ignited the offense again in the fifth with a lead off double, Henry Digiorgio followed with a single and the Panthers’ offense rolled from there. Ethan DePaolo had a big day for Franklin, going 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI, and two runs scored. Ben Jarosz also had a double, an RBI, and two runs for Franklin. Mucciarone got the win, allowed just one hit and one walk, striking out nine in six scoreless innings.
Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Behind some early offense and strong pitching, King Philip picked up its biggest win of the year by knocking off visiting Taunton, 4-1. The Warriors plated three runs in the second inning to take an early lead that they never surrendered. Tommy Martorano singled in Rudy Gately (leadoff walk), Leo Dowling squeezed in Aiden Astorino (single) from third, and Brendan Sencaj had a two-out RBI to extend the lead to 3-0. That was enough run support for Gately, who only allowed four hits and two walks, and just one run in the sixth inning while striking out four in a complete game. Gately helped his own cause with an RBI single in the fifth; Taunton got on the board on a sacrifice fly from Ryan MacDougall, scoring Brayden Cali (leadoff walk).
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to TBD.
Softball
Attleboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – Kelly Colleran tossed a no-hitter, walking two batters, and facing just two over the minimum o lift North to a win over its rival. Colleran also had a pair of hits, scored a run, and drove in one. Maddie Bailey drove in a pair for the Rocketeers. Emily Tucker had a pair of hits, while Molly Willey and Emma Hanwell each had one. Willey contributed to the no-hitter with three assists from third base.
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/24 at 3:45.
Sharon, 4 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Stoughton rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth to avoid an upset bid from visiting Sharon. The Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first before Stoughton got right back in it with two runs in the bottom half. Sharon tacked on an insurance run in the third and it stayed that way until the Black Knights were able to push across three runs to take the lead for good. In the bottom of the sixth, Camryn Whitman had a one-out single and Kerry Driscoll reached on a fielder’s choice; both came into score after a single and error off the bat of Caitlin Driscoll. Angelina Barry’s squeeze bunt brought Driscoll home for the go-ahead run. Manasa Josyula tossed a complete game for Sharon, striking out five and helped the cause offensively with an RBI. Sam Dunham, Ayanna Vega, and Danika McNamara each had an RBI for the Eagles.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 9 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 4 – Final – King Philip notched a good non-league win over Bridgewater-Raynham behind a strong defensive effort and a good performance in net from James Boldy. Boldy made 12 saves in the win, helping KP stake a 6-3 win at halftime; the Warriors went on to outscore the hosts 3-1 the rest of the way. Donovan DeVellis had a seven-point performance to pace KP, netting four goals along with three assists while Hayden Schmitz added four points with a pair of goals and assists. Noah Minkwitz chipped in with two goals and one helper, Mason Thompson scored once, and Tommy Kilroy notched three assists in the win.
Oliver Ames, 13 @ Boston Latin, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up its second win in as many days, taking a non-league decision over Boston Latin. A day after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime, OA’s Ben Reardon stayed hot on the offensive end with five goals. Ryan Jaco and Shaun Teehan each had a hat trick in the win, Alex McAndrew chipped in with a pair of goals, and Noah Isleib collected 12 saves for the Tigers.
Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 14 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – Milford opened the scoring to the game and never trailed the rest of the way, keeping the lead over the Tigers until the end. A balanced scoring attack helped the visiting Scarlet Hawks stake a 9-7 lead at halftime; Emily Croteau led the way with five goals and TJ Downing added a hat trick in the win. Alexa Landry and Ava Lebel both chipped in with a pair of goals, and Erin Michelson, Yasmin Martinez, and Jordan Douglas each scored once. Caitlyn Bangert made six saves in the win.
Boys Tennis
North Attleboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – In an epic rivalry battle, North Attleboro got all three wins from matches that went three sets to secure a close win over Attleboro. Senior Brody Carter prevailed from a terrific first singles duel with a 7-6 (5_, 4-6, 6-3 win, Quinn DiFiore overcame a one-set deficit at third singles for a 5-7, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) marathon win, and the team of Brody Gaulin and Carson Dameron rallied back to take a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. Attleboro’s Tyler Rocchio earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and the Bombardiers’ second doubles team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 verdict.
Canton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield took a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action to secure a win over visiting Canton. Junior Nikhil Nain took a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles and junior Iniyan Karruppusami added a 6-3, 6-0 third singles victory. The Hornets’ first doubles pairing of Jake Weiner and Josh Weiner won in straight sets (6-2, 6-3), and the all-freshmen second doubles team of Justin Curtis and Kingston Carey snagged a 7-5, 6-2 win for the Hornets. Canton junior Max Kupferman had another impressive showing, taking home a 6-3, 6-1 win at first singles.
King Philip, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – A doubles sweep plus a win at third singles lifted Taunton to a win at home over visiting King Philip. Heitor Sens continued his impressive campaign with a 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles, the team of Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault added a 6-2, 6-4 first doubles victory, and the team of Rowan Kimmer and Kenny Dias prevailed from second doubles with a 6-2, 6-4 win. KP’s Luke Bailer won 6-4, 6-3 at first singles and Arjun Kollu emerged from second singles with a 6-3, 6-0 win.
Foxboro @ Oliver Ames – – Postponed to TBD.
Milford @ Franklin – Postponed to TBD.
Sharon @ Stoughton – Postponed to Friday, 5/5 at 3:45.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – By taking a pair of wins in single action and one more from doubles, North Attleboro edged out rival Attleboro with a 3-2 decision. Lauren Hunt continued her impressive season for the Rocketeers, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first singles while Megan Atwood dropped just a pair of games in a 6-1, 6-1 second singles victory. North Attleboro added a third win from Liz Silva and Audrey Noreck, who clinched a 6-1, 6-2 first doubles win. Attleboro’s Aaron Sodhani earned a 6-2, 6-4 win at third singles while the sophomore team of Katie Lortos and Julia Leonardo added a 6-3, 6-3 win for the Bombardiers.
Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip senior Caroline Freese capped off a three-hour battle with a comeback win in three sets, helping the Warriors complete a sweep over Taunton. Freese rallied from a one-set deficit to win two in a row, taking the win at third singles 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Ahunna James added another impressive result with a 6-0, 6-0 first singles verdict, junior Shea Mellman prevailed from a good battle at second singles with a 6-4, 6-2 win, the team of seniors Carlie Burns and Priya Riar added a 6-3, 6-4 first doubles win, and senior Lauren Casper and sophomore Jaelyn Dang overcame a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 decision at second doubles.
Mansfield @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.
Oliver Ames @ Foxboro – Postponed to TBD.
Franklin @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton @ Sharon – Postponed to Friday, 5/5 at 3:45.
Baseball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Milton, 4 – Final – Foxboro pulled even with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, but the defending D2 state champions used a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win. The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first but the Warriors cut the deficit in half with a two-out single from sophomore Mike Marcucella to score Louis Carangelo from second. Milton answered back in the bottom of the fourth to restore its two-run lead but Foxboro tied the game in the top of the fifth. Ryan LeClair drove in Tyler Prescott (walk) with a one-out triple, and then LeClair scored after an error to make it 3-3. Sophomore Nolan Gordon had a solid outing, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, striking out three in 5.1 innings of work.
King Philip, 9 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – King Philip’s offense belted out 13 hits and Rudy Gately dazzled on the mound as the Warriors put together one of their best games of the season with a 9-0 win over Bishop Feehan. Gately tossed a one-hitter (a first inning double) and just two walks, striking out six in a complete game shutout. KP’s offense pushed across a pair of runs in the second, single runs in the third and fifth, and put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. Max Robison (three RBI, run), Matt Kelley (two runs), Aiden Astorino (two RBI, run), Johnny Prater (RBI, run), and Tommy Martorano (run) each had a pair of hits for KP.
Milford, 5 vs. Westboro, 4 – Final
North Attleboro, 1 vs. Hopkinton, 3 – Final – Jordan Paradis (run), Gio Martello, Ayden Delaney, and Chris Hanewich each had a hit for the Rocketeers. Dillon Harding pitched well on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, striking out six in a complete game.
Stoughton, 7 @ Brockton, 6 – Final – Stoughton held off a late charge from the hosts to secure its first win of the season. The Black Knights scored three runs in both the first and third innings and the eventual game-winning run came in the fifth inning. Joe Rush had two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored to lead the charge offensively for Stoughton. Jeriel Cuello also had two hits and two RBI while Ben Shirey drove in a pair and scored once. Hunter Malkin earned the win, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and six walks, striking out six in six innings of work.
Softball
King Philip, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – A pair of early home runs and a three-run third inning helped King Philip start a busy week with a win over Bishop Feehan. The Shamrocks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but freshman Ali Gill and senior Libby Walsh hit back-to-back home runs to get the Warriors on the board. Tied at 2-2, the Warriors pushed three more runs across the plate to take the lead for good. Charlotte Raymond drew a bases-loaded walk, Maddie Paschke drove in a run with a single, and Liv Petrillo (single) came home on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Regan to make it 5-2. Walsh added a sac fly to score Sarah Cullen in the sixth inning. Feehan rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, and brought the go-ahead run to the plate but KP freshman McCoy Walsh (7IP, 7H, 6BB, 11K) finished it out with a strikeout.
North Attleboro, 16 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final (5 Inn.) – Kelly Colleran had a huge game at the plate and in the circle to earn North a big win. Colleran went the distance, striking out 14 batters, and set a school record at the plate with four homers and nine RBI. Arianna McDavitt had three hits and scored three runs. Molly Willey was 2-for-2 with two walks and Emma Hanwell had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI. Freshman Lucy Palmer got her first start behind the plate and had a hit and a couple of sacrifices. Grace Simmons and Maddie Bailey each scored twice for North.
Franklin, 4 vs. Walpole, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Whitman-Hanson, 2 – Final – Katie Melendy had another strong performance in the circle against Whitman-Hanson but the Panthers scored a single run in each the third and fifth innings to earn a season split. Melendy limited the Panthers to two run on four hits and a pair of walks, striking out 10. Maddie Homer, Devon Morris (double), Crystaliah Covel, and Emily Martin each had a hit for OA.
Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 vs. Marshfield, 9 – Final – Foxboro came up just short in its opening round matchup at the Chowda Cup, falling 9-7 to Marshfield. Conor Noone paced the Warriors’ offense with six goals while Tony Sulham scored once. Head coach Matt Noone praised the efforts of Ryan Cotter and Cam Deleskey in the midfield, and Adam Addeche turned away seven shots in net. Foxboro will play Hanover on Thursday at 10:00AM at Norwell High.
Franklin, 16 vs. Medfield, 2 – Final – Franklin jumped out to a four goal lead at the end of the first quarter, extended the advantage to seven by halftime, and never looked back in a runaway victory over Medfield. Luke Davis and Tyler Sachetti each had four goals and two assists to lead Franklin’s potent offensive attack while Jayden Consigli added three goals and one assist, and Eddie O’Brien scored twice and had one helper. Matt Corvi (six saves) and Mike Galvin (four saves) both played well in net while Jacob Alexander (one goal) won 14-of-17 faceoffs.
King Philip, 4 @ Catholic Memorial, 6 – Final – King Philip came up just short on the road at Catholic Memorial but not without a tremendous effort in net from senior James Boldy. Boldy recorded 18 saves in the game, including some point blank stops from in close, to keep the Warriors in the game. Donovan DeVellis scored twice and assisted on KP’s other two goals, scored by Henry LeClair and Cullen McCarthy. Alex Viscusi went 9-for-12 on faceoffs for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 8 vs. Falmouth, 13 – Final
Oliver Ames, 12 vs. Ashland, 3 – Final – OA’s Ben Reardon had a big day offensively with 10 points to lead the Tigers to a big win over visiting Ashland. Reardon scored seven goals and had three assists to lead OA, which established a 7-1 edge by halftime. Alex McAndrew added one goal and three assists, Ryan Jaco scored twice, and Shaun Teehan and Evan Jaco each recorded a goal and an assist in the win.
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 @ Walpole, 11 – Final – Foxboro suffered its first setback of the season, dropping a competitive contest with state powerhouse Walpole. Val Beigel had three goals to pace the offense while Paige Curran (two assists), Mya Warya (two assists), Cate Noone (one assist), and Mary Collins each scored once. Audrey Campbell played well in net with 10 saves.
Franklin, 15 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Franklin built a six-goal lead in a blink of an eye and never looked back in a rout of Bishop Feehan. Katie Peterson shined on attack for the hosts, potting a team-high six goals along with a pair of assists and seven draw controls. Jamie Tanner (two assists) and Emily Carney (assist) each had a pair of goals, Norah MacCallum had another strong defensive game with a pair of caused turnovers, and Ella Mahoney made four saves in the win.
King Philip, 15 @ Medfield, 17 – Final – A wild back-and-forth game ended with King Philip falling by two in a 17-15 loss to perennial state powerhouse Medfield. Nikki McDonald led KP with six goals while Alyssa Legere had a strong outing with four goals and one assist.
Mansfield, 11 vs. Mt. Hope (R.I.), 10 – Final – A balanced offensive attack led Mansfield to a one-goal win over visiting Mt. Hope on Tuesday. Ava Adams, Rose Maher, and Lola Varricchione (five draw controls, one assist) each scored three goals to lead the charge offensively for the Hornets. Stella Moore added one goal, Ella Souza had one assist, Carys Colby recorded seven draw controls, and Lana DiSangro came up with nine saves in the win.
Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano had a stellar outing on the mound and the Bombardiers used a late run to slip past visiting King Philip. Pagano tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits (two singles, two doubles) and five walks while striking out five in the win. The game stayed scoreless for five-and-a-half innings before the Bombardiers were able to break through in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Victorio drew a two-out walk and Jackson Huntington sent the third pitch he saw into left for an RBI double for the lone run of the game. Rudy Gately had a strong game on the mound for KP, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.2 innings of work.
Canton, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Canton rallied from a 5-2 deficit to take the lead in the fifth inning, before breaking the game open with a six-run sixth to earn a big bounce back win. Jack Digirolamo was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. Owen Lane sparked the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. Matt Hart was also 2-for-3 and drove in three, while Nick Gillis had a double and a triple and drove in two. James Young added two hits and an RBI from the nine-hole. Hunter Malkin had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for the Black Knights, who also got a double and an RBI from Sean Farley. Freshman Chris Pirrera hung tough after giving up five runs (one earned) in the first two innings and ended up going 4-2/3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Redquest earned the win in relief, throwing 2-1/3 scoreless innings.
Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead with five runs between the first two innings and exploded for six more in the fifth to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored to pace the offense. Ben Angelini (two RBI, two doubles, run), Mat Sullivan (two runs), and Aidan Stow (run) each added two hits in the win. Tyler Prescott reached four times from the leadoff spot with a hit and three walks, driving in three runs with four runs scored. Nolan Gordon earned the win on the mound after tossing five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, striking out two. Palash Raina had a double and a triple with a run scored for the Eagles while sophomore Casey Stengel went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.
Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – In a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s state championship game, Franklin edged out Taunton by a run in the first meeting between the two teams. Junior Austin Campbell had another stellar start as he allowed just two runs on six hits and no walks, striking out nine to earn the win. The Panthers plated all three of their runs between the first two innings, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Back-to-back two-out singles from Henry Digiorgio and Jase Lyons resulted in the first run of the game as Eisig Chin (who reached on a fielder’s choice) crossed home plate. In the second, Ethan DePaolo singled and Luke Sidwell reached on an error, and two batters later, both came home to score on a single from Lyons. Taunton got two back in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan MacDougall smacked a one-out, two run triple to score both Dwayne Burgo (double) and Brayden Cali (single). Shawn Cali pitched well in the loss with three unearned runs allowed on nine hits and no walks, striking out one in a complete game.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Jake Maydak went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs, helping Mansfield end its three-game losing streak and get back to .500 in Hock play. Maydak also went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mansfield opened the scoring in the first but the Tigers tied it with a single run in the top of the second. The Hornets broke the game open with three in the third. OA cut the lead to two with a run in the fourth but Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matthew DeShiro had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs, Sam Martin scored a run, and Connor Curtis drove in one for the Hornets. Patrick Finnerty was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Harrison Fitzpatrick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Colin Costello drove in one for the Tigers.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning but North Attleboro responded with four more in the top of the sixth to get a key win on the road at Fino Field. The Rocketeers built a four-run lead with single runs in the second, the third (Dillon Harding sac fly), the fourth (two-out RBI single from Jack Munley), and the fifth (Nate Kelly infield single), but that lead was quickly erased by the Scarlet Hawks in the bottom of the fifth. Joey McGee drove in Louis Consigli (leadoff walk), Damien Carter drew a bases loaded walk, and Keith Lee tied the game with a two-out, two-run single to score both Sean McGee and Joe Butler, who had both walked. But in the top of the sixth, North loaded the bases when Munley was hit by a pitch, Kyle Conroy and Derek Maceda drew consecutive walks, and Harding came through with a bases-clearing double. After two more walks, Gio Martello brought Harding home with a sac fly to make it 8-4. Martello pitched two scoreless innings in relief, walking two and striking out two with no hits against.
Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 16 – Final (6 Inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its strong start to the season, scattering 14 hits — including three home runs — to land a big win over upset minded Attleboro. The Bombardiers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first (helped by a solo home run by Rylie Camacho) but the Warriors wasted little time erasing that deficit with five runs in the bottom of the first, including a two-run triple from Ava Kelly and an RBI single from Maddie Paschke. The Bombardiers got back on the board with a run in the top of the second when Lily Routhier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but KP answered with a run of its own in the bottom half, and then tacked on 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Freshman McCoy Walsh was strong in relief for KP for the second straight came, coming in in the top of the third with the bases loaded and getting a strikeout to end the threat. Walsh finished with just one hit allowed and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, striking out nine. Sarah Cullen set the offense in motion from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored while Kelley (3-for-4, three runs) and Paschke (2-for-4, run) each finished with four RBI. Libby Walsh and Liv Petrillo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Paschke ended the game with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.
Stoughton, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton walked off with a big division win over Stoughton. Jess Wright led the Canton offense with three hits. Olivia Mackwell, Kailyn Durham, Anna Lehan, Sam Grady, and Kiera Redquest each 2 hits apiece in the win.
Foxboro, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Emma Callahan and Ava Hill each went 4-for-4 to power the Warriors to a big road win. Callahan also picked up the win in the circle with five innings of one-run ball. Autumn Stowell threw the final two innings for the Warriors. Manasa Josyula went the distance in the circle for the Eagles, striking out seven. Isabella Zelenchuk scored twice and Maddie Hu had the third run scored for Sharon.
Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – After two scoreless innings, Taunton’s offense roared to life with 11 runs between the third and fourth innings while Sam Lincoln had another dominant performance in the circle for the Tigers in a win over Franklin. Taunton was limited to just one hit in the first two innings but Mia Fernandes launched a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third and the Tigers rolled from there. Ava Venturelli and Kaysie DeMoura had back-to-back two-run doubles to push Taunton’s lead to 5-0 after three innings. After Lincoln struck out the side in the top of the fourth, Mia Torres had an RBI single, Kyleah Plumb drove in a pair with a single, and Hayley Krockta smacked a one-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 11-0. An RBI double from Abbey Doherty in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. Lincoln allowed just one hit — a single in the first inning — while striking out nine with no walks allowed.
Mansfield, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Oliver Ames scored in every inning, including a huge seven-run sixth inning that featured three home runs to pull away from Mansfield in an offensive showdown. After teams traded runs back-and-forth, the game stood knotted at 6-6 after five innings of play. The Hornets jumped back in front after Molly Kucharski smacked a two-out double, stole third, and came home to score on an error. But OA had another response, this time in a big way. Maddie Homer (three RBI, three runs) smacked a three-run home run with two outs and three batters later, Katherine Farley (five RBI) did the same, and Crystaliah Covel followed with a solo blast as the Tigers surged ahead 13-7. A pair of bases loaded walks to Devon Morris (two home runs, four RBI) and Katie Melendy added insurance for the Tigers. Mansfield rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from Julia Marnikovic but the Tigers closed it out.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Kelly Colleran continued her dominant season, striking out 19, walking none, and allowing only four hits. She also led the way on offense. Batting leadoff, she went 1-for-2 with two walks, a homer, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Arianna McDavitt had a two-run single in the second inning, helping North jump out to a 5-0 lead. Molly Willey added two hits and an RBI for North. Cae Pellegrini had two of Milford’s four hits and was 2-for-3 on the day.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro bounced back from its first loss of the season by holding off Attleboro in a defensive battle. Tony Sulham scored two and assisted on two others to lead the Foxboro attack. Conor Noone added two goals and one assist and Jon Sachetti had one of each. Aidan Waller and Ian Foley each found the back of the net once. Adam Addeche recorded eight saves for the Warriors.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Canton, 13 – Final – OA got three goals and an assist from Ben Reardon. Shawn Teehan chipped in with a score and a pair of assist and Jake Manthous and Ryan Jaco each got a goal apiece.
Sharon, 7 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin’s Jake Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each scored five goals and had three assists as the Panthers rolled to another league win, this time over visiting Sharon. Franklin jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter as, Davis, Sacchetti, Jayden Consigli (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Grasso each scored once. The Panthers then rattled off 11 unanswered goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 15-1 lead by halftime. Justin Alexander went 21-for-23 on face offs and had an assist in the win.
King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 7 – Final – KP had 11 players record a point in a big win. Donovan DeVellis was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and three assists. Mason Thompson scored twice and dished out five assists, Hayden Schmitz had two goals and three assists, Jacob Booth had three goals and one helper, and Aiden McCarthy had a pair of goals. James Boldy was big in the cage, coming up with 15 saves for KP.
Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Warriors stayed perfect with a big win over Attleboro. Mya Waryas and Paige Curran each scored five goals for Foxboro. Waryas added three assists. Val Beigel had a hat trick, Mary Collins had two goals and two assists, Addie Riley had two goals and a helper, and Cate Noone scored one and added a hat trick of assists. Audrey Campbell had a pair of saves in the win. Amelia Collins and Isabella Cavallini each scored twice for the Bombardiers, while Addison Papagolos had one goal and Makenah Stones had one assist. Cavallini also chipped in with five draw controls.
Canton, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Sierra Abbott had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who picked up an important division win. Nara Giannacopoulos added her first varsity goal, one of seven Canton players to record at least one point. Ashley Balunas came up with seven big saves to help secure the win.
Franklin, 20 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Franklin went on the road and came back home with another league win, rolling to a 20-1 decision at Sharon. Katie Ryan had a strong game with three goals and two assists, Payten Crandall added two goals, and Norah MacCallum had a strong game defensively for the Panthers.
Milford, 4 @ King Philip, 19 – Final – Ten players recorded points for the Warriors, who bounced back with a big home win. Makenzie McDevitt continued her strong start to the season with a career-high nine points. She scofred four goals and added five assists. Nicole McDonald also tallied four goals, while Alyssa Legere, Lily McNulty, Emily Heslin, and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of scores. Haley Bright made five saves in the win. Emily Croteau scored twice for the Hawks, Carly Haley and TJ Downing each scored once, and Rhea Mathew and Erin Michelson each recorded an assist. Caitlyn Bangert played well in net for Milford with 11 saves.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Mansfield built a three-goal lead but pulled away with a strong second half to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ava Adams led the charge offensively with five goals while Cammy Shanteler, Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore (two assists) each scored twice. Rose Maher added a goal and two helpers with Carys Colby and Ella Souza each had one assist in the win. Caitlyn Zajac made eight saves for the Hornets.
Stoughton, 9 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Stoughton on Wednesday. Cali Melo paced the offense with five goals and two assists while Maddi Szala had a strong game with three goals and one assists. Raquel Azevedo added two goals while Caroline Vallarelli and Talia O’Leary each scored once; Mel Jesus turned away 12 shots for the Tigers. Stoughton had its best performance of its debut season. Morgan Groppi led the way for the Black Knights with six goals, while Amanda Reid added two and Nicole Reid had a goal and an assist. Mia Rivera added an assist and Jordan Coleman made six saves for Stoughton.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches — one singles, one doubles — in three sets to secure a 4-1 decision on the road at KP. Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two tight sets in a row at second singles (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) while the team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at second doubles to help swing the match to the Bombardiers. Kyle Neuendorf picked up another win at first singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win while the team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. KP’s Luke Bailer didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.
Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton’s first and second singles players Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan continued to roll early in the season, helping the Bulldogs knock off neighboring Stoughton. Both Kupferman and Ramanathan won in straight sets without dropping a game while sophomore Justin Ngan added a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles to complete the singles play sweep. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Wright added a 6-2, 6-0 win for Canton.
Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court by taking all five matches in straight sets against Davenport foe Foxboro. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Matthew Lally dropped just one game in each set for a 6-1, 6-1 win, and Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti emerged from a hard-fought match with a 6-2, 7-5 win while junior Savir Basil teamed with senior Hyojae Park for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.
Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – All three singles matches went three sets and first doubles was a back-and-forth battle but it was Franklin that came out on top in all five matches in a win at Taunton. Jay Gorgas prevailed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win at first singles, Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and Will Forrest rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 second doubles victory.
Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield had one dominant doubles win and swept all three singles matches to return home from Easton with a win over Oliver Ames. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani earned a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at first singles, Nikhil Nain added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Iniyan Karruppusami picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. OA’s Nick Washner and Jared Murphy emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro senior Brody Carter battled his way to a three-set victory, completing the Rocketeers’ sweep on the road at Milford. Carter took a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a competitive third singles match. The team of Brody Gaulin and Quinn DiFiore added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna didn’t drop a game in a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it back-to-back wins, handing Attleboro its first loss of the season with a 5-0 verdict. Senior Ahunna James had a terrific showing, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first single, Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Caroline Freese emerged from a hard-fought three-hour marathon of a match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Rirar used strong net play in a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.
Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – It came down to a third set tiebreak at second singles but Canton’s Olivia Duruham was able to pull it out and secure the win for the Bulldogs. Durham dropped the first set but rallied to take the second and third, the latter in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)) to help complete Canton’s victory. The Bulldogs also got a pair of hard-fought victories in doubles play as Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth went the distance, overcoming a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Canton’s second doubles pairing of Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while Dhruvi Patel secured a 6-3, 6-3 third singles victory for the Black Knights.
Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took two wins from both singles and doubles action to earn a key division win on the road at Foxboro. Navya Shukla dropped just one game in each set in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Ale Aguilar had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles squad of Olivia Landstein and Ellie Zhao emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Foxboro sophomore Hailey Kornbluth earned an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles.
Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Taunton picked up two wins from singles matches and one more in doubles to prevail over Franklin. Junior Morgan Smith battled to a key three-set win at third singles (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) while the all-junior second doubles pairing of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik emerged victorious in three sets (6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5). Taunton junior Ava Alves added a win at second singles, splitting the first two sets before getting the win when her opponent retired. Franklin’s Chloe Essam picked up a 7-6 (1), 6-0 victory at first singles and the Panthers’ first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Ava Davies won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA rallied for a pair of three-set wins in the doubles matches to earn the sweep. Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth dropped the first set 6-4 to Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey at first doubles, but battled back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. At second doubles, Marina and Ella Mierzwinski lost the opening set 6-0 to Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman, but the Tigers bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Hannah Farber (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Querzoli (6-4, 7-6), and Stella Zachos (6-2, 6-1) all won their singles matches for OA.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North won four of its matches in straight sets to earn a big road win and stay perfect on the season. Lauren Hunt (6-0, 6-1), Megan Atwood (6-0, 6-4), and Grace Noreck (6-1, 6-0) swept singles for North. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The second doubles match went to three sets. Sophomores Grace Manning and Jayla Stone pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 match against Milford’s Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford, 1 @ Newton North, 3 – Final
Taunton players celebrate after beating Franklin to win the D1 state title. Both teams bring back strong teams and are contenders to win the state championship again this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Record: 5-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Steve Dunlea
Attleboro returns a strong core from last year and will be aiming to make some noise in one of the toughest divisions in the state. The Bombardiers had three one-run losses last year and two more in extra innings, and despite their record, just missed out on the state tournament. A big reason for that is the challenges they face throughout the season as the Kelley-Rex division last year featured both Division 1 state finalists (Franklin and Taunton), the Division 2 state finalist (KP), plus Mansfield, who reached the Division 2 final four.
The Bombardiers boast a lot of returning players up and down the lineup, and on the mound as well. Although it’s a young rotation, Attleboro has some talented arms that picked up some invaluable experience a year ago. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Dunlea (3-3, 2.74) will anchor the rotation a year removed from striking out 23 batters in 23 innings of work as a freshman. Junior Jonny Pagano is another righty that gained key experience last year and senior Sean O’Hara will be a veteran presence in the rotation. Senior Owen Lombardo, juniors Matt Harvie, Braxton Levin, Tyson Forte, and freshman Ryan Landry are all in the mix to get some innings in relief.
Offense will be an area that Attleboro will look to improve on as they go against some of the best pitchers in the area. Senior Danny Johnson is in his third year as a varsity starter and will lead a talented outfielder group that features Harvie and classmate Brody McKenna. Seniors Casey Victorio and Ran Martin, along with junior Jackson Huntington, will look to provide an offensive punch as well. Senior captains Peter Delpozzo and Cooper Johnson (0.364 average last year) are back in the fold and will lead by example both offensively and defensively for head coach Steve Dunlea. Pagano, junior Andrew Gorman, and sophomore Jacob Bettencourt are all battling for time in the infield as well. Aiden Hochwarter resumes his role as the starting catcher for the Bombardiers.
2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
“I am very excited about this year’s team,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have excellent leadership in our three captains. Our pitching and defense will continue to be a strength for us. We also have a great mix of returning starters and new players on offense. These guys are well aware that we play in arguably the toughest division in Massachusetts and you have to be ready to compete every day.”
2022 Record: 9-12 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: David Walsh
Canton has a new head coach in David Walsh but the goals remain the same as the Bulldogs will be aiming to return to the state tournament again this year. With a talented core back in the fold from last year’s team, not only will the Bulldogs be in the mix to make the playoffs, they could contend for the Davenport division title.
The lineup will feature a lot of familiar faces from last year that is anchored by a seasoned senior class. Shortstop Matt Chafin is among the best players in the league and is committed to play at the next level at Brandies. He will be joined in the lineup by Jack Digirolamo, one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Digirolamo led the team in average last season with a 0.446 batting average (29 hits), which was good for fourth in the entire league while Chafin finished at 0.350 with 16 runs scored. Senior Hayden Rose (Framingham State) is another familiar name that will play a lot of innings for the Bulldogs, coming off a season in which he hit 0.328 with a team-high 17 RBI.
Rose will anchor a pitching staff that will need to fill some holes this year. Rose was among the league leaders in terms of innings pitched last year, coming in second in the regular season in the Hock with 43.2 innings of working. He posted a 4-4 record with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 28. Andrew Butler and Zach Peters combined for over 50 innings last year but with both players graduated, there will be an opportunity for new faces to step up for Walsh. While the Bulldogs get the rotation set, Walsh is preaching fundamentals and having the team pride themselves on good defense.
“This will be a fundamentally sound group who is gritty, tough, and are not afraid of the everyday grind,” Walsh said. “We will rely on our pitchers to throw strikes, defense to be routine, and situationally hit. If we are able to do all three in each game we will be very competitive.”
2022 Record: 16-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Final Four Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro was one of the feel-good stories last season as the Warriors made a dramatic tournament run to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Austin Prep. While the Warriors are strictly focusing on the road ahead, last season set a new standard for Foxboro.
There is a lot of optimism that the Warriors can pick up where they left off because they have almost their entire roster back for 2023. Last year’s squad had a lot of young and inexperienced players that matured quickly throughout the year. Foxboro won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year as they start the season as a serious contender for the Davenport division title. On the mound, Foxboro has six players back that tossed varsity innings including their top three: senior Sean O’Leary (UMass Lowell), senior Mat Sullivan, and sophomore Nolan Gordon. Senior Alex Stern and sophomores Danny Jacobs and Tommy Watts are also back in the fold and the Warriors have added junior Pradyu Gubbala and sophomore Ryan O’Leary to the mix. Ryan LeClair, a veteran in the group, could also see time on the mound this year.
Sophomore Mike Marcucella returns behind the dish after earning the starting role as a freshman last year. LeClair (Stonehill) returns to shortstop and is one of the best defensive players in the region and he’s complemented by Sean O’Leary, who will play third when he isn’t pitching. On the right side, junior Tyler Prescott will man second base and he will also be counted upon to set the table for the offense out of the leadoff spot. Ryan O’Leary will take over at first base this season. Stern, Sullivan, and Watts will add infield depth when not on the mound.
The outfield will also have a lot of familiar faces with veteran Louis Carangelo back in left field after a breakout junior season. Carangelo was one of the most consistent offensive players in the Hock, hitting 0.333 with 16 RBI. Sophomore Ben Angelini has had a strong preseason so far and will patrol center for the Warriors while junior Shane Henri will be in right field. Senior Kenny Mello was a solid contributor for Foxboro last year but will miss the season with an injury. Freshman Aidan Stow and Gordon will provide outfield depth.
“Despite last season’s success, this season provides new opportunities and challenges for our ballclub,” said Foxboro head coach Derek Suess. “We will be battle-tested, with an always difficult Hockomock League schedule, and a strong non-league slate as well. We need to compete each day, at a championship-level standard, to give ourselves the best opportunity to reach the goals we have set for the season. Our leadership and culture have never been stronger.”
2022 Record: 23-4 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Final (Kelley-Rex champion) Coach: Zach Brown
Although Franklin has won three straight Kelley-Rex division titles, there is still plenty of motivation for these Panthers.
The Panthers are coming off a tough one-run loss in the Division 1 state championship to rival Taunton, but with a strong core returning it looks like Franklin will once again be among the top powerhouses in the state this year. One obvious strength will be the offense with five players back in the lineup from last year’s squad. Not only is it an experienced group (multiple players entering their third year starting), but it’s an incredibly talented one that features senior Ryan Gerety (Northeastern), senior Jase Lyons, senior Eisig Chin (Stonehill), senior Ben Jarosz, and junior Henry Digiorgio (Northeastern). Gerety and Chin will return to their spots in the outfield while Lyons (1B), Jarosz (3B), and Digiorgio (SS) are all back in the infield. Seniors Tyler Bellan, Luke Sidwell, and Ethan DePaolo also provide some experienced depth and newcomers Rex Cinelli, Ryan Carlucci, and Koen Bonetti will all try to contribute for head coach Zach Brown.
Pitching will be another strength with senior righty Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) back after going 5-1 during the regular season last year, posting a 2.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 42 innings. His experience gives the Panthers an ace to rely on as they navigate a difficult schedule. Junior lefty Austin Campbell could be the next breakout star for Franklin after some impressive outings last year, and juniors Jake Shaughnessy (LHP) and Matt Miller (RHP) fill out a strong core of pitchers. Both Chin and Lyons will also be in the mix while senior newcomers Dillon Cashin and Zach Ramaswamy are prepared to come on in relief when needed.
“We are returning a strong senior class and veteran core,” Brown said. “We are excited about how hard this group has been preparing for the upcoming season. The seniors have provided great leadership during the preseason and scrimmages.”
2022 Record: 16-9 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
King Philip is another squad that is coming off a tremendous season (a trend among most Hock teams) as they reached the Division 2 state championship, falling to Milton. The Warriors are also following another trend in the league as they have the majority of their lineup back in the mix this season as they look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title in a loaded field.
The Warriors have a strong pitching staff in the league, highlighted by senior Rudy Gately. Gately has been KP’s ace for the past two seasons and will resume that role again this year. During the regular season, he tossed 39 innings and struck out 37, posting a 3.41 ERA. He will be joined by lefty Tommy Martorano, who missed virtually all of last year with an injury. Junior Tommy McLeish emerged as a reliable option in relief last year, striking out 22 batters in 20.2 innings and he should be in line for an expanded role this year.
Offensively the Warriors will have a big void with the graduation of Shawn Legere, one of the best hitters in the state. But head coach Jeff Plympton Jr. has plenty of options to work with, including senior Brendan Sencaj, who is coming off a terrific season in which he hit 0.371 with 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. Gately, a middle infielder, is a strong two-way player that hit 0.344 last year with 16 RBI and senior Matt Kelley is a great all-around player that will make the switch to center field this season, and another weapon in the lineup. Junior Max Robison is coming off a breakout campaign (0.359 average) and is one of the best defensive first basemen in the Hock.
“We are excited to be bringing back a great core of guys from our team last year,” Plympton Jr. said. “We’re hoping to build off of our success last season and continue to build a winning culture. We will have a lot of new arms in the rotation and a few very good returning arms from last year.”
2022 Record: 17-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four Coach: Chris Hall
Mansfield lost some key contributors from a sizable graduating senior class that led the Hornets to the Division 2 Final Four a year ago, but the cupboard is far from empty for head coach Chris Hall.
The most experience back on the team comes on the offensive end with some key bats back in the lineup. Senior captains Sam Martin and Conner Zukowski look to man the left side of the infield while returning starters Matt DeShiro and Jake Maydak — both juniors — will hold down the right side. Zukowski had a great season at the dish, hitting 0.344 during the regular season with 15 runs scored while DeShiro had a breakout sophomore campaign, leading the Hornets in batting average with a 0.373 average and a team-high 25 hits, driving in 13 runs as well. Defensive wiz and captain Aidan Jones returns as the starting catcher for the squad.
There is a lot of competition in the outfield right now including junior Brian Butler, another returner from last year. Seniors Kyle Marnikovic and Will Lund are also in the mix along with juniors Wyatt Bolduc, Connor Curtis, Drew Urban, Dylan Saraceno, Anthony Saraiva, and Joey MacIntyre. Juniors Matt Tryon and Derek McGrath are versatile pieces that will bring some power to the lineup.
Mansfield lost its top three starters from a year ago in Jimmy Gilleran, Aaron Blinn, and Anthony Sacchetti, who combined to pitch over 100 innings during the regular season. Hall will turn to junior Connor Curtis, who didn’t allow an earned run in 16 innings of work in the regular season last year, recording three saves with 19 strikeouts. Maydak is also in the mix for an expanded role on the staff along with juniors Yuv Sakhalkar and Ryan Jeans, and sophomore Luke Rogan. Senior Nate Thibault will chip in as a reliever.
“Most teams who play in the Hockomock League have a chance to make a run at a state championship due to the competition you face every single game in the regular season,” Hall said. “I believe the makeup of our roster puts us in that conversation this year. This year’s team is a tight-knit, cohesive group that battles with one another at practice. They thrive off competition and work together to do whatever they can to best benefit the program. We are excited for the season and look forward to the challenges presented to us.”
2022 Record: 7-13 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Alex Dion
Similar to Attleboro, the Scarlet Hawks were a victim of playing in a division that had three teams reach a state championship game and another reach the final four. With another year of experience, Milford will look to challenge those top teams and make a push for the postseason.
The roster features a lot of familiar names that are either in their third or second year in the lineup and head coach Alex Dion is hoping that experience will lead to competing with some of the state’s best teams. The pitching staff starts with three-year starter and right-handed pitcher Evan Cornelius. A top two-way play and multi-sport athlete, Cornelius leads by example both on and off the field for the Scarlet Hawks. He went 4-2 last year with a 2.31 ERA, ranking among the league leader with 48 strikeouts in 30.1 innings of work. Junior righty Damien Carter is also in his third year while senior Tyler Caldon and junior Anthony LaPierre logged a lot of work on the mound a year ago and return as starters this year. Senior Mason Baldic and sophomore Ian Carter are both in the mix for innings this year as well.
While pitching looks to be a strength for Milford this year, the Hawks will rely on a lot of the same names to deliver offensively as well. Cornelius will man first base when he isn’t on the mound and is a reliable offensive option. Damien Carter, junior Sean McGee, and freshman Joey McGee are options in the infield alongside Cornelius while Ian Carter, Baldic, and sophomore Nick Koch are in line for opportunities in the outfield. Junior Keith Lee is back behind the dish as taking on that role a season ago and junior Nate Scudo can be effective in a variety of positions. Seniors Brady Butler, Tony Fontes, Jacob Gove, Guy Saintyl, and Cam DelPrete will provide key depth while junior Victor Martinez will look to provide some pop in the lineup.
“Looking forward to competing in this great league again this spring,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “We have a number of guys that have been together for three years now. I have seen strong leadership from veterans early on, a group of guys that are competitive on the mound, and some athletes that are eager to learn and compete at a high level.”
2022 Record: 18-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion) Coach: Mike Hart
The Hockomock League had so much success during last season’s tournament that the Rocketeers’ accomplishments almost get lost in the shuffle. North Attleboro went 13-3 in league play last year and reached the D2 final four, picking up wins over D1 state finalists Franklin and D2 state finalists KP in the process. Now the Rocketeers join a loaded Kelley-Rex division along with those two squads, defending state champs Taunton, and two improved squads in Attleboro and Milford.
That means North Attleboro has its work cut out for them as they not only try to navigate a difficult schedule but has a lot of holes to fill in the lineup after graduating nearly a dozen seniors from last year’s 18-win squad. Head coach Mike Hart has done a terrific job since taking over the helm of the program and he will be leaning on the handful of returners he does have to lead the way this year. Hart has a dozen more seniors this year led by veterans Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis. Maceda will patrol center field, Harding is at shortstop, and Paradis is a seasoned pitcher that had 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of regular season work. Maceda will also get some innings on the mound along with classmates Ayden Delaney Peter Santoro, junior Parker Abrantes, and sophomore Gio Martello, and Harding will be a go-to option to close games out.
Martello was a late-season call up to the varsity squad and made an impression in his short stint with the squad. He will complete the middle of the infield at second base and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. Seniors Jack Munley, Mark Vogel, Delaney, and sophomore Bryce Kiser are also in the mix for spots in the infield. Along with Maceda and Paradis, seniors Kyle Conroy and Reed Collins, along with junior Chris Hanewich, will cycle throughout the outfield. Junior Nate Kelly and senior Harrison Gagne are competing for time behind the dish. Hart expects the defense to be a strength of this year’s squad.
“We are looking forward to a season of growth,” Hart said. “We have many quality players new to varsity baseball who are looking to take the next step in their development and continue the success we have been privileged to have over the last few seasons. Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis are three capable and proven players in all three phases of the game. We will look to our pitching staff to lead us. Our team has committed to getting better each and every day. We are excited to get out and compete!”
2022 Record: 11-11 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round Coach: Joe Abarr
After graduating one of the largest senior classes in the league, there is plenty of opportunity to go around for Oliver Ames and head coach Joe Abarr this season. After an up-and-down year that included a playoff win, the Tigers will be looking to challenge the likes of Foxboro and Mansfield in the division title race.
With a lot of pieces departed from last year’s lineup, Abarr will start the season leaning heavily on the handful of returning pieces that played key roles last year. Senior captain Patrick Finnerty will be a major part of the defense and offense this year, as the Bentley University commit will patrol the center field and anchor the offense. On the mound, the Tigers will turn to senior captain Andrew Zagami to lead a relatively young staff that will include juniors Ian Kelley and Lucas Riley, both returners from last year’s team.
Abarr noted that there is a lot of competition in the squad right now as they battle for spots in the lineup, and he’s hoping the first few weeks will allow for a consistent lineup to emerge. Senior Nathan Luke, another returner from last year’s roster, will play the corners in the outfield at Frothingham Park this year.
“Many players have been stepping up in early practices and inter-squads and will be counted on early in the season,” Abarr said. “If we consistently stay after hitters and throw strikes we will be a competitive club. We have the potential to hit well, but the Hock’s pitching will be top-notch again based on some of the stellar returners around the league.”
2022 Record: 3-17 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The Eagles will have to replace some of the production lost from the 10 seniors that graduated from last year’s squad, but Sharon has some key pieces in key spots and will look to continue to improve.
One strength the Eagles will have early on is the return of almost all of its pitching staff back from last year, plus the addition of some more talented arms to create some strong depth at the position. Junior captain Luke Meixel was among the league leaders in innings pitched last season and will anchor this year’s staff. He had 33 strikeouts in 38 innings of work as a sophomore year and the Eagles are looking for him to take a big step this year. Senior Alex Coughlin will pair with Meixel to create a formidable 1-2 punch, and the Eagles will also get pitching contributions from Cole Arundale and Zach Loomis.
Senior Palash Raina is a captain alongside Meixel and Coughlin, and he will be a staple in Sharon’s lineup this season. He battled through an injury almost all of last season but is ready for a breakout final year on the diamond as he patrols center field. Head coach Andrew Poliferno believes there is a lot of depth — and internal competition — in the lineup, and that should improve production at the plate. Sophomore Drew Yaffe got his feet wet at the varsity level last season and will be looking to turn that experience into more production this year. Junior Liam Conway is back behind the dish after a strong defensive year in 2022.
“I’m really excited to see what this group of players accomplishes this season,” Poliferno said. “We have a large group of players on varsity and in the greater SHS baseball program who are hungry to compete and win games. My expectations for this team are high and that is a direct reflection of the level of talent and work ethic our players have exhibited since day one.”
2022 Record: 3-15 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Kevin Carty
Although the Black Knights lost a lot of production from its eight-member senior class that graduated last Spring, there is a lot of opportunity for new faces to work their way into the lineup for Stoughton head coach Kevin Carty.
There are some key pieces back in the mix this season after getting some valuable experience a year ago. Carty will lean on senior captains Sean Farley and Joe Rush to lead the way, with Farley both patrolling center field and pitching while Rush will play first base when he isn’t on the mound, and potentially some time behind the dish at catcher. There is also a strong contingent of players looking to build off of last year, including seniors Jeriel Cuello, who will play in the infield, and outfielder/pitchers James McCarthy and Liam Dunn, and Andrew Beder, who can play both in the infield and outfield, as well as on the mound.
Juniors Hunter Malkin, Ryan Summers, and Dom Belle all factored into the lineup for the Black Knights a year ago as sophomores and are in line for bigger roles this year. Malkin will pitch and play at first, Belle can play at both corners of the infield, and Summers will see time behind the dish at catcher.
“So far I could not be more impressed with the hard work and attitude from all of our players in the program, especially the new players on the roster,” Carty said. “I am very excited to work with these guys on a daily basis and can’t wait to see them improve throughout the season.”
2022 Record: 22-3 2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship Coach: Blair Bourque
The defending Division 1 state champions enter this season with a massive target on their back, but Taunton has the majority of its talented lineup back in the mix and is ready to take on all challengers, including a very competitive and skilled Hockomock League.
Athleticism, competitiveness, and experience will all be strengths for this year’s Taunton squad which has a lot of familiar faces in it including last year’s league MVP Ryan MacDougall, who had the game-winning home run in the state final against rival Franklin. The left side of the infield might possess the best duo in the state in seniors Braden Sullivan, a UMass commit with a strong bat that plays third base, and Dawson Bryce, a slick-fielding shortstop with consistent offensive production that is also going to play at the D1 level at Merrimack. That trio makes up the heart of the lineup for the Tigers and will make life difficult for opposing pitchers. Junior Brayden Cali, who started at second in the championship game, will be another key piece offensively for Taunton.
MacDougall also led the Tigers in innings pitched during the regular season, and classmate Shawn Cali was right there with him, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.60 ERA, striking out 27 in 35 innings of work. That gives Taunton a strong 1-2 punch in its rotation, but there’s also room for opportunity with the graduation of Evan Cali, who went 3-0 in the regular season and started the state championship game.
“The majority of our guys are multi-sport athletes who love to compete,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And since many of our starters from last season are returning, they know the challenges of playing in arguably the most competitive league in the state as well as how to manage playing in the high-stress environment that is the post-season. Taunton has never been in a position with such high expectations so as a coach, I’m excited to see how my kids respond. This is a close-knit group and even with all the talent, they have great camaraderie.”
Alex Penders scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds but it wasn’t enough for Foxboro against defending D2 runner-up Norwood. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – Foxboro (15-9) had trailed almost from the opening tip of Friday night’s Div. 2 Round of 32 game. The Warriors took a 4-3 lead but it would be their last of the night. Norwood grabbed control of the game in the first quarter and with less than 10 seconds remaining went to the line with a chance to make it a two-possession game.
The Warriors had battled all night and had cut an eight-point deficit down to two. When the front-end of the one-and-one clanged off the rim, it looked like the hosts would have a last chance to keep their season alive. Instead, Norwood senior Noah Beaudet snuck between a pair of Foxboro players to snatch the rebound.
Beaudet sunk both free throws, giving him a game-high 30 points and ending Foxboro’s comeback attempt. Norwood, the defending Div. 2 runners-up, knocked off the Warriors 60-58 and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
“We just weren’t able to come up with the key stop when we needed it,” Foxboro coach Jon Gibbs explained. Give a ton of credit to Norwood. They made huge plays down the stretch when they had to. Noah Beaudet is one of the best players in the state, certainly one of the best players we’ve seen all year and time and time again he made huge plays for them.”
That final, game-winning, play by Beaudet was just one of many examples of Norwood finding a way to prevent Foxboro from grabbing back the lead in front of a packed gym that was waiting to explode into life.
Beaudet got the Mustangs off to a strong start on the offensive end, knocking down four pull-up jumpers and scoring eight points in the first. He then drew extra defenders, which opened up good looks for Matty Mahoney (14 points) and Dylan Hamway (eight points), who combined for 10 in the opening quarter.
Foxboro struggled to get into a rhythm on the other end of the floor. Ryan Cotter (seven points and seven rebounds) scored from the opening tip and had a nice finish on a drive, but the other eight points in the first all came from senior Alex Penders. Fresh off reaching the 1,000-point mark for his career, Penders battled underneath with a series of tough finishes to try and keep Foxboro close.
Gibbs said, “Unfortunately, we didn’t finish plays as well as we wanted to tonight. We though we had some good looks that just didn’t go in. Sometimes basketball is that way. On those nights, you try to carry the game with your defense and get some offensive rebounds but in the end we couldn’t do enough.”
Norwood ended the first on a 5-0 run and added the first five points of the second too and went up by 11. Sinking back into a zone, the Mustangs were forcing the Warriors to try and hit shots from the perimeter. Ryan Kelley (12 points) took a skip pass from Nolan Gordon and knocked down the first three for the hosts. Kelley then added a baseline drive, plus the foul, to cut the lead down to just five.
Cotter followed with a drive of his own and it looked like Foxboro was climbing back into it, but Mahoney responded with an and-one on the other end. After Ryan LeClair’s steal and layup made it a four-point game, Hamway kept a possession alive by saving an offensive rebound right in front of the Foxboro bench and Beaudet scored with 6.4 on the clock.
Down seven in the third, Sam Golub grabbed an offensive board for a put-back, but Beaudet answered with a jumper. Kelley also got a put-back that made it 39-36 and, after a couple of Norwood free throws, Penders took a defensive rebound coast-to-coast for two. Again, momentum was building for the hosts, but Beaudet drilled a big three and hit two at the line.
Kelley knocked down his second three of the night, but Manny Llongo avoided a charge call for a layup that made it 48-41 heading to the fourth.
With the season on the brink, Foxboro turned to its star player. Penders (22 points and 12 rebounds), who played all 32 minutes, finished at the rim after grabbing three offensive boards.
“Obviously, he does so much for us at both ends of the floor,” Gibbs said of Penders. “His leadership is incredible. He’s been our anchor this whole season and he certainly left it all out there on the court again tonight and he’s an incredible player and incredible kid.
Golub had a rough night from the floor, but the senior came through in the fourth, scoring eight of his 12 points. He drained a three that cut the Norwood lead down to 50-47. Beaudet answered the call yet again, driving baseline for a layup. Penders would score in the post to keep Foxboro within three with 3:35 to play and Golub sank a pair at the line to cut the lead to just one.
This time it was Mahoney who hit the big pull-up jumper for the Mustangs and then Beaudet snuck in to grab an offensive rebound and scored to make it 56-51. After a Golub free throw, Penders bullied his way to the basket again, scoring with 50.3 on the clock to make it 56-54.
Beaudet was fouled and made both shots to extend the lead back to four with 26 seconds to go. Foxboro took its time offensively, working the ball around and Golub came up with another huge shot, nailing a pull-up with 9.6 left.
There was still hope for the hosts, until Beaudet hustled to make one last decisive play that kept Norwood alive for at least another round.
“To the credit of our guys, they never panicked,” Gibbs said. “They knew that if we stayed true to our plan and tried to execute as best as we could that we could climb back in it and I’m really proud of them for never giving up. That’s who we are.”
Boys Basketball
Taunton, 58 @ Attleboro, 60 – Final – Attleboro’s Spencer Sherck made a huge defensive play and Hayden Crowley sank two free throws both with under 10 seconds left as the Bombardiers held on a late run from Taunton for the win. Attleboro led by as much as 12 points early in the fourth quarter and again at 56-44 with 2:18 left to play following a three-pointer from Michael Beverly before Taunton’s full court pressure sped the game up and got the Tigers a 9-0 run in 50 seconds of action, capped by a deep three from Troy Santos to make it 56-53. A steal and layup from Chris Volcy got the visitors within a point before Attleboro freshman Connor Houle hit a pair from the line to make it 58-55. Santos used a nice move to get to the line again and hit another two with 41.1 seconds to go. Taunton got another stop but so did Attleboro as Sherck stepped stepped in and took a charge with 7.8 seconds to go. Crowley sank two free throws to extend Attleboro’s lead and the Bombardiers were able to hold on for the win. Beverly tied a career-high with 19 points to lead the Bombardiers while Jaiden Outland added 12 points. Crowley finished with 8 points while Houle, Neo Franco, and Justin Hanahran each had 7 points. Santos dropped a game-high 22 points, half of them coming in the fourth quarter. Tyson Carter added a career-high 17 points and Chris Perault finished with 10 points.
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Canton, 47 – Final – Canton scored the go-ahead bucket off a broken play with just seconds seconds to go and held on as OA’s attempt at a game-winner was off the mark to secure a hard-fought league win and season sweep of the Tigers. Oliver Ames staked a two-point lead after a quarter (13-11) and a four-point advantage at halftime (27-23) but the Bulldogs held the visitors to single digits in the third and pulled even (34-34) going into the fourth quarter. With just under 20 seconds to go, Oliver Ames nearly intercepted a pass but the deflection bounced to Canton sophomore Anthony Diletizia and he alertly fired a bounce pass to Jeremiah Predin and he kissed one off the glass to put Canton up 47-45 with 12.2 seconds to play. Zaza Francoeur had a big block on OA’s first look and then the Tigers launched a three at the buzzer but it was off the mark. Jamaal McConnell had a team-high 13 points for Canton, Caden Mirliani added 12 points and Predin and Francoeur each finished with 8 points. OA sophomore Cole Craffey had a game-high 16 points and freshman Soren Lolonga added 12 points in the win.
Stoughton, 59 @ Foxboro, 76 – Final – Foxboro erupted for 22 points in the opening quarter and never looked back, scoring a season sweep of Stoughton with a wire-to-wire win on Friday. Seniors Sam Golub (13 points) and Ryan LeClair (9 points) each hit a pair of threes inside the opening eight minutes while classmate Alex Penders added another and a total of eight of his game-high 28 points as the Warriors jumped ahead 22-15. Senior Andrew Finn added another triple in the second while junior Ryan Cotter and sophomore Ryan Kelley both had a pair of baskets to help Foxboro extend its lead to 39-26 at halftime. Penders kept it going with 10 more points in the third and sophomore Nolan Gordon took his turn with all seven of his points in the frame for a 56-42 lead going into the fourth. Stoughton’s Jayden Costa-Haywood had a team-high 18 points while sophomore Matt Greenspoon chipped in with 12 points.
North Attleboro, 49 @ Franklin, 67 – Final – Franklin sank four of its 11 three-pointers in the opening eight minutes to stake an early lead and the Panthers never looked back in a big win over visiting North Attleboro. Andrew O’Neill hit a pair, Justin Allen had one of his four triples, and Nick Scala tossed another in to take a 16-7 lead after one, and the Panthers never surrendered that lead. Bradley Herndon got going in the second with six of his 11 points and junior Sean O’Leary had a third of his 12 points in the second as Franklin took a 31-15 lead into the locker room. Allen had a team-high 14 points, O’Neill and O’Leary finished at 12 points apiece, and Herndon had 11 points. North senior Jack Munley and sophomore Jonnie Obuchowski each had nine points.
Milford, 82 @ King Philip, 66 – Final – Milford had an offensive outburst on the road to earn its fifth straight win, pouring in 26 points in the second quarter and 27 more in the third quarter en route to beating King Philip. Senior Wyatt Zagami, who had a season-high 18 points, was a huge spark for the offense, draining a trio of three-pointers in the second quarter to jump start the Hawks’ offense. Milford built a 14-11 lead after a quarter but really turned it on in the second with Zagami and sophomore Andrew Rivera, who had a career-high 28 points, each hit three three-pointers, and sophomores Jack Buckley and Luca Testa each added points as Milford ended up with a 40-30 lead going into halftime. The break couldn’t cool the red-hot Hawks as Rivera added nine more in the third, freshman CJ Farrell got going with nine of his 18 points in the frame, and Testa, Zagami, Nick Aruajo, and Tyler Ballard all hit shots from the floor to the tune of 27 points and a 67-47 advantage going into the fourth. Senior Will Laplante led KP with 20 points, sophomore Jack Assini added 13 points, and sophomore Tommy Kilroy chipped in with 11 points.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 69 @ Taunton, 40 – Final – Attleboro stormed out of the gates, bombing away from three, and jumped out to a 43-13 lead by halftime, ensuring that the Bombardiers will head into Tuesday’s showdown with Franklin down just a game in the Kelley-Rex standings. The visitors had no problem finding the range in the Rabouin Field House, knocking down 10 three-pointers as a team. Sarah Maher got Attleboro off to a strong start with seven of her nine points coming in the first, while Kayla Goldrick added five and Vanessa Ellis and Lily Routhier (eight points) scored four apiece to open up a 26-7 lead after one. Rylie Camacho buried three from beyond the arc in the second, while Molly Moore and Goldrick both knocked down shots from the outside, as Attleboro’s lead grew to 30. Moore would hit a pair from three in the third and scored eight of her 11 points in the quarter, as Attleboro didn’t let off the gas. Moore, Goldrick, Ellis, and Camacho all finished with 11 for the Bombardiers. Eighth grader Rayah Horton scored a career-high 13 points for the Tigers, including seven in the fourth. Cali Melo also scored seven of her 13 points over the final eight minutes and Skylar McCrohan added six points for the hosts.
Foxboro, 79 @ Stoughton, 26 – Final – Kailey Sullivan continued her hot streak, scoring a game-high 25 points, including four three-pointers. It’s the third straight game that Sullivan has scored at least 23 points (with one game of 31). Camryn Collins and Addie Ruter also reached double digits, scoring 15 points apiece. Nine different Warriors got on the score sheet. Stoughton was led by Kirsten McKay with 10 points, five boards, and two steals.
Franklin, 66 @ North Attleboro, 48 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Katie Peterson scored a career-high 28 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out three assists to lead Franklin to the road win that keeps the Panthers atop the Kelley-Rex by a game heading into Tuesday’s showdown with second-place Attleboro. Peterson got the visitors off to a strong start, burying a pair of threes and scoring 10 points in the first. Bridget Leo and Chloe Fales also knocked down threes for Franklin, which took a 24-8 lead after one. Peterson hit her third three and had four points in the second to help the Panthers extend the lead by two, 35-17, going into the locker room. After scoring only 17 points total in the first meeting, North found another gear offensively in the third. Despite Peterson scoring another eight points, North cut the lead by a couple, scoring 18 in the quarter. Maryellen Charette had five points and Ava McKeon, Sam Faria, and Ella McLaughlin each drilled threes for the Rocketeers. Peterson added six more in the fourth, including a drive midway through the quarter to set her new high mark. Sam Sweeney matched Peterson with five in the final eight minutes. Caelyn Leonard scored 11 (going 6-of-7 from the line), Bridget Leo added nine points and four assists, and Chloe Fales had six (all in the first). Sweeney and Charette each scored 10 and McLaughlin had nine, while McKeon and Katie Corsetti both finished with eight points for North.
Sharon, 47 @ Mansfield, 81 – Final – Natalya Gill scored a career-high 21 points, knocking down seven three-pointers, and the Hornets set a new program-high for points in a game. This is the second time this season that Mansfield has scored 80 or more points in a game. Gill and Abby Wager each scored six points in the first to help the Hornets take a 14-8 lead. The Mansfield offense found a second gear in the second quarter, as the Hornets scored 25 points. Gill continued her hot shooting with three from beyond the arc, Wager chipped in with seven more, and Ella Palanza (eight points) scored four. The Eagles were hanging around behind Jasmine Davis, who scored 14 of her game-high 23 in the first half. The third quarter was nearly even, with the Hornets adding one point to their lead. Davis added another seven points and Rachael Hager, who missed much of the season with injury, scored five points. Mansfield ensured there would be no comeback with 25 points in the fourth quarter. Gill hit another couple of threes and Bridget Hanley scored four of her eight points to help put the game away. Hager added another five and finished with 10 for the Eagles, while Eva Poulton had six. Wager scored 20 points in the win.
Taunton freshman Jakari Innocent (4) goes up for a layup against Foxboro senior Sam Golub in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
TAUNTON, Mass. — After a slow start to the game on the offensive end, Taunton head coach Charlie Dacey turned to a defensive adjustment in search of an energy boost.
The Tigers extended their defense to full-court pressure from the second quarter on, and while it had some positives on the defensive end, its biggest impact was changing the pace to where Taunton wanted it to be.
That tempo kicked Taunton’s offense into gear and the hosts combined a strong finish to the third quarter with a hot start to the fourth to run away with a 64-52 win over visiting Foxboro.
“We had to,” Dacey said of the decision to press. The Tigers had just three buckets in the first quarter, shooting under 20%. “I think we got into a good tempo [with the press]. We’re able to run around, we didn’t really turn them over but it sped the game up and got it to where we wanted it.”
The Warriors had their best stretch in the middle of the third quarter anchored by senior Alex Penders (21 points, 10 rebounds), who sat out the entire second quarter due to foul trouble. Penders sparked an 11-2 run for Foxboro, assisting or scoring on the first four buckets of the run while Sam Golub capped it with a three-pointer off an offensive rebound and assist from Ryan Cotter. That run presented Foxboro with its lone lead of the second half, 38-33.
Taunton took the punch and countered with one of its own, landing a 12-2 run in response. Troy Santos (17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists) drained a three after an offensive rebound from Dimari Brown, and Chris Volcy (18 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals) turned a steal into a traditional three-point lead down the other end, giving the Tigers the lead back for good. Volcy and Santos each added two more and Chris Perault (22 points, 5 rebounds) capitalized on a turnover for two and a 45-40 lead going into the fourth.
“If we’re not shooting well, which we didn’t tonight, we have to find our points in other ways,” Dacey said. Taunton went 9-for-10 from the free throw line, scored 20 points off turnovers, and 17 second chance points. “It’s not the most attractive sometimes, but guys like Volcy will do the work to get them. Dimari had a couple offensive rebounds in his first varsity start.
“You have to piece it together because [Foxboro] isn’t easy to play. They’re disciplined. You get that element in your game, that makes you a better team.”
The Tigers carried the momentum into the fourth and duplicated that run, opening the fourth with another 12-2 surge. Perault opened the scoring and then converted a putback after an early turnover from the Warriors. Penders cleaned up his own miss to keep Foxboro within seven, but a steal from Volcy led to a three from Santos and then Volcy sank a triple of his own. After a Foxboro miss, Santos got a layup and suddenly the Tigers had a comfortable lead at 57-42 with four minutes to play.
“I thought mentally our response wasn’t as good as it needed to be when they went on that run,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “We lost our focus and composure a little bit and didn’t stick to the plan as much as we needed to. When you do that against a team that is as explosive as Taunton, things can snowball really quickly. If you can’t focus on the one play that you’re on, the game can get away from you quickly and that’s what you saw tonight. We’re going to use it as a learning experience and it’s a good reminder we have to stay present and win the possession we’re on.
“I thought Taunton was able to get the game to the tempo they wanted in the second half, it was in their pace. Against them, we wanted to make it more of a half court game and their press sped us up. Even though there were a lot of possessions that we ultimately got good shots and good looks, it was in their tempo and over time, that favored them.”
Penders scored half of Foxboro’s 14 first quarter points and hauled in three rebounds, but was hit with his third foul with 1:30 to go. Ryan Kelley added a first quarter three while Sam Golub (9 points, 6 rebounds) and Ryan Cotter also scored as the Warriors staked a 14-6 lead.
Nolan Gordon, Andrew Finn, and Ian Foley had second quarter buckets to keep Foxboro’s offense going but Perault erupted for 11 points in the frame as the Tigers jumped ahead, 24-23, at halftime.
Taunton boys basketball (8-3 Hockomock, 10-4 overall) hits the road to visit North Attleboro on Friday while Foxboro (5-6, 9-6) takes a trip to division-leading Mansfield.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 63 @ North Attleboro, 51 – Final – Attleboro built a double-digit advantage by halftime and kept the host Rocketeers at bay throughout the second half to score a rivalry win on the road. The Bombardiers limited North to single-digit scoring in each of the first two quarters and a 16-point second quarter, highlighted by eight points from Hayden Crowley (14 points total), helped extend the lead to 30-16 after two quarters of action. The Rocketeers got their offense going with 19 points in the third as sophomore Austin Clemente caught fire from downtown, hitting four triples in the frame while classmate Jonnie Obuchowski hit another had had five in the frame to help the hosts close the gap to just seven, 42-35, going into the fourth. Crowley, Jaiden Outland (12 points), and Michael Beverly (seven of his 10 points in the fourth) each hit a triple in the final frame to keep Attleboro ahead. Junior Neo Franco had a team-high 16 points for the Bombardiers while senior Givany Carney led North with 15 points apiece.
Mansfield, 69 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Mansfield senior Chris Hill set the tone early by scoring all 12 of his points in the first eight minutes, helping the Hornets establish a big lead that they kept the rest of the way. Hill sank a trio of three-pointers in the first for a 19-6 lead after just a period of play. Davon Sanders added seven of his career-high 18 points in the second while the Hornets got baskets from Trevor Foley (13 points), Eddie McCoy, and JT Veiking to stake a 34-22 lead at halftime. Mansfield continued to outscore the Bulldogs as Foley had seven more in the third and Caden Colby added a three. Sanders, Colby, Foley, McCoy, Veiking, and senior Michael Creedon all scored in the fourth to add to the lead. Matt Chafin had a trio of threes in the second and finished with a team-high 13 points while Jamaal McConnell added 12 points for the Bulldogs.
Oliver Ames, 51 @ Foxboro, 56 – Final – Foxboro took the lead in the first quarter and never surrendered it, grinding out a hard-fought win against Oliver Ames. After a slow start from both sides saw the Warriors stake an 11-6 lead after a quarter, the Warriors had their best offensive stretch with 19 points in the second quarter. Sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon each hit a three, Ryan LeClair and Ryan Cotter each added a bucket, and senior Alex Penders had half of his team-high 14 points in the frame to give Foxboro a 30-22 advantage at the break. OA’s Nick Asiaf hit two of his six threes in the third quarter and had eight of his career-high 22 points in the game while sophomore Zach Ivanoski had five points to help the Tigers claw back into it and cut the deficit to 41-37 going into the fourth. Penders had an early three-point play to start the fourth and LeClair drained a corner three to push Foxboro’s lead to 10. Chris Elias answered for OA with four straight points but Gordon sank his second triple of the game to keep the Warriors ahead.
Milford, 46 @ Franklin, 66 – Final – Franklin played well on both sides of the ball, pouring in 36 points in the first half while limiting the visitors to just 16, and the Panthers never looked back from there. After taking a 15-6 lead through one quarter of action, Franklin really extended its advantage with 21 points in the second quarter. Andrew O’Neill had half of his 10 points in the second, Caden Sullivan added a triple, and Sean O’Leary had seven of his team-high 17 points in the game to build a 36-16 halftime lead. Geino Scaringello had two threes and finished with 10 points for Franklin, which had 11 players register points. Sophomore Andrew Rivera (five rebounds) and freshman CJ Farrell (eight rebounds) paced the Hawks with 16 points apiece.
Stoughton, 61 @ Sharon, 77 – Final – Sharon had six players contribute to a massive first quarter and the Eagles never looked back after that in a win at home over Stoughton. Matt Baur had two threes and eight of his 13 points in the first quarter, Ryan Brown and Tyler Goodman each added a triple, and Jack Bates, Jacob McLoughlin, and Nate Katznelson each had field goals as the Eagles blitzed the visiting Black Knights to stake a 25-6 lead after a quarter. Katznelson finished with a team-high 21 points and hauled in 10 boards and McLoughlin added 14 points and seven assists in the win. Obi Dike and Nathan Figaro each had career-highs, finishing with 14 points apiece while Elijah Connor chipped in with 11 points for the Black Knights.
Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 32 @ Attleboro, 56 – Final – Attleboro carried over the momentum from its strong second half on Tuesday, jumping out to a 32-13 lead in the first half on Friday. Kayla Goldrick scored a career-high 21 points for the Bombardiers, 15 of them coming in the first half. Vanessa Ellis added 18, splitting her points between the two halves. Molly Moore hit a pair of threes for her six points. Katie Corsetti was North’s top scorer with seven points, all of them coming in the first half. Ella McLaughlin and Sam Sweeney each scored six in the loss. With the win, Attleboro stays just a game back of league-leading Franklin.
Canton, 34 @ Mansfield, 54 – Final – Mansfield led by four points at halftime, but broke the game wide open with a 20-5 third quarter, sealing its seventh win in the past eight games. Abby Wager sparked the rally in the third, scoring 12 of her game-high 19 points in the quarter. Kara Santos added 10 points, Bridget Hanley had eight points (all in the first half), and Rose Maher finished with seven for the Hornets. Canton was tied after one and trailed just 26-22 at the break. Samya DaSilva buried three triples and scored a team-high 17, including 10 points in the first half to keep the Bulldogs close. Freshman Deanna Kolokithas scored seven and her sister Mercia hit a first quarter three for Canton.
Foxboro, 72 @ Oliver Ames, 32 – Final – Foxboro stayed perfect in league play and moved a game closer to a Davenport title with a convincing win over the defending champs. The Warriors, who knocked down nine threes as a team, got off to a big start and never let up. Foxboro led 21-5 after one quarter and went into the break up 37-12. The Warriors kept it up in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 35-20 for its second straight win by 40-plus points. Kailey Sullivan was the game’s top scorer, burying five triples and finishing with 19 points. Camryn Collins added 17 (12 in the first half), Addie Ruter scored 14, and Erin Foley had 10 in the win. Isabelle Chamberlin gave Foxboro a lift on the boards with a game-high 14 rebounds. Freshman Avery Gamble led OA with 15, 10 coming in the second half. Fellow rookies Maeve Horsman and Kamryn Derba each scored five for the Tigers.
King Philip, 62 @ Taunton, 41 – Final – KP had nine different scorers and secured its fifth straight victory, remaining two back of Franklin in the Kelley-Rex standings. The Warriors jumped out to a 15-2 lead after one and 34-14 heading to the locker room. Jordan Bennett and Emily Sawyer combined for 23 of KP’s points in the first half to take control of the game. Sawyer finished with a game-high 21 and Bennett added 15. Jessi Persky chipped in with six in the win. Taunton got 11 points from Tarynn Campbell, seven of them in the second half as the Tigers put 27 on the board. Cali Melo scored eight (six after the break) and Lexi Haywood hit a pair from beyond the arc in the second half. Skylar McCrohan also had six for the Tigers.
Franklin, 57 @ Milford, 28 – Final – Franklin locked down on defense, holding Milford to just 10 points in the first half, and exploded for 28 second quarter points to pick up a seventh straight win, clinch a playoff berth, and hold onto its one-game lead in the division. Leading 9-4 after one, Franklin found another gear in the second. Katie Peterson had a dozen, Chloe Fales added eight, and Caelyn Leonard scored six in the second quarter. Fales (trio of three-pointers) and Peterson each finished with 16 points and Leonard had eight. Milford scored 14 in the third, cutting two points off the lead. Brooke Ferreira had five of her six points in the frame and Emily Croteau (six points) knocked down one of her two threes in the quarter. TJ Downing had four for the Hawks.
