Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/19/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Basketball
Sharon, 39 vs. Leominster, 56 – Final

Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 44 @ Stoughton, 56 – FinalStoughton swept the long jump and the 55M dash as well as taking both relays to pick up an impressive win over Oliver Ames, securing a second-place finish in the Davenport division. Matt Singletary’s leap of 20-04.00 took first (second best in the Hock) with Alex Huynh and Tito Nwosu rounding out the sweep for the Black Knights, while Zachary Feist (7.00) won the 55M dash followed by Matt-Andy Beauchamps and Tyler Noel. Singletary also won the high jump (6-02.00), Thomas Laz won the shot put with a throw of 40-10.50, and William Tinkham won both the 55M hurdles (7.99) and the 300M (38.18). Tinkham also anchored Stoughton’s 4×200 relay team along with Beauchamps, Feist, and Noel, setting a new school record in 1:34.12. Oliver Ames swept four events on the night: the 2 Mile (Brody Lake, Oscar Feodoroff, Jonah Sobieraj), the 1000M (Aidan Dupill, Ryan Sarney, Brendan Tomas), the 600M (Sarney, Dupill, Thomas), and the 1 Mile (Alexander Pierce, Ethan Mahoney, Landon Sarney).

Canton, 41 @ Foxboro, 55 – FinalFoxboro finished first in eight races, and took second in the other two as they earned a win over Canton. Daniel O’Malley earned 15 points with three first place finishes, winning the high jump (6-00.00), the 55M hurdles (8.56), and the 300M (37.39). Other first place finishes for the Warriors were Edosa Omeumu (long jump, 17-06.25), Joe Flanagan (league-best shot put throw of 47-03.50), Brooks Stone (1000M, 2:45.85), Stephen Haney (600M, 1:27.37), and Chris Proulx (1 Mile, 4:53.92). Trevor Palmer and Johnny Ahearn earned four points with a second-third finish in the 2 Mile, and Jaiden Jean and Ishmel Sillah did the same in the 55M dash for Foxboro. Canton’s Luke Darling won the 2 Mile (11:03.65) and Christian Hanlon took first in the 5MM dash (7.13). Canton won both relays with the 4×400 team (Dan Glemaud, Sam Vail, Austin DiBiasio, Mohith Arugollu) clocking in at 4:06.38, and the 4×200 team (Hanlon, Joshua Richards, Charlie Zack, Alex Kraslynkov) finishing in 1:40.33.

Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 25 – FinalMansfield completed an undefeated dual meet season with a win over Sharon anchored by sweeps in the shot put and the 55M dash, first place finishes in six more events, and wins in both relays. The Davenport division champs picked up all nine points in the shot put led by Ayden Agbasi’s throw of 44-10.75 with Billy Gardner and Daniel Mintz rounding out the top three. Myles Brown earned first in the 55M dash in 6.76 followed closely in second by Nate Kablik (6.88) and third by Sirius Li (6.96). Talon Johnson had a league-best time in the 1000M, clocking in at 2:40.46 for first, Evan Thevenot took first in the long jump (19-11.50), freshman Joey Federline Jr. won the 2 Mile by breaking 11 minutes for the first time (10:58.15), Troy Penney won the 600M (1:29.04) by less than a second over Sharon’s Karthik Pisupati (1:29.77) with Kyle Dickinson’s PR time of 1:32.37 good for third, Colby Quersher took the 1 Mile in 4:54.12, and Grady Sullivan (37.26) and Matthew Breitenstein went 1-2 in the 300M, both setting new PRs. For Sharon, Naeem Prempin won the high jump (5-04.00) and Alexander Gong clocked in at 8.12 to win the 55M hurdles.

Attleboro, 52 @ Franklin, 48 – FinalAttleboro won both relays, setting a new school record in the 4×200 in the process, to rally for a win over Franklin and clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. Trailing by one going into the final relay, the Bombardiers 2×400 relay team of Peter DelPozzo, Michael Huntington, Jordan Rivera-Silva, and Adrian Rivera registered the best time in school history at 1:33.08 to win the relay and the dual meet. Attleboro’s 4×400 relay team of Austin Bowie, Nicolas Graber, Sean Kaswale, and Camden Martin won in 3:33.62, less than a second ahead of Franklin. Sean O’Hara-Ouellette won the high jump (6-00.00), Adrian Rivera and Jordan Rivera-Silva went 1-2 in the long jump, DelPozzo clocked in first in the 55M hurdles (8.47), and Rivera-Silva took first in the 300M. Luke Hagopian (1000M), Kamron marsh (shot put), and Graber (600M) each had key second place finishes to secure key points. Franklin picked up wins from Jacob Bowser (shot put), Tyler Apicella (2 Mile), Luke Sidwell (55M dash), Jack Halter (1000M), Jake Vaccarezza (600M), and swept the 1 Mile (Jonathan Pink, Will Boozang, Bradford Morin).

King Philip, 42 @ Taunton, 58 – FinalTaunton won both relays, picked up nine points in each the 55M dash and the 300M, and had three more first place finishes in a win over KP. Dmitrius Shearrion anchored both sweeps for the Tigers and was apart of the winning 4×200 relay. Shearrion won the 55M dash in 6.75 followed by Jonathan Trinh and Xavier Spencer, while his win in the 300M (35.30) anchored the sweep along with Jared Spencer and Chris Wallace. Sam Denis added a win in the 2 Mile (10:34.45), Andrew Cali clocked in first in the 1000M (2:50.25), and Cam Door won the 600M in 1:33.23. Degen Granese won a pair of events for the Warriors, taking first in both the long jump (19-04.75) and the shot put (41-09.00), Keagan Fletcher won the high jump at 6-00.00, Kevin Smith’s time of 8.45 won the 55M hurdles, and Nathan Sylven crossed the finish line at 4:43.44 to win the 1 Mile race.

North Attleboro, 66.5 @ Milford, 33.5 – FinalNorth Attleboro’s Nathan Shultz continued his dominance this season, taking three wins — all three with league-best finishes — to lead the Rocketeers to a win over Milford. Shultz was the fastest in the 55M dash, recording a league-best time of 6.69 and then posted a league-best jump of 6-06.00 to win the high jump and a Hock-best leap of 22-05.75 to win the long jump. Connor Peterson anchored a sweep in the 2 Mile with a time of 11:01.51 followed by William Atwood and Brendan Simpson. North also got 1-2 finishes in the long jump (Kyle Conroy), the 55M dash (Abraham Guir), the 1000M (Brady King, Yousef Abdalla), and the 300M (Sam Bush, Guir). Milford’s Christopher Benson won the shot put with a throw of 35-04.00 and Ben Parson took first in the 600M (1:29.99).








Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 57 @ Stoughton, 43 – FinalOliver Ames completed its second straight undefeated dual meet season to claim another Davenport division title, their seventh overall. The Tigers swept a pair of events with Katie Sobieraj anchoring both of them. Sobieraj had a Hock-best time of 3:00.38 in the 300M and was followed by teammates Molly Capece and Erin Reilly while also winning the 2 Mile in 12:39.50 with Iole Apostoli and Brynn Cushing rounding out the top three. Jenna Gilman added a win in the 600M (1:41.67), Catie Wilson took another win in the shot put (28-03.00), and Taegan Hodges and Hailey Goldman went 1-2 in the 1 Mile race. Stoughton’s Gabriele Julien won both the high jump (4-10.00) and the long jump (15-08.50), Shayla Ford was also a double-winner by taking the 55M dash (7.56) and the 300M (42.78), and Belleya Franck added a first place finish in the 55M hurdles (9.73).

Canton, 77 @ Foxboro, 23 – FinalCanton collected key points by sweeping both the shot put and the 1000M in a win over Foxboro to conclude the dual meet season. Emma Massih anchored the sweep in the shot put along with Allie Wong and Jess Brathwaite while Tahlia Weaver led the charge in the 1000M with Daphne Golden and Sarah Dempster rounding out the top three. Katie Oliver was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the 55M hurdles and the long jump, Maggie McCready had a 10-second personal best time while taking first in the 1 Mile, and Lexi Piazza won the 600M race, setting a new PR by seven seconds.

Mansfield, 74 @ Sharon, 24 – Final Mansfield took first in 10 events plus one relay to claim a big win over Sharon. The Hornets swept the shot put (Caitlin Garrahy, Juliana Machado, Joselyn Saba), the 55M dash (Abigail Scott, Chloe Guthrie, Meghan Driscoll), and the 300M (Olivia Barry, Brooke Penney, Alexandra Leman) for a total of 27 points. Guthrie also won the long jump (15-10.00), Elyssa Buchanan won two events, taking first in the 55M hurdles (9.47) and the high jump (4-08.00), Anna Moore won the 2 Mile in 12:10.00, Norah Puleo took first in the 1000M (3:23.01), Avery Hawthorne added five points by winning the 600M (1:50.11), and Alexandra Petrova clocked in at 6:09.78 to win the 1 Mile. Olivia Nau had six points for the Eagles, taking second in both the long jump and the 55M hurdles.

Attleboro, 9 @ Franklin, 90 – FinalFranklin swept eight events in a dominant showing, finishing off a 5-0 season to clinch the Kelley-Rex division crown for the first time since 2018. The Panthers swept the high jump (Abigail Griffith, Sarah Dumas, Vera Hansen), the long jump (Dumas, Barra Pfluke, Cailyn Bruno), the shot put (Lily DeForge, Elizabeth Hopkins, Darby Nicholson), the 55M hurdles (Ella Chandaria, Hansen, Bruno), the 55M dash (Dumas, Chandaria, Sophia Cuneo), the 1000M (Gwenyth Holland, Allison Powderly, Katie Barrow), the 600M (Bruno, Anna Cliff, Ella McLaughlin), and the 300M (Cuneo, Olivia Costa, Cassidy Carmignani). Mackenzie Mann added a win in the 2 Mile, clocking in at 13:43.88. Attleboro’a Emilia Smith won the 1 Mile in 5:39.10.

King Philip, 54 @ Taunton, 45 – FinalKing Philip won the 4×200 relay by less than two seconds to secure a win over Taunton in a close battle. The Tigers won the 4×800 relay in 4:25.63 (the team of Phylicia Dias, Braelyn Nichols, Sydney Martin, Caelyn O’Leary) to have a shot at the win but KP’s 4×200 relay team of Sarah Glaser, Madeline Hill, Ali Gill, and Alex D’Amadio finished in 1:52.79 to secure the win. D’Amadio collected six points from a first place finish in the 300M (43.25) and a third place in the 600M (1:51.23), Gill and Glaser finished 1-2 in the 55M dash, and Hill added 10 more points by winning both the long jump (15-05.00) and the 55M hurdles (9.74). Katherine O’Neil added a win in the shot put (32-00.50) and Cheyanne Kelley won the 1000M in 3:34.06. Taunton’s Colby Dunham won the 2 Mile in 13:09.23, Emersyn DePonte and Sarah Mendonca went 1-2 in the 1 Mile, and Dias and Martin finished first and second in the 600M.

North Attleboro, 50 @ Milford, 50 – FinalMilford and North Attleboro entered the relays tied, and after splitting the relays, finished that way in a 50-50 tie. There was no separation between the Hawks and the Rocketeers, who had 45 points apiece before the relays. Milford won six of the 10 events but North had key depth by getting points from second and third place finishes. Kiyanna Simas won both the long jump (17-04.00) and the 55M dash (7.43), both were league best finishes on the night. The Hawks also got wins from Kay Wheelock (55M hurdles, 10.16), Carly Haley (1000M, 3:30.71), Sydney Kalil (1 Mile, 5:40.35), and swept the 300M (Gabby Peniche, Kaylee Whitney, Wheelock). North picked up wins from Sydney O’Connor in the high jump (4-08.00) with Caroline Folan and Megan Ladd rounding out a sweep, Sienna Newth in the shot put (32-06.50), Ellie Fournier in the 2 Mile (13:34.87), and Faith Wilder in the 600M (2:06.43).

Panthers Roar Past Belmont Behind Zub’s Hat Trick

Franklin girls soccer Anya Zub
Franklin junior Anya Zub celebrates after completing her hat trick in the second half against Belmont. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 FRANKLIN, Mass. — Behind a pair of goals in each half and a strong 80-minute performance, Franklin’s postseason run got off to a great start.

Junior Anya Zub scored a hat trick and sophomore Kelly O’Connor added another as the 8th-seeded Panthers quelled the excitement of the visiting 25th-seeded Marauders of Belmont with a convincing 4-0 decision in a Division 1 Round of 32 matchup.

“We had a problem early in the year not coming out strong enough so we’ve been pushing and pushing the idea of coming out hard and ready to play,” said Franklin head coach Tom Geysen, “They came out hard tonight and at halftime, we just talked about it being an 80-minute game. The first 40 was yours, you have to make the second 40 yours too. They came out and did exactly that.”

Belmont was fresh off a 3-1 win over Brockton in the preliminary round and entered Monday’s clash with a high excitement and intensity level. But it took just minutes for Franklin to register its first serious scoring chance and the Panthers’ back four of Alli Powderly, Lily Deforge, Norah Anderson, and Katie Ewald denied the visitors of any dangerous scoring chances all game.

It took just five minutes for Franklin to start knocking on the door defensively. O’Connor flicked on a ball from Deforge to herself in behind the defense and was in alone on goal but forced the keeper to a big save off the line.

Less than 10 minutes later, O’Connor snuck in behind the defense on a service and beat the keeper to the ball, but her bid was just wide at the far post.

O’Connor and the Panthers finally cashed in in the 18th minute on a set piece. Anderson delivered a ball into the area that the keeper came off the line to try and get, but only managed to get one hand to it. The ball fell in behind and O’Connor was there to smash it home from inches out to make sure it crossed the line.

The Marauders didn’t have a ton of chances, but their two best came minutes after Franklin’s first half strikes. In the 21st minute, Belmont got a look on goal with a shot just outside the 18 but Rachel Welch was easily able to collect.

Franklin doubled its lead just minutes before the halftime break. Powderly’s quick throw found Tori Carmignani, and her ball was deflected by a defender to O’Connor. The defense was able to recover to prevent a shot from the sophomore, but Zub made a nice overlapping run around and O’Connor laid it off. Zub blasted a low left-footed shot that got through the keeper and in to make it 2-0 in the 24th minute.

It was more of the same for the Panthers in the second half. After 10 minutes had expired, Franklin junior Olivia Costa nearly added to the hosts’ lead but was denied by the post. Senior Avery Greco looped a ball in to O’Connor, who cut back and sent a cross to the far post. Costa ran onto it and, despite a tough bounce, got her foot to it but it hit off the near post and stayed out.

Greco and Costa linked up a minute later, the former dropping a pass off for senior Bridget Leo’s blast from distance but it went just wide.

Franklin’s pressure up top paid off again as Zub got her second in the 60th minute. Deforge launched a ball from her own half over the defense that Zub was able to get to first, using her left foot to get into space and then using her right to lift over the oncoming keeper for a 3-0 advantage.

Ewald won a challenge on the left side to freshman Mia Eglintine, who connected with O’Connor. O’Connor battled her way into some space before finding Carmignani in the middle of the pitch. Carmignani carried at the defense before slotting a perfect through ball to Zub, who finished on her left to complete the hat trick in the 34th minute.

“Anya and Kelly, the two of them, plus Olivia Costa, she’s the same way, they just go forever,” Geysen said of the constant pressure. “So you have those three running up front, they are putting a lot of pressure on the ball and on the defense.”

Franklin girls soccer (15-3-1) will host #9 Wellesley (9-1-6), who took down Marshfield 2-0. The game is currently scheduled for Thursday at 4:00.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/27/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – FinalOliver Ames junior Joey Carney and sophomore Casey Milliken each scored a pair of goals as the Tigers finished their league schedule undefeated, closing it out with a 5-0 win over Foxboro. Sophomore Jackson Mercieri notched his first career goal, Milliken and junior Ryan Linhares each had two assists, and sophomore Luke Churchill recorded his sixth assist of the year.

Sharon, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalStoughton took the lead with just four minutes to play but Sharon rallied for a pair of goals inside the final three minutes to stun the Black Knights. Junior Kyle Grant broke the stalemate in the 76th minute to put the hosts ahead. A minute late, Miguel Vasconcelos brought the visitors level off of an assist from Tyler Goodman. And less than a minute later, Vasconcelos bagged the game-winner on a feed from Adam Eastman.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – FinalA terrific second half goal from junior Billy Badger was the difference as Attleboro claimed the Leach & Garner Cup. Junior Alex Vecchioli found senior Steve Etienne with a ball up the middle. Etienne sprayed a pass wide, Badger cut into the area and blasted a shot top corner at the far post for the game-winner in the 73rd minute.

Franklin, 2 @ Milford, 3 – FinalAfter seeing a two-goal lead disappear, Milford found an unlikely game-winner with just minutes to go to earn a season sweep of the Kelley-Rex division champs. Following a scoreless first half, the Hawks built a 2-0 lead, opening the scoring in the 48th minute and doubling it in the 60th minute. Kaua Pereira finished off a corner from Arthur Tome to give the hosts the lead, and a deflected shot from Gabriel Machado — who was making his varsity debut — doubled the advantage. Franklin rallied for a pair of goals, the first coming with 15 minutes to play. A corner from Noah Cain went through a crowd and to the far end of the area where Max Tobin hit it on a half volley back to the opposite post to halve the deficit. With just under nine minutes left, the Panthers cashed in on another Cain corner, this time the ball finding the feet of Will Kryzak and he buried it. With under five minutes to go, Milford’s Andre Baiano smashed a ball from 60 yards out that caught the keeper off the line and bounced in for the game-winner.

Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalAlexis Campbell made a save on the final penalty kick to lift the Bombardiers to the Blue-Red Cup title. After a scoreless regulation, the teams went to penalties to decide who would get the cup for the year. Campbell, who was named Most Outstanding Player for Attleboro, came up with a big stop on the final kick to secure a 4-3 shootout win.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalMary Cross and Lucinda Li Cotter each found the back of the net to lift the Tigers to the win, which clinched a second straight outright Davenport division title. Cross opened the scoring off a Sophia Byron corner in the first. Cotter doubled the lead in the second half off a feed from Emma Gavin. Foxboro senior Maddie Maher returned from injury to play goal for the Warriors, making several big saves. Neve Taylor and Shea Dorney played well in the Foxboro midfield, covering for Lauren Miley, who was out with an injury, and Erin Foley provided energy up top and in the middle of the pitch.

Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalAnya Zub and Olivia Costa each recorded three points, leading the Panthers to a win that clinches a third straight league title. Franklin finished a point above KP in the Kelley-Rex. Zub and Costa each scored twice and had an assist to pace the Franklin attack. Kelly O’Connor added a goal off an Avery Greco assist. Serena Borges and Dani Atherton (assisted by Borges) scored for the Hawks to put them up 2-0 before Franklin rallied with five straight goals. Milford was only the third team to score more than one goal in a game against Franklin this season.

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip closed out the regular season with a win over Taunton. Kylie Menendez and Brooke Noonan scored first half goals to put the Warriors in front and Ella Pisani finished off a cross from Eilish McGowen 15 minutes into the second half to make it 3-0. Taunton got one back with three minutes to play on a free kick from sophomore Amelia McQuiggan. Eighth grader Ashlyn Hebert had a strong game in goal for the Tigers, making 11 saves. Taunton will close out the season on Friday against New Bedford.

Stoughton, 3 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Stoughton battled back from three goals down to secure a point in its regular season finale. Sharon took the lead with 17 minutes left in the first half. Sofia Goclowski played a pass into the run of Autumn Simon, who was able to keep possession under pressure and get the ball back to Goclowski on the edge of the box. The senior midfielder picked the bottom far corner to open the scoring. Sharon doubled the lead when Carly Pinnix made a nice move to open space on the right and dropped a pass behind the back line for Simon to run onto and finish first-time. Stoughton started the second half well, but the Eagles made it 3-0 against the run of play. Off a drop ball, Olivia Soby hit a nice pass out to Pinnix on the left and the senior hit a perfect cross through the box where Simon managed to get enough on it to redirect it inside the far post. Midway through the second half, Emma Tran got one back for the Black Knights with a 25-yard strike that dipped just under the bar. The Black Knights had a goal disallowed for a foul on the keeper and missed from the penalty spot but just kept going. Morgan Cook hit an angled ball to the right wing. Bianca Casna brought it down and then arrowed in a cross to the near post. Shayla Ford, who earlier had a goal disallowed, got in front of her marker and was able to knock the ball just inside the post. Five minutes later, Stoughton completed the comeback. Casna hit a ball in from the right side and, whether it was intended as a shot or not, it flew into the top corner.

Field Hockey
Sharon, 0 vs. Norwell, 3 – Final

Volleyball
Sharon, 1 vs. Norwood, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. Durfee, 6:00
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Notre Dame Academy, 0 – Final

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/24/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Franklin, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalFranklin converted a penalty kick 15 minutes into the second half to get a win on the road over Attleboro and clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. An unlucky hand ball on a service into the area from Noah Cain gave the visitors a chance from the spot. Senior Trey Lovell stepped up and buried a low shot for the only goal of the game.

Canton, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ North Attleboro, 2 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored once in each half to record a win at home over visiting King Philip. Givany Carney found Zach Smahi at the top of the box and he deposited his shot into the back of the net just five minutes into the game for a 1-0 advantage. Smahi returned the favor in the second half, setting up Carney at the 50th minute mark to double the hosts’ advantage. Cole Templin had some big saves for North Attleboro to keep the Warriors off the board. “I’m extremely proud of the effort from all of the seniors tonight,” said North Attleboro head coach Mike Lacasse.

Mansfield, 2 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalA back-and-forth battle ended in a 2-2 draw with each side taking a point. Senior Matheus Groberio blasted a free kick into the back of the net from just outside the area to give the hosts the lead but just two minutes later Connor Palinski finished off a cross to bring the Hornets level. Mansfield carried that momentum and scored again less than 10 minutes after tying it as Dan Checkoway headed in a corner kick from Grady Sullivan. Stoughton came back and found the equalizer before the break as Groberio set up Sam Santos to make it 2-2. Mansfield freshman goalie Troy Lasbury-Casey made 13 saves and played well in his first career start.

Milford, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalThe Scarlet Hawks deposited a pair of goals in each half to return home with two points via a 4-0 win over Taunton. Eduardo Santana opened the scoring, running onto a long ball from Nate Dinis and poking it past the keeper to make it 1-0. Rodrigo Lourenço drew a foul with clever dribbling and Lucas Nalon Ribero buried the free kick to double the lead going into the half. Ribero grabbed his second of the day, blasting a rocket of a shot from 40 yards away to make it 3-0. Kaua Pereira capped the scoring for the Hawks, finishing off a corner from Lourenço.

Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – FinalOliver Ames broke the stalemate midway through the second half to get a win at home over visiting Sharon. Senior Mirray DaSilva converted a pass from Joey Carney in the 60th minute for the lone goal of the game.








Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – FinalAnya Zub’s hat trick pushed the Panthers to a big home win and maintained their lead at the top of the Kelley-Rex. Selene Hammad opened the scoring for Franklin just two minutes into the game, with Zub picking up the assist. Zub would score the next three goals. Kelly O’Connor, Olivia Costa, and Hammad had the assists. Jamie Davies added a late goal for the Bombardiers, converting a penalty after Tatum O’Brien’s nice run into the box drew a foul. Alexis Campbell made double digit saves in the loss.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 2 – FinalAfter Foxboro battled back to tie the game, Mekhala Costello’s second half goal lifted Canton to the win and kept the Bulldogs within two points of league-leading OA heading into the final game of the regular season. Canton grabbed the lead in a first half that was delayed by lightning. Foxboro answered back three minutes into the second half. Grace Riley got the equalizer off a Shea Dorney corner. Costello found the winner with a blast from distance to secure two points.

North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalMikayla Thompson scored twice and Heidi Lawrence and Ella Pisani each recorded two points to keep the Warriors in the league title mix with one match remaining. KP sits just a point back of Franklin in the division. Lawrence opened the scoring for KP when she took a nice pass from Pisani and lifted it over the keeper. Pisani also had the helper on KP’s second goal four minutes later, putting in a perfect cross for Thompson to tap home from close-range. Thompson would add KP’s third in the second half, this time getting a toe to a cross from Lawrence.

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalOlivia Salisbury set a new school record with her 30th career clean sheet (ninth of the season), as Mansfield continued its impressive run. The Hornets have gone 11 games without a loss and picked up a sixth straight win. Avery Hawthorne made it three straight games with a goal, scoring what turned out to be the winner 10 minutes into the second half. Bridget Hanley’s ball over the top set up the goal. Mansfield added a second just two minutes later when Lyla Nappa scored off a cross from Olivia Dunham.

Taunton, 1 @ Milford, 6 – FinalMilford celebrated senior night with its biggest win of the season. Dani Atherton scored a brace to the lead the way for the Hawks, who scored four unanswered in the second half to break open a close game. Kaylee Whitney, Serena Borges, Paige Caldon, and Ava Baglione each scored once for Milford and Kayleigh Tourtellot had a solid game in goal. Juliana Matos had the lone goal for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Sharon, 2 – FinalEmma Gavin recorded three goals and Lucinda Li Cotter had four points (two goals and two assists) to lift the Tigers to a win in a back-and-forth game in the rain at Sharon. With the win, OA kept hold of a two-point lead on Mansfield and Canton going into the final match of the regular season. Jolie Diaz added a goal and Jenna Gilman had a pair of assists for the visitors. Sharon battled back two get within two twice, Autumn Simon finishing with a brace. Sofia Goclowski and Jessica Li had the assists. Taylor Standring had a strong game in net for the Eagles.




Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalAttleboro kept it close, trailing just 2-0 at halftime, but Franklin scored a late goal in the third quarter and two more early in the fourth to pull away for the win. After a scoreless first quarter, Emily Carney scored three minutes into the second (from Kaitlyn Carney and Sophia Cuneo) and then again with under a minute to play until halftime (from Haley Wernig and Cuneo). Payten Crandell (from Kaitlyn Carney) pushed the Panthers’ lead to 3-0 with just over a minute to play in the third, and both Wernig and Kaitlyn Carney scored inside the first five minutes to make it 5-0. Siany Ortez made 10 saves in net for the Bombardiers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 6 – FinalMansfield scored two goals in each the first and third quarters and tacked on one each in the second and fourth quarters to get a win over Stoughton. Ava Adams opened the scoring and Danni Cuzzi scored back-to-back goals, one in the first quarter and one in the second to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead at halftime. Adams grabbed her second in the third, Kristina Kipp made it 5-0 in the third quarter, and Adams completed her hat trick with the lone goal of the fourth.

Taunton, 3 @ Milford, 0 – FinalKaysie DeMoura scored a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a shutout win on the road at Milford. Caelen O’Leary added one goal to go along with DeMoura’s two while Jasmine Lucier made three saves in net for the shutout.

Oliver Ames @ Sharon – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/25 at 3:30.

Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 1 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this game.Mary Collins scored midway through the fourth quarter to cancel out Maggie McCready’s opener and send both times home with a point. The first half was a defensive struggle, with Foxboro having the only shot on net in the opening 30 minutes. Canton turned things around in the third, dominating the quarter and breaking the deadlock. Carolyn Schiavo created space on the right side and fired a shot that Kathryn Ferguson needed to save. The rebound sat in the crease for a couple seconds before McCready pounced to knock it home. Foxboro took control of play in the fourth. Carolyn Durand made a series of good saves but eventually Mya Waryas’ shot from distance was tipped in the circle by Collins. The ball caromed out from the back of the net, causing confusion, but after a discussion between the officials the goal was given.




Volleyball
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – FinalKing Philip landed a dominate win at home, and along with Franklin’s win over Attleboro, the Warriors moved back into a first place tie atop the Kelley-Rex division with one match to go. Emily Sawyer landed 10 kills along with seven aces and three blocks to lead the Warriors to a 3-0 (25-15, 25-7, 25-11) win over the Rocketeers. Sami Shore (three aces) and Ahunna James (five digs) each added seven kills while Olivia O’Neil finished with four kills and two aces.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – FinalJunior Claire O’Rourke had a big day at the net to help Oliver Ames shake off a close loss in the third set and finish off the win, 3-1 (25-17, 25-19, 24-26, 25-15). O’Rourke notched 13 kills while Sarah Hilliard added 12 kills to lead the offense. Maddie Homer had 16 digs and six aces, Clare Kavolius recorded 35 assists and five aces, and Cecelia Cupples had a strong game at the net.

Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Foxboro, 2 @ Canton, 3 – FinalCanton rallied from a 2-1 deficit to stay alive and force a fifth set and then outlasted visiting Foxboro to get the win, 3-2 (20-25, 25-19, 21-25, 25-22, 15-9). Jess Wright had an efficient night at the net, hitting 0.425 with 19 kills while Liana Lamparelli added 13 digs, three kills, and three blocks for the Bulldogs. Seniors Haley Duhaime, Nevaeh Osborne, Liz Beal and Riley Costa played well in the five set battle.

Stoughton, 3 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final

Taunton @ Milford, 5:15

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/11/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 0 @ Wachusett, 3 – Final

Franklin, 2 @ Newton South, 0 – FinalFranklin scored once in each half to earn a massive road win against a fellow Div. 1 title contender. Olivia Costa opened the scoring in the first half, finishing a feed from Tori Carmignani. Kelly O’Connor scored from a Katie Ewald corner in the second half to secure the points in a hard-fought, physical matchup. Rachel Welch made eight saves for Franklin. Newton South came into Tuesday’s game as the third-ranked team in D1.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 1 – FinalAttleboro scored its biggest win of the season, going on the road and knocking off Hock powerhouse Canton. Audrey Koen scored in the first quarter to give the Bulldogs the early advantage but Siobhan Landers answered off a corner in the second quarter to bring the Bombardiers level. Landers found the back of the net again in the third and Siany Ortez (12 saves) and the Attleboro defense pitched a second half shutout to close out the win. Alyvia Bessette, Marley Young, and Jordan Mooney each had an assist in the win. “A collective massive team win today,” said Attleboro head coach Jess Pink. “There was no one player that stood out as the defense worked together to secure the win and resist a lot of Canton pressure at the end of the game. The middies fed the offense and came up with some big block tackles to maintain position.”

Franklin, 13 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalFranklin’s Kaitlyn Carney recorded a hat trick and both Shaw Downing and Haley Wernig scored a pair of goals in a big win on the road.

King Philip, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final King Philip scored less than a minute into each the first and second quarter and that proved to be enough in a close battle on the road at Mansfield. Sophomore Makenzie McDevitt opened the scoring just 57 seconds into the contest, and KP took a 1-0 lead into the second quarter. This time, it took just 19 seconds for McDevitt to find the back of the net and double the advantage. Mansfield made a game of it when Emma Redding scored at 11:32 of the second quarter, finishing off an assist from Kristina Kipp on a corner. The Warriors applied a lot of pressure in the second to try and add to its lead, but couldn’t solve Mansfield goalie Lily Danehy (18 saves) again.

Milford @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

North Attleboro, 8 @ Sharon, 1 – FinalAfter scoring twice in the first quarter, North Attleboro exploded for five goals in the second quarter in a big win on the road at Sharon. Ava Spencer scored the opener goal midway through the first quarter and finished the game with a pair of goals and a pair of assists. Caroline Folan and Julia Puccio (one assist) both added two goals while Madison Folan and Ella Luistro each scored once. Olivia LeBlanc scored a fourth quarter goal for Sharon.

Taunton, 0 @ Foxboro, 7 – FinalFollowing a scoreless first quarter, Foxboro staked a 3-0 lead by halftime and then exploded for four goals in the fourth quarter to secure a big win. Ella Campbell scored a pair of goals just two minutes apart, finishing off a pass from Mary Collins for the first goal of the game three minutes into the second quarter, and then scoring unassisted at 10:24. Mya Waryas added an unassisted goal with just over two minutes to go in the first half to make it 3-0. Paige Curran extended Foxboro’s lead 90 seconds into the final frame and then Collins scored a hat trick in the final 12 minutes with Kaelin Connors, Campbell, and Mia DiNunzio each recording an assist.








Volleyball
Taunton, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final Taunton overcame a one-set deficit by winning three straight to secure a 3-1 (20-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-21) win on the road at Foxboro. The Warriors jumped out to a lead with a win in the first set but the Tigers evened the match at 1-1 and then took a very close third set to gain momentum in the win. Sayla DePinra had a big game for the Tigers with nine kills and one block, Hayley Krockta added eight kills and 12 digs, and Morgan Smith chipped in with five kills and a pair aces. Courtney Martin had a good serving game with nine aces along with eight digs, and Anna Abouzeid had a strong all-around performance with 25 assists, seven digs, six aces, and four kills. For Foxboro, Juliana Pettigrew (15 kills, seven digs) and Ava Kirk (nine kills, three blocks, two aces) paced the offense while Shannon McElhinney (18 digs, seven aces) and Gianna Dunne (11 digs, ace) anchored the Warriors’ defense.

Milford, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalOliver Ames defended its home court, recording a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-19, 25-22) over visiting Milford. Senior Maddie Homer recorded 19 digs, junior Sarah Hilliard notched 13 kills, sophomore Ava Barth had a big day serving with 18 service points, and junior Paula Romero had a strong game for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 3 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this match.

Attleboro, 3 @ Canton, 1 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this match.

Franklin, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final

King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – FinalKing Philip opened with a dominating first set and never looked back in a sweep on the road at Mansfield, 3-0 (25-8, 25-16, 25-16). Seniors Emily Sawyer (seven aces) and Sami Shore (two aces) paced the offense with nine kills apiece, seniors Ahunna James (nine digs, four kills, three aces) and Olivia O’Neil (four kills, four digs) both had strong all-around games, and junior Ava Kelley anchored the defense with eight digs. Elyssa Buchanan had four kills and a block for the Hornets while Lauren Rubicine (seven digs) and Gabrielle Moore (eight digs) played well defensively for the Hornets.




Boys Cross Country
King Philip, 24 @ Milford, 31 – FinalKing Philip’s Nate Sylven took first overall and the Warriors had five of the top eight runners to get a win on the road over Milford. Sylven won in 17:02 while Owen Mackenzie (18:59), Eliot Davis (19:12), and Max Miller (19:13) took fourth, fifth, and sixth overall, respectively for KP. Paxton Hubert (19:34) rounded out the scoring for the visitors, taking eighth overall.

Canton, 38 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – FinalThe top harrier for the Bulldogs was Luke Darling, who took fourth overall with a time of 18:59. Also running strong races and career bests for Canton were Austin DiBiasio (20:05) and Maks Alves (20:16), who finished seventh and ninth, respectively.

Sharon @ Foxboro, 3:45

Mansfield, 15 @ Stoughton, 48 – FinalMansfield took the top five spots on its way to a sweep of Stoughton. Junior Talon Johnson won his fourth race of the season, finishing in 18:00 while sophomore Ben Dury took fourth place in 19:12.

Attleboro, 41 @ Taunton, 17 – Final

Franklin @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Girls Cross Country
King Philip, 21 @ Milford, 34 – FinalKing Philip took four of the first five spots, and five of the top seven on its way to a win over the Scarlet Hawks. Sydney Kalil continued her winning ways for Milford but the next four runners to cross were from KP: Kate Buban taking second overall (20:32) followed by Rachel Bailer, Leah Burke, and Keira Evans. Bridget Swezey (seventh) and Kat Precobb also ran well for the Warriors.

Canton, 50 @ Oliver Ames, 15 – FinalCanton’s top runner was Johanna Bouwmeester, running 24:04. She was followed by a strong pack of Bulldogs including Klara Redquest, Tahlia Weaver, Honesty Johnson, Nishka Baduamanda, and Tema Mazonson.

Sharon @ Foxboro, 3:45

Mansfield, 26 @ Stoughton, 30 – FinalMansfield’s Anna Moore picked up her fourth win of the season as the Hornets secured a close victory over Stoughton. Senior Alexis DiVasta was fourth and sophomore Sierra Wojick took sixth for the Hornets.

Attleboro, 43 @ Taunton, 16 – Final

Franklin, 18 @ North Attleboro, 45 – FinalFranklin’s Alex Batla and Fiona Morrison took the top two spots and rounded out its scoring with five of the top six runners to clinch the Kelley-Rex division title. Batla won in 20:45 with Morrison crossing at 20:46. Vivienne Loukota, Katie Sweeney, and Carli Walbert took fourth, fifth, and sixth overall, respectively, to give the Panthers the win.




Golf
King Philip, 145 @ Stoughton, 177 – FinalKing Philip junior Ethan Sullivan fired a medalist round to lead the Warriors to a win on the road over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Sullivan carded a 35, Gavin Croke and Cam Hasenfus each shot 36 on the day, and freshmen Jason Silva and Evan Regan each carded a 38. For Stoughton, James Spector shot a 40 and Joe Rush finished with a 43.

Oliver Ames, 162 @ Mansfield, 158 – FinalMansfield earned its biggest win of the season, handing Oliver Ames its first loss of the season and clinching a share of the Davenport division alongside the Tigers. Nate McClean had a great performance at Norton Country Club, firing a 37 to earn medalist honors in the win. Cody Nieratko and Brendan Vokey each finished at 40 for the day and Davon Sanders, who had an eagle on the ninth hole to help clinch the win, finished at 41. Sean Kearns, David Rodgers, and Daniel Paul all shot a 40 for Oliver Ames while Ryan Smith chipped in with a 42.

Taunton, 175 @ Franklin, 150 – FinalFranklin won its final division match of the season to finish tied in first, clinching a share of the Kelley-Rex division crown along with King Philip. Jack Hagerty had a pair of birdies and finished with a medalist round of 36 to lead the Panthers. Matt Cacciapaglia (two birdies), Brendan Collins (one birdie), and CJ Steel (one birdie) each came in with a 38 for Franklin. Logan Letourneau led the way for Taunton with a 41.

Sharon, 164 @ Milford, 150 – FinalMilford returned home after a five-match road trip and secured a win at Hopedale Country Club, taking down visiting Sharon. Junior Anthony LaPierre fired a two-under par round of 33 to lead the way for the Hawks, earning match medalist honors. Jacob Hipolito added a 38 and Nate Lawrence finished with a 39 in the win. Sharon’s Dylan Cummings shot a team-low round of 39.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 10/07/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Football
King Philip, 14 @ Attleboro, 7 – Final
1Q: (KP) Kyle Abbott 46-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good.
2Q: No scoring.
3Q: (KP) Will Astorino 32-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
4Q: (A) Matt Harvie 33-yard pass to Anthony Salviati, Josue Salguero XP good.

Canton, 7 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (OA) Chad Silva 3-yard rush, Nick Ferrini XP good; (OA) Wayne Casey 21-yard pass to C. Silva, XP blocked.
2nd Quarter: (C) Godson Ofonagoro 13-yard rush, Hayden Rose XP good; (OA) W. Casey 10-yard pass to C. Silva, Conversion no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Foxboro, 31 @ Stoughton, 0 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1Q: (F) Lincoln Moore 1-yard rush, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2Q: (F) L. Moore 2-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) Mike Marcucella 29-yard pass to Nolan Gordon, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 9-yard pass to Jaden Becker, S. Carpenter XP good.
3Q: (F) S. Carpenter 30-yard field goal.
4Q: No scoring.

Franklin, 35 @ Taunton, 14 – Final
1Q: (T) Malachi Johnson 8-yard rush, Sete Deletoile XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 12-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, Garrett Portesi XP good; (T) Bryan Batista 1-yard rush, S. Deletoile XP good.
2Q: (F) J. Lyons 25-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
3Q: (F) J. Lyons 61-yard pass to L. Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
4Q: (F) J. Lyons 13-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good; (F) L. Davis 30-yard interception return, G. Portesi XP good.

Mansfield, 24 @ Haverford (PA), 14 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Conner Zukowski 25-yard pass to Trevor Foley, Travis Hennessey XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 20-yard pass to T. Foley, T. Hennessey XP good.
2nd Quarter: (H) Wright 1-yard rush, XP no good; (M) C. Zukowski 6-yard pass to T. Foley, T. Hennessey XP good.
3rd Quarter: (H) Wright 8-yard pass to Marciano, 2-point conversion good.
4th Quarter: (M) T. Hennessey 21-yard field goal.

North Attleboro, 15 @ Milford, 33 – Final
1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (M) Evan Cornelius 1-yard rush, XP failed; (M) Nicholas Araujo 43-yard field goal.
3Q: (M) N. Araujo 40-yard field goal; (NA) Greg Berthiaume blocked punt fumble recovery in the end zone, G. Berthiaume 2pt rush; (NA) Nathan Shultz 17-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good.
4Q: (M) E. Cornelius 16-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) E. Cornelius 24-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) Romeo Holland 26-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.

Sharon, 36 vs. Roxbury Prep, 0 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game.
1Q: (S) Liam Conway 3-yard rush, Jace McCarron XP good; (S) L. Conway 12-yard pass to Anthony Piron, J. McCarron XP good.
2Q: (S) Mason Lelling 30-yard interception return, 2pt rush failed; (S) Safety; (S) L. Conway 20-yard pass to Kyle Samuels, J. McCarron XP good; (S) Gabe Korn 8-yard rush, J. McCarron XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: No scoring.








Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final

Milford, 2 @ Franklin, 1 – FinalA strong first half resulted in a pair of goals for the visiting Hawks, and that proved to be enough to secure a key two points on the road to pull into a first place tie with Franklin. Nick Ribeiro’s cross found Eduardo Santana for the opening goal of the game, and Milford doubled its lead when John Borges played Jonny Tacuri Castro in to make it 2-0. Milford played the final 20 minutes down a man after a red card, and Franklin cashed in just moments later when Rex Cinelli finished a free kick from Noah Cain, but the visitors were able to play out the rest of the game with the lead. Lucas Fernandes had a strong game, including a massive second half save to preserve the lead.

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 2 – FinalKing Philip rallied for a pair of second half goals to earn a win on its senior night. The visiting Tigers took the lead in the 12th minute on a penalty kick, and carried the 1-0 advantage into halftime. Just under 10 minutes into the second half, the Warriors pulled level as Matt Crago finished off a feed from Will Bowen on a set piece to make it 1-1. Just minutes later, Colin Dervin set up Bowen for what turned out to be the game-winner. Connor O’Reilly made six saves in net for the win.




Girls Soccer
Canton, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalMansfield and Canton split four goals and each team walked away with a point. Mekhala Costello opened the scoring from the penalty spot, after drawing a foul in the box, but Kara Santos equalized for the Hornets off an Olivia Dunham corner. Alexandra Fernandes gave Mansfield the lead off a Meghan McCann assist, but Emily McCabe would score Canton’s second penalty of the game to level the score. Canton keeper Marissa Staffiere made a great save on a blast from Avery Hawthorne in the closing minutes to preserve the draw, and made several crucial stops throughout the afternoon. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo said it was a game that either team could have won and that a draw felt like a fair result in an even match.

Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this match. OA scored three times in the second half, including a pair of Mary Cross goals, to earn its ninth straight win. In a first half with very few chances, Emma Gavin provided a moment of class to put the Tigers in front. Just three minutes before halftime, Gavin pressed the Foxboro defense, stole the ball, and fired a 25-yard shot off the bar and in. Jolie Diaz almost doubled the lead seconds later but Allie Sougaris made a nice save and Jenna Gilman hit the rebound over the bar. One minute after the break, OA grabbed a second. Diaz hit a cross from the right that landed in the six, took a bounce off a defender, and then appeared to go off Gilman’s face and in. Eight minutes later, Sophia Byron’s corner was knocked down in the box by freshman Caroline Bowers and Mary Cross pounced on the loose ball. In the 64th minute, Byron again delivered a great corner that dropped in the box. Cross was on hand to knock in the loose ball for her brace. Erin Foley came closest for the Warriors with a quickly taken free kick that went just over the bar.

Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 0 – FinalFranklin scored late in the first half and added a pair of late goals to pull out the road win. Caitlyn Bruno opened the scoring with three minutes left in the first half, from a Chloe Stavely assist. Olivia Costa had a brace in the second half for the Panthers. Anya Zub and Bridget Leo had the assists. Rachel Welch and Hailey Aniki combined for six saves and a clean sheet. Milford coach Lou Colabello praised his team’s performance against one of the league’s elite, taking a lot of positives from the game. He noted the play of freshman Kaleigh Tourtelot, who impressed in only her third varsity game in goal.

King Philip, 6 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalHeidi Lawrence and Makayla Thompson each scored twice to lead the Warriors to a big road win. Lawrence opened the scoring 13 minutes into the game, finishing off a diagonal pass from Ella Pisani. Thompson scored three minutes later on a corner from Danielle Gresham. Dani Lomuscio made it 3-0, taking a pass from Gresham and finding the net from 20 yards. Ilah Weiblen scored her first varsity goal with 15 minutes to go before the break. Kylie Menendez had the assist on the fourth goal. Lawrence got her second, again from Pisani, seven minutes after halftime and Thompson added a second goal from a corner, this time after a short pass from Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn.




Field Hockey
Franklin, 14 @ Milford, 0 – Final

Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – FinalOliver Ames picked up its third win of the week, sweeping visiting Bridgewater-Raynham in straight sets, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-20). Junior Rachel Fleischman gave the Tigers a big boost with a strong defensive effort (12 digs) while adding three aces. Sophomore Clare Kavoulis dished out 34 assists in the win with Sarah Hilliard (14 kills) leading the offense. Maddie Homer added 30 digs and sophomore Ava Barth added 10 digs and four aces.

King Philip, 3 vs. Medway, 0 – FinalKing Philip made is nine in a row, defending home court against non-league foe Medway with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-12) win. Ahunna James had a strong all-around game with eight digs, seven kills, and four aces, both Emily Sawyer (seven kills) and Sami Shore (six kills) played well at the net, and junior Ava Kelley chipped in with six digs.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 3 – FinalThe Bulldogs secured their second win of the week, pulling out a close win in the fourth set to fend off a feisty Stoughton squad, 3-1 (25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 28-26). Jess Wright had a big day for the hosts, recording 17 kills to pace the offense while Sally Hoban added nine kills for the Bulldogs. Zoe Scibelli continued to anchor the Canton defense with 25 digs and added three aces. Charlotte Clyve gave the Bulldogs a big boost off the bench with a few big kills.

Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00

Golf
Oliver Ames, 171 @ Foxboro, 173 – FinalOliver Ames tackled the tough course at Foxboro Country Club and a strong Foxboro squad to grab a close 171-173 win, clinching at least a share of the Davenport division title, the program’s first division title since 2018 and first Davenport crown since 2015. Junior Sean Kearns fired a 39 to lead the Tigers, sharing medalist honors with Foxboro’s Patrick Callahan (five pars, one birdie). David Rodgers added a 42, Daniel Paul chipped in with a 44, and Braden Shapiro capped his strong week with a 46. Reese Curreri and Louis Carangelo each shot a 44 and Mat Sullivan finished at 46 for the Warriors. Oliver Ames travels to Mansfield on Tuesday with a chance to clinch the division title outright with a win.

Canton, 170 @ Sharon, 171 – Final

Canton Rallies in the Second Half to Beat Franklin

Canton girls soccer
For the second time in a week, Canton rallied from a goal down in the second half and sealed a win thanks to a Mekhala Costello goal, this time beating Franklin 2-1. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


CANTON, Mass. – Over the weekend, Canton played a tough, physical game against division rival Oliver Ames. It was Canton’s first loss of the season. Just a few days later, on Wednesday night at WWII Veterans Memorial Field, the Bulldogs had another competitive, physical encounter against division-leading Franklin.

This time, the Bulldogs started the game without leading scorer Emily McCabe. The senior forward was nursing an injury and would likely only be able to play a half, so head coach Idris Senyonjo left her out of the starting lineup. Canton struggled without the focal point of its attack, but McCabe emerged in the second half and sparked a massive turnaround.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

With McCabe up front for the final 40 minutes, Canton put the pressure on the Panthers, rallying from a goal down for the second time in a week and pulling out a 2-1 victory.

“She hasn’t trained all week, so I was going to either play her first half or second half,” Senyonjo explained. “Bringing her on in the second half would give them something different to think about. Em gives them a whole different dimension of what they’re going to have to worry about.”

It didn’t take long for McCabe to make her presence felt. She immediately charged at the Franklin back line and pressed center backs Norah Anderson and Lily Deforge (who was playing in the middle in place of injured junior Maddie Horton). McCabe added a different dimension to the attack, drawing attention and freeing up space on the wings, as both Emma Cahill and Caira McKinney looked dangerous after the break.

Twelve minutes into the second half, it was McCabe that would get the equalizer. She clipped a ball up over the defense from just outside the penalty area and then burst through a pair of defenders to get clean through on goal. She was just able to get a toe on the loose ball and poke it past onrushing Franklin keeper Rachel Welch.

“We knew it was going to be an aggressive game and we had to stick to the game plan,” Senyonjo said. “The idea was, if we could put their defense under pressure, we’re going to force them to make mistakes.”

Not only had Canton stemmed the tide of Franklin attacks, which was the story of the opening 40 minutes, but now the Bulldogs were taking control of the action in the midfield through Paige Sullivan and Mekhala Costello.

McCabe nearly created the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute. She slipped a pass into the path of Cahill, who was tripped up on the edge of the box. Canton cried out for a penalty but the official spotted the ball just outside. Costello’s free kick was on target, but right at Welch.

Ten minutes later, Costello would score the winner. Welch came out of the box to clear a ball over the top. Her clearance was in the middle of the field and Costello pulled it down about 40 yards from goal. The junior took a look, saw the keeper racing back to her line, and fired a shot into the unguarded net. It was her second game-winner in the past three games.

“I just feel bad for Rachel,” Franklin coach Tom Geysen explained. “She got caught too far out and there was nobody back there to help her, nobody. She feels like crap because the goal was scored on her, but where were her defenders? And that’s something I’ll make sure she understands.”

Franklin didn’t give up and battled right to the final whistle. The Panthers wrested some control back in the midfield down the stretch and had a series of free kick opportunities for Anderson, Deforge, and midfielder Bridget Leo to put the ball into the box.

With two minutes to play, the Panthers nearly snatched a point. Leo sent an angled ball to the edge of the area and Kelly O’Connor rose well to head the ball down across the penalty area. Right winger Olivia Costa raced in at the far post and appeared to get a touch to it, but Canton keeper Marissa Staffiere was off her line quickly and smothered the chance, saving the win.

Senyonjo loved the way his team was able to bounce back from the loss to OA, and that his team gave him a nice present for his birthday on Thursday.

“It’s huge,” he said. “Saturday was an emotional game. The girls were disappointed but super motivated to come and play today and it’s a huge win, at home against probably the top team in the other division right now.”

The game was physical throughout with neither team giving an inch, but in the first 40 minutes the chances almost all fell to the Panthers. Only three minutes in, striker Anya Zub found space running down the left channel and forced Staffiere into a save at the near post.

O’Connor was a constant menace on the left wing. She was able to turn away from her marker and chipped a pass for Zub to race onto, the forward’s clever outside of the foot chip again forcing Staffiere to make the stop. Three minutes later, the duo combined again with O’Connor getting a chance to test the keeper.

In the 22nd minute, Franklin’s pressure finally paid off. Leo’s outswinging corner dropped to the foot of Selene Hammad about eight yards from goal. She scuffed her first attempt at a shot but on her second attempt lashed the ball inside the post, giving Staffiere no chance.

Chances kept coming for the Panthers. This time it was a Katie Ewald corner that was headed clear by Sullivan. The ball dropped for Leo on the half-volley but her shot went over the bar. After a turnover at the back, O’Connor played a near-perfect angled, low cross to Costa at the back post, but Staffiere read it well and dove out to stop the pass hitting its target.

“We just ran out of gas,” Geysen said. “That’s the best effort we’ve had this season. They really worked their butts off tonight. I said, if you keep playing the way you played tonight, you’re going to win a lot of games. You got unlucky tonight, the soccer gods weren’t looking your way.”

Canton (6-1-1) won’t have much time to celebrate the win, as the Bulldogs will be on the road on Friday against Foxboro. Franklin (5-2-0) can expect another physical encounter on Friday when it travels to Attleboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/21/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
King Philip, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery of this gameKing Philip junior Will Bowen scored the winner in the final minutes of the match to give the Warriors two points on the road over Foxboro. Moments after having his one-on-one bid with the keeper denied, Bowen ran onto a service over the top from senior Matt Crago and smashed a shot from in close that Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter (12 saves) got a piece of but found its way under the bar and in. King Philip’s back line of Thomas Meader, Patrick Sullivan, Ethan Jack Hancock, and Tommy Lomuscio denied the hosts of creating many scoring chances, while Foxboro’s back four of Jack Sullivan, Marco Pacini, Andrew Linnehan, and Alex Penders, as well as defensive center mid John Hollis, all played well. Cotter was strong in net, including a key double save in the 21st minute — diving to his right to save a blast from Meader off a corner, and leaping the opposite way seconds later to deny Crago.

Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – FinalOliver Ames scored a pair of second half goals to secure a key two points against Attleboro in a battle of the top two ranked teams in the Hockomock League. After a scoreless opening 40 minutes, a pair of sophomores linked up to open the scoring for the hosts. Casey Milliken notched his team-leading seventh assist with a through ball to classmate Andrew Martins to give OA a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half. Senior Diego Rivera set up OA’s next goal with a long ball that was deflected in behind the defense with junior Ryan Linhares running onto it. Linhares smashed a terrific one-time shot from just inside the area to double the hosts’ lead. Sophomore Drew Hall recorded his second career shutout while OA head coach John Barata praised senior Hector Bucio and Jake Williams for anchoring the back line. Barata also noted the strong play of sophomores Jackson Mercieri, Luke Churchill, Craig Churchill, and senior Jason Zalis.

Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – FinalAfter staking a one-goal lead at halftime, Franklin put away two more in the second to earn an impressive 3-0 decision on the road at Sharon. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini put the visitors ahead with a goal in the opening half, finishing off an assist from Hansy Jacques. Jacques then got one of his own in the second half to double the Panthers’ advantage, linking up with Andrew O’Neill to make it 2-0. Will Kryzak then recorded an assist for the third straight game, setting up Wyatt Herndon for his first career goal.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – FinalAfter earning points in back-to-back games with a pair of draws, Taunton broke into the win column with a 3-2 decision on the road at Mansfield. Junior Javonte Fernandes had a hand in all three goals for the Tigers, assisting on the opening goal and the game-winner, sandwiched around a goal of his own. Senior Az-Anael St. Marc opened Taunton’s scoring off an assist from Fernandes, who then scored himself off an assist from Conal Scully for the Tigers’ second goal. Fernandes returned the favor, hooking up with Scully for the game-winner. Riley Rebello, Ian Robicheau, Quincy Jones-Sylvia, Xavier Mercardo, and Aidden Fitting all had solid play the entire game for the Tigers while goalie Sebastian Darosa had some key saves throughout the match.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – FinalNorth Attleboro scored a pair of second half goals and held off a late push from the hosts to grab two points with a 2-1 win against the Black Knights. Carson Dameron orchestrated the attack with two assists on the day, first setting up Kaden Burns for the opener. Burns took a pass from Dameron and found the far corner to put the Rocketeers ahead 1-0 in the 46th minute. Just over 15 minutes later, a long free kick from Brody Carter was headed by Dameron onto Zach Smahi and he finished for a 2-0 lead. Stoughton scored with just under 10 minutes to go on a free kick goal from Matheus Groberio.

Milford, 3 @ Canton, 2 – FinalCanton came back from a two-goal deficit two pull level with a half hour left in the game, but Milford regained the lead and held on for an important two points on the road at Canton. Andre Baiano smashed a thunderous volley off a pass from Eduardo Santana to give the Hawks the lead, and Nick Ribeiro doubled the advantage with his second free kick goal in as many games. The free kick was earned after some great work from freshman Danny Da Silva. Canton came back and leveled the match with two goals in a seven-minute span. First, freshman Vlad Francoeur squeezed one in past the keeper to cut the deficit in half and Carson Eagles buried a rebound chance from in close to make it 2-2. Milford found the winner with 10 minutes to go as Ribeiro played Santana through and he finished past the keeper to make it 3-2.








Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – FinalFor the second straight game, Oliver Ames scored once in each half and earned a shutout win. Jolie Diaz opened the scoring for the visitors, intercepting a ball at midfield and going on to convert a breakaway chance, beating the keeper on the near side for a 1-0 lead. OA doubled its lead late in the second half as Emma Gavin volleyed a second chance off a restart with 12 minutes left with the assist going to Sophia Byron. Mary Cross had a great game in the midfield for the Tigers while Janiya Matier made four saves for the shutout.

Canton, 6 @ Milford, 1 – FinalCanton scored three times in the opening 25 minutes of the game to take control and keep its unbeaten start to the season alive. Lauren Shatkin, Emma Cahill, and Emily McCabe each scored in the first half. For McCabe, it was her league-leading 10th goal of the season. Caira McKinney, Gisella Berardi, and Mekhala Costello added second half goals for the Bulldogs, who tried not to let the tempo slip despite being in a busy stretch of the season. Georgia Campbell, Cahill, McCabe, Costello, and Shatkin each had an assist. Dani Atherton scored Milford’s lone goal.

Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – FinalThe game was scoreless at the half, but Ella Pisani scored four times after the break to lead King Philip to a big win. Pisani opened the scoring off a corner just a minute into the second half, assisted by an Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn corner. Four minutes later, Pisani again finished off a corner, this time with Danielle Gresham picking up the assist. She completed her hat trick by finishing off a pass from Ailish McGowen. With 13 minutes to play, Pisani got behind the defense and capped off her night by lifting a shot over the keeper. Makayla Thompson had the assist on the final goal. Erin Foley had the Foxboro goal that cut the lead to 3-1.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalOlivia Costa scored a pair of goals to lift Franklin to a home win that moves the Panthers a half-game ahead in the division. Kelly O’Connor and Tori Carmignani each scored once and each assisted on another goal. Norah Anderson’s header capped the scoring for the Panthers, who also got a pair of assists from Anya Zub and an assist from Katie Ewald. Sharon faced the Kelley-Rex leaders without a pair of starters and struggled to get the attack going against Franklin’s defense. Jordanna Morris and Sally Brouhard both had strong games in defense for the Eagles.

Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – FinalMansfield scored four times in the opening half to take home an away win against the Tigers. Freshmen Alexandra and Maddie Fernandes each scored their first varsity goals. Bridget Hanley and Meghan McCann also found the back of the net for Mansfield. Alexis O’Keefe had a pair of assists, while freshmen Lauren Signoriello and Olivia Dunham each had one helper. Olivia Salisbury picked up the clean sheet. Eighth-grader Ashlyn Herbert had another good performance in net for the Tigers, making nine saves. Mia Torres, Jenna Pereira, and Christina Da Costa also played well in the loss.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalSydney O’Connor headed in a Kaitlyn Joyce cross with five minutes to go before halftime and that was enough for North to pull out its first league win of the season.




Volleyball
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – FinalFranklin continued to roll against league opponents, this time with an impressive 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-14, 25-11) of visiting Sharon. Juniors Grace Lacerda and Taylor Lacerda (five aces) paced the offense with 12 kills apiece.

Golf
Attleboro, 156 @ North Attleboro, 143 – FinalNorth Attleboro’s Jake Gaskin had a great day on the links, carding a two-under-par round of 33 that included an eagle, to lead the Rocketeers to a win over rival Attleboro on the middle course at Heather Hill. Gaskin finished with a 33, sinking an eagle putt on the third hole. Tyson Laviano came in one-over at 36 while Dillon Harding, Ishan Kohli, and Zach Corsetti all shot a 37 on the day. Leo Lombardo fired an even par round of 35 to lead the Bombardiers, Ryan hill added a 38, Bradley Lehtonen finished at 41, and Bradley Martin rounded out Attleboro’s scoring with a 42.

Milford, 165 @ Foxboro, 175 – FinalMilford junior Anthony LaPierre continued his strong week, shooting a match medalist round to lead the Scarlet Hawks to victory over the Warriors at Foxboro Country Club. LaPierre was the lone golfer to break 40 on the day, recording a medalist round of 37. Nate Lawrence added a 40 in the win while both Zach Hipolito and Jacob Hipolito shot 44 for the day. Louis Carangelo, who had a birdie, led Foxboro with a 42, Patrick Callahan (three pars) added a 43, and both Zac Georgantas and Reese Curreri came into the clubhouse with a 45.

Franklin, 149 @ Sharon, 172 – Final

Stoughton, 186 @ Canton, 156 – FinalCanton sophomore Huck McCready fired a medalist round of 35 to help the Bulldogs bring down Stoughton at Blue Hill Country Club, snapping a four-match skid. Brendan Tourgee added a 38 in the win, Joey Ryan shot a 41, and both Charlie Vaughan and Teddy Shuman finished at 42 for the day. For Stoughton, Mason Page had a team-low round of 42.

Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/15/22

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 4 – FinalFor the second straight game, Attleboro exploded offensively in the second half to run away with a big win. Alex Vecchioli took down a deflection off a throw from Luke Hagopian and somehow kept possession between a pair of defenders and ripped a shot to the far post to give the Bombardiers a lead right before halftime. In the second half. Vecchioli grabbed his second of the game early in the second half, tracking down a pass from Lucas Marques before cutting it back onto his left for a shot from just outside the box that was tipped by the keeper and in. Late in the second half, Vecchioli linked up with Kyle Neuendorf, who played a perfectly weighted through ball in behind the defense that was smashed home by Billy Badger to make it 3-0. In the final minutes, senior Steve Etienne tracked down a long punt from keeper Tyler Rocchio and hit a low shot into the back of the net from inside the area.

Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – FinalFranklin junior Hansy Jacques scored for the third straight game and the Panthers picked up two points in a 3-0 blanking of visiting Foxboro. Junior Michael Fernandez-Martin opened his varsity account, finishing off a pass from sophomore Matt Honekamp to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead. Jacques doubled the lead before halftime after an assist from Will Kryzak. In the second half, Trey Lovell buried a penalty kick to cap off the scoring for the Panthers.

Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 0 – FinalAfter a scoreless first half, Mansfield tallied twice inside a 15-minute span in the second half to pick up two key points on the road at North Attleboro. Aidan Lopes set up Tyler Znoj for a blast from 25 yards out to put the Hornets ahead, 1-0, in the 53rd minute. Mansfield doubled the lead in the 65th minute as Aiden Steele’s header off a corner from Dan Checkoway ended up at the feet of Sean Higgins, who dropped in a shot from just outside the box. Liam Doyle recorded his second straight shutout for Mansfield, making six saves. Derek McGrath anchored another strong Mansfield defensive effort with a great individual performance.

Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – FinalEach team converted off a set piece in a 1-1 draw at Milford. Visiting Sharon took the lead in the 18th minute as Adam Eastman buried a free kick from 25 yards out to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Milford pulled level in the 61st minute as Eduardo Santana buried a penalty kick, a call he earned himself, to bring the Scarlet Hawks level. Sharon goalie Matt Baur had a terrific performance in net.

Canton, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalA late goal from Canton helped the Bulldogs pull even and earn a point in a 2-2 draw on the road at Taunton. Carson Eagles scored a late goal to help the Bulldogs erase a one-goal deficit and pull level at 2-2. Jake McCabe scored Canton’s first goal while Taunton’s Javonte Fernandes (first half) and Devin Poe (second half) scored for the Tigers.








Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalMorgan Cook’s goal just before halftime proved to be the winner, as Stoughton picked up its first victory of the season and its first under new coach Jon Grant. Shayla Ford opened the scoring in the third minute, running onto a Sabrina Rodrigues through ball behind the Attleboro defense. Jamie Davies leveled the match for the Bombardiers from the penalty spot in the 17th minute. Stoughton regained the lead in the 40th. Emma Byrne played a ball forward to Cook, who was able to get a telling touch on it and find the back of the net. Stoughton was able to limit Attleboro’s chances for a tying goal in the second half with a strong defensive effort. Katrina Varnum finished with 10 saves to help the Black Knights come out on top.

Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 2 – FinalCanton scored late in each half to earn its third win in as many games and move alone into first in the Davenport division. Emily McCabe scored both goals for the Bulldogs, her sixth and seventh of the season, the first assisted by Caira McKinney and the second by Gisella Berardi. While Canton held a sizable (17-4) edge in shots on goal and hit three posts, Taunton continued to fight and remained in the game until the final 90 seconds. Taunton coach Dan Borges praised the play of midfielders Juliana Matos and Emily Calderon for helping the Tigers compete to the end.

Franklin, 2 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final Franklin scored a pair of second half goals to maintain its perfect start to the season and hand Foxboro its first loss. Olivia Costa opened the scoring off a Norah Anderson assist and Costa then provided the assist for Selene Hammad’s goal that wrapped up the points for the Panthers. Franklin keeper Rachel Welch finished with six saves, while Foxboro’s Allie Sougaris made nine stops.

King Philip, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – FinalOliver Ames sophomore Taylor deVos scored a pair of goals to lead the Tigers to a win over visiting King Philip. deVos converted a free kick opportunity in the first half to give the Tigers the lead. King Philip’s goal was scored by Heidi Lawrence, finishing a Rihanna Mason corner five minutes into the second half to bring the game level. Shortly after that, deVos buried another shot, which proved to be the game-winner. Catie Wilson, Rhiya Fisher, and Lucinda Li Cotter all had strong games for OA. Janiya Matier made six saves in net for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – FinalMansfield and North each scored in the opening 20 minutes of the game and split a point apiece. Meghan McCann scored her first varsity goal four minutes into the game, off an assist from freshman Alexandra Fernandes. Emma Pratt equalized for North 15 minutes later, finishing off a corner to make it 1-1.

Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 4 – FinalSofia Goclowski and Autumn Simon each scored a brace to lift Sharon to its second win of the season, already matching its league win total from 2021. Taylor Standring and Jessica Li each recorded assists for the Eagles and Kate Goloboy earned the clean sheet in goal.




Golf
Milford, 151 @ Attleboro, 157 – FinalAfter back-to-back close losses, Milford got back into the win column with its second win over the Bombardiers this season. Junior Anthony LaPierre was the match medalist, firing a low-round of 35 at Stone-E-Lea. Nate Lawrence added a 36 and David Fleming came in with a 39 for the Scarlet Hawks. Carter Shelton paced the Bombardiers with a 38 while Leo Lombardo chipped in with a 39.

North Attleboro, 155 @ Stoughton, 190 – FinalTyson Laviano and Dillon Harding shared medalist honors to pace North Attleboro to a win over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Laviano and Harding each fired a 38 in the win. Paul Medeiros had a team-low round of 45 for the Black Knights.

Foxboro, 172 @ Franklin, 149 – FinalFranklin junior CJ Steel fired a 35 to lead the Panthers to a win in their home opener at Franklin Country Club over visiting Foxboro. Steel, who had one birdie on the day, earned match medalist honors while Jack Hagerty added a 37, Tyler O’Brien shot a 38, and Brendan Collins finished with a 39. Mat Sullivan had a team-low round of 40 for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 162 @ Canton, 165 – FinalMansfield had a trio of golfers all come in with a 40 to help the Hornets land a rare win for the visiting team at Blue Hill Country Club. Brendan Vokey, Jason Friedman, and Nate McClean each shot 40 in the win while Drew Urban chipped in with a 42. For Canton, Huck McCready earned match medalist honors after carding a 37 on the day. Brian Middleton added a 41, Brendan Tourgee chipped in with a 43, and both Joey Ryan and Teddy Shuman finished with a 44.

Franklin Opens Title Defense With Shutout of OA

Franklin girls soccer
Franklin senior Norah Anderson makes a tackle in the penalty area, denying Oliver Ames a scoring opportunity in the season opener. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


FRANKLIN, Mass. – When Franklin head coach Tom Geysen left practice on Thursday evening, he didn’t know what to expect from his team when it lined up to face Oliver Ames in the season opener. Once things kicked off for real though, the Panthers eased their coach’s fears and welcomed him back to the sidelines with a win.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Franklin scored twice in the opening half and used its typically stout defense to earn a 2-0 victory over a young Tigers team, winning Friday afternoon’s battle of defending league champions at Pisini Field.

“I knew what was going to happen in the second half because that’s how they play and I told these kids ahead of time, they’re going to play long ball, they’re going to push to the wings, and that’s what they did,” said Geysen, who was forced to miss last season because of health issues. “I thought defensively, the kids in the back played really well.”

Despite the loss, OA coach Britt Sellmayer was upbeat about his team’s play, particularly in the second half, and the way it battled against another of the league’s elite.

“Usually after a 2-0 loss I’m not too happy,” he explained, “but the way we played from where we’re starting and where we’re going that was a good game.”

The home team had the game’s first chance after just two minutes when Olivia Costa had a look from the right corner of the box that flashed wide of the far post. Freshman Jolie Davis started brightly for OA on her debut and she had a low cross to Jenna Gilman at the back post cut out by Franklin keeper Rachel Welch.

Franklin started to get its forward line in sync as the first half wore on. Kelly O’Connor tracked back to make a steal in the defensive half and played a one-two with Anya Zub, but after a long run her shot was easily held by OA keeper Janiya Matier.

A minute later, Maddie Horton played a ball out wide to left back Katie Ewald who advanced and found O’Connor on the wing. The sophomore played a ball into the middle where Zub got a toe on it but could only direct it over the bar.

In the 24th minute, Franklin got the breakthrough. Center back Norah Anderson played a long ball over the top of the OA defense. Zub wouldn’t give up on the bouncing ball and her pressure caused some confusion in the back line. The ball ricocheted off the defender and slid past Matier, who was rushing out to collect.

There may have been an element of fortune about Franklin’s opener, but there was nothing lucky about the second goal five minutes later. Tori Carmignani found a little pocket of space on the right side and played a ball to the edge of the box. O’Connor had cut in from the left wing and with her first touch split a pair of OA defenders. Her next touch was a cool finish lifted over the keeper.

“Kelly wanted to keep going left, left, left and I said no, if you go left then you’re going to sit down,” Geysen said. “You go right because that’s where they’re not expecting you to go and and you can use your right foot. Those three kids up in the front will be tough once we get a little more experience together.”

OA nearly halved the deficit right before the whistle. Mary Cross laid a perfect through ball behind the Franklin defense for Davis to run onto. The freshman was clean through on goal but her shot went just wide and left her slamming the turf in frustration.

The Tigers seemed to gather some momentum from that chance and from the move of Taylor deVos into the midfield, as they had a much better second half. OA created a number of set piece opportunities, although Franklin’s defense, especially Anderson, always seemed to be in the right place to clear.

Chances were at a premium after halftime, but Lucinda Li Cotter nearly created a goal for OA by charging down an Anderson clearance in the box. The ball caromed to the far side but Welch was quickly off her line to snag the loose ball at the feet of Gilman.

Three minutes later, deVos created a chance with an interception near midfield. She carried the ball to the edge of the Franklin penalty area before the ball kicked to Cotter on the left side of the box. The OA forward showed quick feet to fashion room for a shot but Horton was able to get across with a crucial block. OA kept pressing and again came close when Cross collected a loose ball and hit the post.

Franklin finished with a flurry. O’Connor connected with Zub, who laid off a pass to freshman Mia Eglintine, but her shot was over the bar from 25 yards out. Seconds later, a turnover led to a chance for Costa at the back post but she couldn’t bundle it home and Zub wasn’t able to get a clean strike on the rebound, which rolled into the grateful arms of Matier.

“The first goal was a sophomore-sophomore conversation in the back, first varsity start for a couple of players, so it happens,” Sellmayer said. “I thought we played a lot better in the second half. They worked hard. I’m pleased.”

Franklin (1-0-0) will host division rival King Philip (1-0-1) on Tuesday. Oliver Ames (0-1-0) will be on the road again on Monday to face Stoughton (0-1-0)

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.