05/08/201805/10/2018

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/09/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 6 – Final – Mansfield got off to a strong start with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, extended the lead with three runs in the fifth inning and tacked on one more in the sixth in a win over Attleboro. Tyler Dalton went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored to lead the Hornets’ offense while Cullin Anastasia was 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. Kevin Dow struck out nine in five innings of work, allowing four hits and just two walks with no runs against to earn the win. Alvaro Espinel was 1-for-3 with an RBI while Matt Callahan (hit) scored Attleboro’s run.

Stoughton, 6 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Stoughton plated four runs with two outs in the top of the third to build a lead it never let go of. Robbie Seaman had a two-run single and Evan Gibb (2-for-4) followed with a two-run double for the Black Knights. George Currier went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while Ruben Gonzalez had another strong day, getting the win on the mound (5 IP, 1 ER, 3 hits, 5 K) and went 3-for-3 with a walk.

Canton, 1 @ Milford, 11 – Final – Milford senior Aidan Wilde had three hits, the second one being the 100th of his career, to lead the Hawks to a big win over Canton. Wilde notched the milestone in the bottom of the fourth inning with a single into left field. Sophomore Luke Rosa earned his first career win, striking out three with just one run allowed in five innings of work.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 6 – Final – Taunton took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring three runs on five hits but Franklin tied the game with three runs off two hits in the top of the fifth. The Tigers responded right away with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Tyler Medeiros got it done at the plate and on the mound for the Tigers. Offensively, he had two hits and an RBI. And on the mound, he earned the win, allowing just three hits while striking out 10 in a complete game effort. Jacob Crawford added two hits and two runs and Griffin Tomaszycki had a hit, two RBI, and a run scored for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames and King Philip each scored two runs in the first inning but the Tigers were able to beat the Warriors the rest of the way. OA tacked on two more runs in the top of the third, KP cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the third, but the Tigers added the insurance run in the sixth inning. Michael Friel (hit) reached bases three times, stole two bases, scored a run, had an RBI, and played outstanding defense at second base to pace OA to the win. Matt Muir (RBI, double) and Jack Erlich (run) each had two hits for the Tigers. OA’s Tom Parker earned the win with six innings of relief work, not allowing an earned run.

Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro junior Ryan Warren roped a two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning to break open a tie game and help the Rocketeers beat upset-minded Sharon. Zach DeMattio got things started with a walk, and pinch runner Billy Drummond took second on a sac bunt from Jeff Gale (2-for-2, two runs). After Cohen reached on a drop third strike, Drummond advanced to third, and Cohen stole second. That’s when Warren delivered. Sharon held a 2-0 lead after an inning but North tied things in the third on DeMattio’s two-out, two-run single. Peter Cohen pitched 5.1 innings of relief to earn the way for the Rocketeers.

Softball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 15 – Final (6 inn.) – Attleboro exploded for 20 hits on the day, getting the game started on the right foot with seven runs in the first inning. Each Bombardier in the lineup had at least one hit led by MacKenzie Killough, who went 3-for-5 with two home runs. Freshman catcher Lora Woyton added a three-run home run, freshman Autumn O’Connell had three hits, Ashley Macia (two doubles) went 3-for-3 and Jordyn Lako was 4-for-5 for the Bombardiers. Jenna Gittle struck out five in six innings of work for Attleboro.

Canton, 1 @ Milford, 13 – Final (6 inn.) – Milford senior Kelley Reichert struck out 10 in a six-inning performance and Emily Piergustavo (3-for-4, four RBI) and Emily Hartman each belted a two-run home run as the Hawks won big at home. Kate Irwin (two runs), Jess Tomaso (double, two RBI), Antonia Bonina (two runs, RBI), and Maddy Bonvino (double, RBI) each had two hits on the day for Milford.

Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Foxboro avenged a loss from earlier in the season to the Black Knights with a big win on its home field on Wednesday afternoon. Lexi Buckner went 3-for-4, including two doubles and a home run, and finished with six RBI to pace Foxboro’s offense. Morgan Sylvestre went 3-for-4, Kelli McCarthy added two hits and two RBI, and Hannah Davis knocked a run in Emma Rohan scattered five hits, walked one and struck out seven for Foxboro.

Taunton, 6 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Taunton pushed across three runs in the first inning, added another in the second, and put the game out of reach with a pair in the fourth inning on the road at Franklin. Tigers freshman Kelsey White won her fourth game of the season, allowing just one run on seven hits with eight strikeouts (and no walks). Offensively, Alexa White and Liana Duarte (RBI) each had two hits while Jaime Brown (RBI) reached four times with three walks and a triple. Kya Enos, Hanna Aldrich, and McKenzie McAloon each knocked in a run for the Tigers. Franklin scored in the sixth inning when Ally Shea doubled and courtesy runner Molly Collins came around to score on a single from Tara Hartnett. Emily Valentino struck out four while Gabby Colace played a great game defensively for FHS.

King Philip, 13 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – King Philip scored eight runs in the top of the third to create separation against the Tigers and never looked back. Destiny Goyco, Lilliana Rolfe, and Faith Turinese each collected three hits for the Warriors while Nicole Carter and Meghan Gorman each pitched in with two apiece. Turinese earned the win, allowing one run in seven innings of work. For OA, Katie Mills was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Mills was knocked in by Katie Abreu (2-for-3); Sarah Tetrault and Lexie Campbell also each had a hit for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 14 @ Sharon, 2 – Final (5 Inn.) – Olivia DesRoches pitched five innings and struck out four to pick up the win for the Rocketeers. Abby Gallagher had four hits and drove in a pair of runs for the North offense, which also got two hits apiece from Olivia Capobianco, Bella Erti (including a two-run homer), and Andrea Miceli. Stephanie Inglese hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Emily Pastore made a “highlight-reel grab” for North in the win.

Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 2 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Milford scored four goals in each the second and third quarters, taking a shutout into the final frame against visiting Attleboro. Freshman Evan Hazard turned aside 15 shots while Andrew Gallagher and Ryan Hazard each scored three goals apiece for the Hawks.

Canton, 7 @ King Philip, 8 – Final (OT) – Canton junior Mike Shaw scored in the final minute of the game to tie it and send it to overtime but the Warriors prevailed with the win. KP was able to hold off Canton’s extra-man opportunity to begin the overtime period before netting the winner. Canton sophomore Jack Connolly played great in goal with 12 saves while Dan Cohen (two goals) was one of six Bulldogs to score.

Foxboro, 7 @ Mansfield, 10 – Final

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 17 – Final – Senior Johnny O’Glishen scored a pair of goals and added an assist to help the Panthers pick up a big win on Senior Night. Sophomore Ben Greco added a pair of goals, while sophomore Luc Sweeney and junior Patrick Morrison each had one goal and one assist each. Eric LeBlanc scored three goals for Oliver Ames.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 7 – Final – Sharon limited North Attleboro to just one goal in the first half, building a 4-1 advantage that it never let go of. The Rocketeers got within two late in the fourth quarter but the Eagles secured the win with a seventh goal with three minutes to go. A big reason for Sharon’s big defensive game was goalie Jonathan Greenberg, who turned away 18 shots in the in. Offensively, Chase Waxman had three goals for the Eagles, Kadin Nestler added two, and Spencer Hall and Dan Lilienfield each scored once. Senior Brett Litner collected four assists for the Eagles.

Stoughton, 7 @ Taunton, 5 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Milford, 6 @ Attleboro, 12 – Final – Kyra Lyons paced the Bombardiers with seven goals and Kim White scored her first varsity goal in the win. Attleboro also got goals from Hannah Aspinwall, Emily Patton, Sydney DiLiddo, and Rylee Fontes. Head coach Kevin Patton called it a “total team effort.”

King Philip, 16 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Seven different players scored goals for the Warriors in another big league win. Olivia Tormey and Caroline Klim each scored four goals for KP and Dana Truini scored twice and assisted on three other goals. Alli Meehan, Lauren Anderson, and Emma Izydorczak each scored once in the win, while Caroline Watson made eight saves in the KP goal. Leah McClellan and Maggie Connolly each scored twice for the Bulldogs and Kaitlyn Goyetch scored once. Connolly also had an assist. Vicki Revanche made 13 saves in the loss.

Mansfield, 5 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final

Franklin, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Franklin senior Nicole Houlihan and freshman Elizabeth Wilson each accounted for four points apiece as the Panthers rolled to a win on the road. Houlihan had two goals and two assists, Wilson finished with one goal and three assists, and sophomore Erin Walsh chipped in with three goals and three assists. FHS coach Kristin Igoe-Guarino said Annie Walsh and Hailey Toolin both played well in the midfield for the Panthers. Chloe Kilkelly scored twice for Oliver Ames while Olivia Piazza recorded three assists.

Sharon, 9 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Maeve Barbera scored the game-winning goal, her second of the afternoon, for Sharon with 15 seconds left in the game to split the season series against North. Sharon coach Shara Ginthwain called this a “huge win” for the Eagles and said that the game was “very close and competitive the whole time.” She added that the Eagles defense created turnovers in big moments and that the transition was “really great.” Sabrina Robbins scored three goals and Emma Eberhardt had four goals and an assist. Jenna Goldstein had an assist and Rose Wald made five saves in the win. Mackenzie Rosenberg scored six goals in defeat for the Rocketeers.

Boys Tennis
Mansfield, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield went on . the road and picked up a sweep over Attleboro, winning all five matches in straight sets. Luke Nickerson didn’t lose a game at first singles, Luke Devine won 6-3, 6-1 at second singles, and Peter Lally emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 decision at third singles. The team of Sam Cavicchi and Nilay Pangrekar won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles, and Sam Schirmacher and Sam Donellan won by the same score at second doubles for the Hornets.

Milford, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton picked up a pair of wins in singles and two more victories in doubles to beat visiting Milford. Dillon Anderson won 7-6, 6-0 at second singles and freshman Minh Duong took a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles for the Bulldogs. The team of Charlie Malloy and Aidas Jakubenas won 6-1, 6-3 at first doubles and Justin Luk and Ethan Nguyen prevailed 6-1, 6-0 at second doubles for Canton. Milford’s BrenO’Shaughnessyessy rallied from a one-set deficit to win 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Stoughton freshman Waseem Sablon picked up a win in straight sets at first singles but the Black Knights fell on the road to the Warriors. Sablon won his match 6-3, 6-1.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Franklin took a pair of wins from singles play and swept doubles in straight sets to get a win on the road at Taunton. Freshman Liam Marr won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles and senior Tyler DiPalma prevailed 7-5, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Tony Calderone and Derek Wu won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Saketh Saripalli and Shournik Sompally lost just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Panthers.

King Philip, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Max Goreham and Riley Outlaw recorded their first career wins, taking a 6-0, 6-4 victory at second doubles in the Warriors sweep of OA. Jake Mager and Zak Ryan added a 6-2, 6-0 win at first doubles, Nick Putney (first singles) and Jack Cannon (second singles) didn’t lose a game, and Nick Ihley won 6-0, 6-1 at third singles for KP.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of this match.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – The Hornets swept doubles play and picked up two more wins in singles action, winning all four matches in straight sets against the visiting Bombardiers. Senior Sarah Doyle won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and junior Elizabeth Elsner notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles for the Hornets. The team of Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Samantha Sternburg and Aryana Khosravani won 6-1, 6-4 at second doubles for Mansfield. Attleboro’s Anna Nelson won 6-4, 6-3 at third singles.

Canton, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Canton freshman Natalie Keppler emerged with a third set breaker to get the win, helping the Bulldogs finish off the sweep on the road. Keppler won 6-4, 2-6, 10-6 to get the win, classmate Rachel Kupferman won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles, and Sarah Hernandez won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles for Canton. The team of Stelina Michaelidis and Caitlin Matthews earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles while Anjali Mandal and Jamie Cree teamed up to win 6-2, 6-3 at second doubles for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Foxboro’s three singles players combined to drop just three games total in a clean sweep over Stoughton. Sophia Prinos didn’t drop a game at first singles, Pamela Nelson won 6-0, 6-2 at second singles, and Kayla Prag earned a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Julia Muise and Sarah Prag paired together for a 6-2, 6-4 victory at first doubles while Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender dropped just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Taunton won all five of its matches in straights, going on the road to get a sweep at Franklin. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles, Vanessa Rosa took a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca earned a 6-1, 6-2 decision at third singles. McKenzie Lucie and Samantha Martin notched a 6-2, 6-1 win at first doubles while Amanda Pugh and Brianna Fevrier teamed together for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 3 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – After dropping a first set tiebreak, Oliver Ames’ second doubles team of Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke rallied to win two straight sets and clinch the winning point for the Tigers. Groebe and Stryke won 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-2 while OA’s first doubles team of Kristin Bloumbas and Emily Yu also recorded a comeback win, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. Sophomore Maura Kiernan also won in three set for OA, taking a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 decision at third singles. KP’s Erin Regnier won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles and Meghan Sepich prevailed 6-3, 6-0 at second singles.

Sharon, 5 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Sharon won all five matches in straight sets to earn a sweep of North Attleboro on the road. Nupur Shukla won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Lulu Yuan earned a 6-0, 6-3 decision at second singles, and EmilyWen prevailed 6-3, 6-1 at third singles. The team of Katie Merport and Sachi Bhasin notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at first doubles while Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein continued their strong season with a 6-3, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Millis, 0 – Final

05/04/201805/05/2018

Pereira Powers King PhilIp Past North Attleboro

King Philip softball — King Philip’s Elise Pereira delivers a pitch against North Attleboro in the third inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSpors.com)

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – In a battle of two of the top teams in the Hockomock League, King Philip flexed its offensive muscles against North Attleboro, starting with a big first inning and never looking back.

The Warriors plated six runs in the top of the first inning on its way to a 16-2 decision over the previously undefeated Rocketeers.

The offense started with the first pitch of the game — a line drive single from Sydney Phillips into left field — and continued throughout the opening half inning. Although Big Red had a chance to get Phillips at second for the first out, the Rocketeers were deemed to have come off the bag, giving KP first and second.

After a long at-bat, Meghan Gorman drew a walk to load the bases. North sophomore Bella Erti got the first out via strikeout but KP junior Faith Turinese drove the first pitch she saw into the outfield for a two RBI single.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After another strikeout, Elise Pereira stepped to the plate and launched the first pitch of the at-bat well over the center field fence for a three-run home run. The Warriors offense wasn’t done yet as Jess Bonner followed that up with a solo shot of her own to make it 6-0.

“I think everything we did was pretty impressive,” said KP head coach Norm Beauchemin. “We have a formidable lineup, one through nine we don’t have a weak spot. There’s a reason why the kids are where they are at in the lineup.

“This was a big game, absolutely. Every game is a big game in the Hock. You can’t relax in this league, you really can’t. I’m not trying to be cocky by any stretch of the imagination but these kids work hard.”

Pereira kept the momentum with King Philip by retiring the Rocketeers in order on just seven pitches. Pereira earned the win in the circle for the Warriors, allowing just three hits over seven innings of work. She struck out six and had just two walks.

“Elise is really, really starting to come around,” Beauchemin said. “She had a great game against Taunton and I think she pitched just as well as she did today. She’s become a leader this year.”

King Philip cashed in again with two outs in the top of the second inning. Gorman (4-for-4, five runs) reached with a single. Liliana Rolfe hit one to center that ended up getting through the fielder’s legs, and with Gorman already running on the pitch, the junior was able to get home to make it 7-0.

“You can’t give a team like that extra outs, that’s the bottom line,” said North Attleboro head coach Bill Wallace. “We had a similar game like this again Taunton early in the season and we became a better team from it so hopefully we’ll learn from this and become a better team. Honestly, our forte has been our defense so that was a little disheartening. I think the kids are a little more focused now. But I don’t feel any less about my team, I’d still go to war with them any day.”

Annabelle Hebard drew a one-out walk for North in the bottom of the second but Pereira quickly got two outs to get out of the inning.

North Attleboro got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ashley Cangiano reached with a two-out single and advanced to third when the ball got away from KP’s outfielder. The sophomore then came home when Erti grounded to first and the throw to try and get the out at home was in the dirt.

But before North Attleboro could get any more momentum, King Philip’s bats came back to life. After being silenced for two innings, KP scored in each of the final three innings.

“That inning was huge. It wasn’t that it built us up too much but it deflated them. You never want the other team to have the momentum because it can come back and haunt you. This was a great win. Did we expect to hit the ball the way we did? Absolutely not. But are we capable? Obviously.”

In the fifth, Gorman doubled, advanced to third and then scored on an outfield error. Pereira then launched her second home run of the day, again to deep center, this one a two-run blast to put KP up 10-1.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

In the top of the sixth, Hailey McCasland (single) scored on a sacrifice fly from Turinese, and Gorman stole home after a steal attempt at second was gunned down by Cangiano, North’s catcher.

And in the top of the seventh, the Warriors tacked on four more runs. Pinch hitters Reagan Simeone and Destine Goyco each singled. McCasland then drove both in with a two-out single and scored on a base hit from Gorman. Gorman then came around to score on a hit from Allie Kuchy.

Big Red added another run in the bottom of the seventh when senior Olivia DesRoches belted a pinch-hit home run over the fence.

King Philip softball (7-0 Hockomock, 8-2 overall) is back in action on Monday when it hosts Attleboro. North Attleboro (6-1, 7-1) will try to bounce back from its first setback on the same day when it welcomes Canton.

05/15/2017

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/16/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final (8 inn.) – Attleboro’s offense exploded for four runs in the top of the eighth to earn a win on the road at Frothingham Park. Dylan Maskell knocked in two runs, including the game-winner, to put Attleboro ahead. Sophomore Mason Houle followed that up with an RBI single and Sam Larkin brought home the fifth run with a squeeze bunt. Drew Pagano allowed just one run on four hits in six innings of work in his first ever varsity start. Eoin Kelleher pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. Oliver Ames’ Cam Johnson reached base three times, with one hit and two walks, and also stole a base.

Canton, 7 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Canton’s Robbie Wilkinson went 6.1 innings for the Bulldogs to earn the win.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final (10 inn.)

King Philip @ Taunton – Postponed to Thursday, 5/18 at 3:45.

Softball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final

Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final (5 inn.) – With the game tied at 1-1 through three innings, North Attleboro exploded for 13 runs in the bottom of the fourth. Olivia Capobianco reached four times (three hits) and scored two runs, Andrea Miceli was 3-for-3 with a pair of runs and Abby Gallagher recorded a hit, walked, two RBI and scored two runs. Sam Courtemanche, Kristina Murphy, Liz Morehouse and Meg Barlow all finished with two hits apiece for Big Red. Bella Erti struck out six in four innings of work while Olivia DesRoches pitched a scoreless fifth inning.

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield scored two runs in the third, added two more in the fourth and never trailed in a close win over Franklin. Marissa Staffier knocked in a pair of runs in the third, bringing home Megan Letendre (double) and Mady Bendanillo (single). In the fourth, Letendre and Bendanillo – who both had two hits on the day – had RBI singles to cap the Hornets’ scoring. Sarah Cahill struck out three while allowing 10 hits in the win. Franklin freshman Anna Balkus went 3-for-3 while Alyssa DaSilva and Alexx Niss (two-run triple)
each had two hits for the Panthers.

Taunton, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Sharon, 8 vs. Ursuline, 3 – Final – Sharon had its best offensive game of the season in a win over Ursuline, sweeping the season series. Alli Small (2-for-4), Sam Marglous (3-for-3) and Clara Cook (2-for-4) each had extra base hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Eagles. Rebecca Clayman, Shoshana Lowe and Courtney Sollis all contributed with a triple each. Cook notched 10 strikeouts and scattered five hits in a complete game effort.

Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 20 @ Attleboro, 8 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game.

Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of singles matches and prevailed with the win over Oliver Ames with a three-set win at first doubles. Shawn Gordon won 6-3, 6-4 at first singles and Abdul Khatib won 6-2, 6-0 at second singles for the Bombardiers. The team of Eli Araujo and Ryan Gordon won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 at first doubles to clinch the win. Oliver Ames senior Danny Hanley won 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 at third singles and Jack Simone and Alex Barnett teamed up for a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final

Franklin, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Franklin won both doubles matches but Mansfield swept singles play to earn the win. For Franklin, James Johnston and Derek Wu won 6-2, 6-3 at first doubles and Tyler DiPalma and Rahul Hosdurg prevailed with a 6-4, 6-2 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro defended home court with a sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets. Zac Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles, Daniel Zhang won 6-4, 7-5 at second singles and Alex Rinaldi prevailed 6-2, 6-2 at third singles. The team of Andrew Harris and Vikram Senthilakumaran won 6-2, 6-1 at first doubles and Mayank Wadekar and Alex Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at second doubles.

Taunton, 3 vs. Durfee, 2 – Final – Taunton edged out non-league rival Durfee with two wins at singles and one more at doubles. Sophomore Brett Beaulieu won 6-3, 6-2 at first singles, senior Eric Gwozdz notched a 6-1, 6-4 win at third singles and the team of sophomores Dylan Kullas and Charlie Fiske prevailed with a 6-1, 7-5 win at first doubles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Thursday, 5/18 at 3:45.

Foxboro, 1 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 4 – Final – Foxboro’s Lexi Nelson captured the Warriors lone match, winning 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (8-6) at second singles.

Mansfield, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Mansfield earned two wins in singles play and one more in doubles to defeat Franklin on the road. Junior Sarah Doyle won 6-1, 6-1 at second singles and sophomore Elizabeth Elsner took a 6-2, 6-2 decision at third singles. Mansfield’s first doubles team of Chloe Peters and Tessa Garufi won 6-0, 6-0. Franklin’s Hannah Sweeney won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles and the team of Jillian McLaughlin and Alexa Katsaros won 6-4, 2-6, 10-4 at second doubles.

Sharon, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 5 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro dropped just one game in singles play and prevailed with wins in both doubles matches at Stoughton. Emily Chiasson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Jordan Willis won 6-0, 6-0 at second singles and Azka Siddiq notched a 6-0, 6-1 at third singles. The pairing of Gabby Duva and Katie Demontigny won 6-3, 6-1 at first doubles and Hana Hershey and Leah Marceau teamed up for a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 5 @ Durfee, 0 – Final – The Tigers won all five matches in straight sets, losing a total of eight games to leave Fall River with a win over the Hilltoppers. Olivia Sweeney won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Jordan Pagliuca notched a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles and Jillian Pagliuca recorded a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Ashleigh Eason and Emily Moor teamed up for a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles while Caroline Hebert and Jordan Martin didn’t lose a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Boys Track
Attleboro, 87 @ Taunton, 49 – Final

Canton, 61 @ Stoughton, 75 – Final – Canton’s John Guenthner and Jack Healey were both double winners; Guenthner clocking in at a personal best 15.9 in the 100M hurdles and also winning the 400M hurdles in 60 while Healey won the 1 Mile (5:00) and the 2 Mile (11:12). Other first place finishes for Canton included Steven Brady (triple jump, 39’1″), Riley McDonnell (200M, 23.8), Marquise Montes (long jump, 18’11.25″) and the 4×100 of Montes, Cordell Smith, Dan Pierre and Dan Alice.

Foxboro, 23 @ North Attleboro, 113 – Final

Franklin, 71.33 @ King Philip, 64.67 – Final

Oliver Ames, 23.5 @ Mansfield, 113.5 – Final

Sharon, 47.5 @ Milford, 88.5 – Final

Girls Track
Attleboro, 29 @ Taunton, 107 – Final

Canton, 50 @ Stoughton, 86 – Final – Canton’s Sarah Collins concluded the dual meet schedule with another two wins, taking first in the 400M hurdles (68.3) and the 800M (2:33). Other first place finishes for the Bulldogs include Nicole Brown (100M, 12.9 – a personal best), Jimisha Williams (200M, 27.1 – a personal best), Bronwyn Mahoney (shot put) and Erika Lum (high jump, 4’10”). Canton’s 4×100 of Lum, Williams, Brown and Claire Belisle) also came in first with a state qualifying time of 51.5.

Foxboro, 42 @ North Attleboro, 94 – Final

Franklin, 71 @ King Philip, 65 – Final

Oliver Ames, 68 @ Mansfield, 68 – Final – The Tigers and Hornets finished level in the final dual meet of the season. For Mansfield, Angela Corkery won the javelin with a 20-foot PR, finished second in the triple jump and was a member of the 4×100 relay (with Jordan Brill-Cass, Julia Harrison and Amanda Mangano) that finished first. Madison Haughey won both the high jump and the long jump and finished second in the 100M hurdles.

Sharon, 88 @ Milford, 48 – Final

05/08/2017

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/08/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip’s Ben Furfari was responsible for knocking in both of the Warriors’ runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off victory. Furfari put KP ahead in the first, knocking in Will Weir – double, stole third – on a sacrifice fly. Attleboro tied the game in the sixth, taking advantage of a pair of errors. Kyle Guenthner scored the game-winning run, reaching on an infield single, taking second on an error and coming home a base hit to right from Furfari. Chris Wing tossed 5.2 innings, allowing just one hit with seven strikeouts. Dan Antunes picked up the win in 1.1 innings of work in relief, striking out one without allowing a hit. Tyler McGovern had a strong outing for Big Blue, going 6.1 innings with three strikeouts and one earned run allowed.

Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 2 – Final – North Attleboro junior Nick Sinacola threw a no-hitter and the Rocketeers scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh to walk-off against Canton. In a complete game effort, Sinacola walked three and struck out 13 on 104 pitches. After six scoreless innings, Canton tied the game in the top of the seventh on a pair of walks and a pair of hit batters. Sinacola escaped the bases loaded jam without allowing any further damage. After taking a 1-0 lead in the fourth, the Rocketeers won the game in the bottom of the seventh. Tyler LaFreniere walked and pinch runner Jeff Gale stole second. Gale advanced to third on a base hit from pinch hitter Aidan Harding and then John Brennan brought the winning run home with a sacrifice fly.

Foxboro, 8 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Colin Thoener had a pair of hits and knocked in a pair of runs and the Warriors took advantage on a pair of two-run doubles in the third to hold off Sharon. Both Cam Feldman and Chad Bearce came through with a two-run double in the third to help starter Aaron Wentling earn the win. Steve McLaughlin came on in relief, getting the final out with the bases loaded to earn the save.

Franklin, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – A pitcher’s duel broke out at Frothingham Park on Monday afternoon between Franklin’s Jake Noviello and Oliver Ames’ Sam Burr. The difference in the game came in the fourth inning when the Panthers scored the lone run of the game. Jake Lyons’ swinging bunt forced an errant throw to first, allowing the Franklin senior to get to second. Lyons moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Alex Haba and came home on a sacrifice fly from Ryan Hodgkins. Josh Macchi had a pair of hits for Franklin. Noviello earned the win, allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out five in a complete game effort. Burr scattered six hits without issuing a walk, striking out three in a complete game performance.

Taunton, 2 @ Mansfield, 13 – Final – Mansfield’s offense exploded for seven runs in the first inning and scored all 13 of its runs by the conclusion of the third inning. Max Boen had a team-high four hits, scored twice and knocked in one run, both Zack Peterson (run, RBI) and Cullin Anastasia (four RBI, two runs) had three hits for the Hornets and Aidan Cahill (three runs, RBI) registered a pair of hits. Nolan Dousa earned the win, striking out nine in six innings of work.

Stoughton, 6 @ Milford, 8 – Final – Stoughton got off to a strong start with three runs in the top of the first but Milford had the answer, scoring seven runs in the bottom half off of seven hits. The Black Knights came back with three more runs to make it a one run game in the top of the second, but that would be the closest they’d get the rest of the way. Milford starter Nate Irwin settled down after the first two innings, allowing just three hits the rest of the way with five strikeouts. Ryan Goncalves had three hits and a run scored, Anthony Mobilia cleared the bases with a three-run double in the first inning and Aidan Wilde and Zack Tamagni each recorded a pair of hits for the Scarlet Hawks. Ruben Gonzalez, Jack Connelly and Nick Hardy each had two hits for Stoughton.

Softball
King Philip, 18 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip’s Jenn Hutnyan didn’t allow a walk or a hit, throwing a perfect game as the Warriors ran away with a big win. Hutnyan helped her own cause, coming up with two hits and four RBI at the dish. Hailey McCasland had four hits, Sydney Phillips added three hits and Meg Gorman, Allie Kuchy, Jess Bonner, Brooke Taute and Brianna Lacy all chipped in with two hits apiece.

North Attleboro, 15 @ Canton, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – Olivia Capobianco had a strong day at the plate and Bella Erti and Olivia DesRoches combined to allow just three hits as the Rocketeers rolled to a big win. Capobianco went 4-for-4 (two doubles) at the plate, recorded five RBI and scored three runs to pace Big Red’s offense. Liz Morehouse added a two-run home run and Abby Warren and Andrea Miceli each scored a pair of runs. Erti threw the first three innings with five strikeouts with five strikeouts while DesRoches allowed just two hits in the final two innings.

Foxboro, 5 @ Sharon, 6 – Final – Sharon trailed 5-1 with two outs in the sixth inning but rallied to pull out the divisional win. Freshman Shoshana Lowe hit a triple with the bases loaded to cut the lead to just one run. Senior captains Sam Marglous and Clara Cook set up the game-tying run and Lowe provided the game-winning run with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh. Cook picked up the win, striking out seven and allowing only two hits for the Eagles. Sharon coach Deb Parker said, “This is what we have seen from this team all year, they are never out of a game and they never stop fighting. I am so proud of the way this team plays day in and day out, they never quit!”

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin struck for six runs over the first three innings and tacked on two more in the fifth to double up on Oliver Ames. Ally Shea paced the offense, going 4-for-4 with four RBI while Anna Balkus chipped with two hits and two stolen bases. Emily Valentino earned the win for the Panthers, striking out three. For Oliver Ames, Katie Mills had a pair of doubles and two RBI, Sarah Tetrault had a pair of hits with a run scored and Caroline Mahoney went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Courtney Fisher tossed a complete game to earn the win and Taunton’s offense came up with a pair of home runs to beat out Mansfield under the lights at Jack Tripp Field. Fisher scattered seven hits, striking out five with two walks to earn the win. Katie Van Zandt (2-for-3, double) had a solo home run and Jaylin Couto connected on a two-run blast. Kya Enos (3-for-3, RBI), Hailey Medeiros (RBI) and McKenzie McAloon each had a double for the Tigers. Liz Mackin opened the scoring for the Hornets with a first inning RBI single. In the sixth Marissa Staffer singled to cut the lead to one but the Hornets could not capitalize on a bases loaded situation. Megan Letendre had two hits for Mansfield on the night.

Milford, 14 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Milford’s Kelley Reichert retired 11 batters on strikes, allowing just two hits in six innings of work to earn the win for the Scarlet Hawks. At the plate, Reichert added two hits while Jess Tomaso had a breakout game, going 5-for-5 with a triple, two runs scored, a stolen base and two runs scored. Maggie Farrell (3-for-5) had a double and four RBI and Shannon Cormier (3-for-4) scored a run for Milford (19 hits). Karly Estremera, Shannon Flaherty and Nikki Coppola each had a hit for the Black Knights.

Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 6 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final

King Philip, 12 @ Canton, 2 – Final

Mansfield, 8 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Mansfield built a 5-3 advantage halftime, didn’t allow Foxboro to score in the third and owned the fourth quarter to pick up the win. The Hornets won the final quarter 3-1 and forcing a handful of turnovers to secure the win. Sean Powers made 14 saves in net for Mansfield while Cullen Murphy paced the offense with a pair of goals and two assists. Danny DeGirolamo and Joe Cox each scored once and had an assist, Brad Grant netted a pair of goals and Mike Reed and Aidan Sacco each scored once. Tommy Donnelly and Mike Zampine each played well defensively for the Hornets.

Franklin, 10 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Sam Arsenault scored a hat trick and Eric Civetti and Chase Tanner each netted a pair in Franklin’s win over Oliver Ames. “OA played very well defensively, we had to work for this win,” said FHS head coach Lou Verrochi. Jonathan O’Glishen and Nitin Chaudhury each chipped in with a goal, Jacob Alexander won 14 of 16 face offs and Connor O’Rourke recorded eight saves in the cage for the Panthers.

Sharon, 2 @ North Attleboro, 14 – Final – North Attleboro had a dominate performance in a key league game, limiting Sharon to just one goal until the final minute of play. Zach McGowan paced the big offensive day for the Rocketeers, registering five points (one goal, four assists) while Tommy Lindstrom had four points (one goal, three assists), Colin Young scored a hat trick and Jack Dakin had two goals and one assist. Jason McNeany made a big difference for the Rocketeers, winning 14 of 16 face offs while Dan MacDonald turned aside eight shots in net. Owen Costello scored once and had two assists and Andy DeMattio (goal, assists) finished with two points. Nick Ward, Nick Moore, Nick Morse and Zac Doucette each scored one goal apiece while Hunter Sarro, Damien Curtis and Jack Connolly had one assist.

Taunton @ Stoughton, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 @ Milford, 14 – Final

Canton, 9 @ King Philip, 16 – Final

Foxboro, 16 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 15 – Final – Annie Walsh registered five points while Erin Walsh, Caroline Lounsbury and Jordan Jette each recorded four points apiece to pace the Panthers past Oliver Ames. Annie Walsh scored four goals and had one assist to go along with Erin Walsh’s four goals, Lounsbury’s three goals and one assist and Jette’s four assists. FHS head coach Kristin Igoe Guarino said Grace McDermott (three draw controls, three ground balls) played well defensively. The Panthers’ offensive burst could have been higher if not for an incredible 27-save performance from OA goalie Ari Waldorf.

North Attleboro, 12 @ Sharon, 14 – Final

Boys Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip lost just two games total to sweep Attleboro and qualify for the state tournament. Cole Ginter (first singles) and Blake Ginter (second singles) each won 6-0, 6-0 while Martin Matous registered a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. The team of Sam Colella and Ryan Gemelli won 6-0, 6-0 at first doubles and Aidan Ignatius and Jake Webster took a 6-0, 6-1 decision at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton’s Jake Wolicki dropped the first set at first singles but rallied back to win the next two, finishing it off with a tiebreaker to help the Bulldogs edge North. Wolicki won 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) while Jeevith Chandrasekar won 6-3, 6-4 at second singles and Justin Diep took a 6-3, 6-3 decision at third singles as Canton swept singles play. North’s Daniel Zhang and Ben Pfeffer won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles and Alex Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilakumaran took a 6-1, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Sharon, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Sharon earned a sweep against division foe Foxboro, winning all five matches in straight sets. Griffin Fein won 7-5, 6-2 at first singles, Fred Bondar earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles and Andre Olivei won 6-1, 6-3 at third singles. Sharon had a pair of dominant performances in doubles play with Alex Romantz and Alberto Olivei recording a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles and Danujan Thirumavalavan and Ashwin Sreevatsa teamed up for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final

Mansfield @ Taunton, 3:45

Milford, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final

Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Rocketeers, taking all five matches to defend home court against Canton. Emily Chiasson won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Jordan Willis took a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles and Mae McLoughlin earned a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 win at third singles. The team of Azka Siddiq and Katie Demontigny won 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles and Hana Hershey and Shurobhi and Nandi took a 6-2, 6-3 victory at second doubles.

Foxboro, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon earned a big win over division rival Foxboro, sweeping doubles play and earning two more wins in singles play. Nupur Shukla earned a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at first singles and Lulu Yuan won 6-1, 6-0 at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Katie Merport and Emily Wen won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and Rithika Neti and Sophia Fein won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Foxboro’s Lexi Nelson prevailed 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 at second singles.

Franklin, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – After splitting the first four matches, it came down to second doubles between Franklin and Oliver Ames. OA’s team of Olivia Groebe and Kristin Bloumbas prevailed in a three set thrilling, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 to help the Tigers secure the win. Maura Kiernan (third singles) won 6-4, 6-0 and the team of Tori Wyman and Tate Hadges (first doubles) won 6-0, 6-1 for Oliver Ames’ other two points. Franklin’s Hannah Sweeney won 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and Anja Deric earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at second singles.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Taunton’s Jillian Pagliuca rallied from dropping the first set to win the next two sets, giving the Tigers the winning point. The Tigers qualified for the state tournament with the win. Pagliuca won 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to secure the final point. Taunton’s other wins came from doubles play as Ashleigh Eason and Emily Moor won 6-0, 6-2 at first doubles and Caroline Hebert and Jordan Martin won 6-0, 6-2 at second doubles. Mansfield’s Paulina Martin won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles and Sarah Doyle won 6-3, 6-3 at second singles for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 0 @ St. John’s Prep, 3 – Final

Taunton, 2 @ Braintree, 3 – Final – Taunton rallied from a 2-0 deficit to force a game five but came up just shy on the road at Braintree, falling 22-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-18, 11-15. Lance Law had 19 kills, three aces and a block, Malik Charles added eight kills, four blocks and Lens Esquil chipped in with eight kills and five blocks.

04/05/201704/21/2019

2017 Hockomock Softball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017 Hockomock Softball Preview

Attleboro

2016 Record: 2-18
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Mark Homer

Attleboro struggled through a difficult 2016, the first season under new head coach Mark Homer, winning only two games while giving up a league high 177 runs and scoring a league-low 46. Heading into this spring, the Bombardiers will be counting on a group of young players to try and turn things around and it seems to be working so far, as Attleboro has played two games and already matched last year’s win total.

One of the true bright spots from last season was freshman pitcher McKenzie Bergdoll, who showed flashes of the potential to be an ace for Attleboro, and this season she will be counted on to keep the Bombardiers in games and to provide big hits from the three-spot. Julia Woyton will be behind the plate this year while senior Ilea Caverley and junior Casey Whelan (outfield) and Jordyn Lako (second base) are the few returning players on the roster.

The Bombardiers are going to turn to youth this spring with freshman MacKenzie Killough taking over at shortstop. Freshmen twins Emma and Jenna Gittle will add depth to the Attleboro pitching staff and classmate Ashley Macia will take over in centerfield. Homer also said that there were underclassmen who would provide speed off the bench.

“The expectations are to play hard, be committed and get excited with every game and practice that they take part in,” said Homer. “With the added depth in each position this year, the girls hope to gain advantages from the previous year and reach their set goals for the season.”

Canton

2016 Record: 3-17
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Jennifer Robillard

Former King Philip and Sacred Heart University shortstop Jennifer Robillard takes over the Canton program this spring with the hope of bringing some of the success that she enjoyed playing for two state champions and a Division I college to the Bulldogs, who are coming off a three-win season.

The Bulldogs will be looking to their experienced players to help turn things around in 2017, including seniors Molly Loughran, Taylor Carrington, and Julia Ezepik and junior Hannah Jerrier, who are all captains this spring. Jerrier and Ezepik will start the season injured, but Robillard is hoping that other players can step up until they return. Canton will have depth in the circle, as both junior Caitlyn Cahill and freshman Caroline Hughes will see action at pitcher.

Lillian Carrington and Samantha Keefe are two other players that will be counted on to contribute and both provided home runs in a loss to Mansfield in the second game of the season. Robillard is excited about the opportunity to get back into the Hockomock League and she sees a team that “wants to learn.”

“This team has a lot of potential. If we can tap into this potential, I truly believe that we are going to take teams by surprise,” Robillard said. “I am here to share my passion for and knowledge of the game I love with these girls. It is important to me that these girls learn how to be strong, independent and respectful young women.”

Foxboro

2016 Record: 9-13
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Mark Maguire

In 2016, Foxboro finished 6-10 in the Hockomock League but got its chance to play in the postseason and took advantage with a preliminary round win over Westwood and a near-upset of Abington in a nine-inning classic. The Warriors will hope to build on that experience this spring with a number of key players returning.

League all-star Hannah Davis is back behind the plate for the Warriors and will be one of the top hitters in the Hockomock. Davis will likely be in the three-spot in the lineup and right behind her will be senior Kelly Fisher, who head coach Mark Maguire called one of the best first basemen in the league. Kelly McCarthy will try to set the table for the power hitters in the lead-off spot.

Sophomore pitcher Emma Rohan is back in the circle and Maguire expects that she will compete every game and build on her rookie campaign. Behind Rohan, Cam Willis will moved from second base to short and Chelsea Gibbons will provide good ‘D’ and a solid bat at third. Lefty Lexi Buckner could grab the second base spot and senior Jamie Gorham could provide an unexpected boost as a first-year player in the outfield. Mandy Ryan and Kayla Wheatley are two of the players coming up from JV that Maguire is hoping will step in to provide depth.

“They’re all working hard and they’re ready to build together as a team,” said Maguire. “The expectations are really to compete every game.”

Franklin

2016 Record: 12-11
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Kate Fallon

Once the rains go away for a few days, Franklin will be able to open its new field and make official its move back to the high school after a couple seasons playing at Dean College. The Panthers are excited about the new facility and about the team’s potential for success this spring with seven returning starters from last year.

Leading the way is third baseman, and four-year starter, Olivia DiGiacomo, who has been a mainstay at the hot corner and provides leadership for the infield. To her left is shortstop Alyssa DaSilva, a three-year starter with two years of experience at short. Sophomore Allie Shea is back at first base and senior Clara DeCarvalho is back behind the plate and poised for a “breakout season,” according to head coach Kate Fallon. The outfield is also filled with veterans, including seniors Rachel Cousineau in left and Olivia Haba in center.

The seventh starter is senior Alex Niss, who started as a pinch hitter last season before taking over the DP role and turning into one of the top power hitters in the Hockomock League. The Panthers should be solid defensively and at the plate and Fallon is hoping that sophomore pitchers Jackie Cherry (who carried a shutout into the seventh in the season opening loss to North Attleboro) and Emily Valentino can make an instant impact in the circle.

“Win 11 games and make the tournament again,” said Fallon when asked about the expectations for the team this season. “I expect the seniors to provide leadership and be role models for the underclassmen. It’s always a dogfight in this league…but I think we are a good team.”

King Philip

2016 Record: 24-4
2016 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Norm Beauchemin

King Philip comes into 2017 on the back of its third state title in the past six years and, while expectations remain high for one of the region’s top programs, there are key pieces from last year’s team that need to be replaced in order for the Warriors to get back on top in the Kelley-Rex division and in the state.

The biggest absence this season is, of course, pitcher Kali Magane, who is now in the circle for Boston University and who was dominant during KP’s playoff run a year ago. Senior Jenn Hutnyan will step in to be the team’s starting pitcher after several starts and relief appearances in the past two seasons. Hutnyan will also be an important bat in the lineup. Junior Brie Lacy will be back behind the plate to help Hutnyan and head coach Norm Beauchemin noted that junior Jessica Bonner will be a solid defensive third baseman.

KP rarely rebuilds and almost always reloads for another title push. This year should be no different with a lineup that features several familiar names from last season’s title run, including sophomore Meghan Gorman and juniors Brooke Taute, Elise Pereira, and Hailey McCasland. Each of those players had important roles last season and will be ready to step up for the Warriors this spring as KP tries to regain the league title after Taunton ended its nine year run in 2016.

“Though it’s hard to replace last year’s seniors,” said Beauchemin, “we have a solid core of returning players ready to represent King Philip and its proud softball legacy.”

Mansfield

2016 Record: 13-9
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Lori Letendre

Mansfield is coming off a 13-win season that included a tournament win against Notre Dame Academy, but after four years of being able to count on Maddie Letendre in the circle the Hornets will be handing the ball over to a new pitcher this spring, although as it turns out only the first name will be changing.

Megan Letendre, who played shortstop as a freshman, will take over in the circle for the Hornets and her development as the No. 1 pitcher will go a long way to determining if Mansfield can repeat last year’s success. Pitcher is not the only position that needs to be replaces, as the Hornets will have a new catcher and three new infielders. Still, with nine returning players, there is plenty of experience on the roster.

Kara Bendanillo will move from third base to second, according to head coach Lori Letendre, and Megan Letendre will sometimes see time at second when not pitching. Liz Mackin will take over at first base, while Marissa Staffier and Amanda Giambanco will take the corner outfield positions. Mady Bendanillo will be back in center after an impressive first season for the Hornets.

“This is one of the hardest working teams I have had at Mansfield and they have been putting in a lot of effort to get ready for the season,” said Coach Letendre.

Milford

2016 Record: 17-5
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Steve DiVitto

Milford has been the class of the Davenport division for the past four seasons and the Hawks come into 2017 with the expectations of being heavy favorites for another league title, but, with three seniors and nine juniors on the roster and eight starters returning, head coach Steve DiVitto is hopeful that the talent will translate to a deep run in the state tournament.

The Hawks are one of the few contenders to return not just one but two starting pitchers from last season. Senior Ali Atherton is back to be the primary option in the circle and the Southern New Hampshire-commit has been dominant at times in her career. If Atherton gets into trouble or needs a rest, junior Kelley Reichert has demonstrated that she is more than just a fill-in but can also shut down opponents. They will be pitching to sophomore Emily Hartman, who will step into the starting lineup this season.

There are very few question marks in this year’s lineup with junior Emily Piergustavo moving from second to short to replace Jill Powers, which is Piergustavo’s natural position and one she has played several times in the past year. Junior Jess Tomaso is back at first base and in the heart of the lineup where she will be joined by senior outfielder Maggie Farrell and senior third baseman Kaitlyn DeCapua. Junior Kate Irwin will try to be the table-setter at the top of the order and juniors Maddy Bonvino (second base) and Shannon Cormier (outfield) will also be contributors.

“This has been a focused and driven group ever since the end of last season,” said DiVitto. “They have worked hard in the off-season and that was very apparent in the early stages of the season. We are excited to compete in the best league in the state, which will hopefully prepare us for a long run into June.”

North Attleboro

2016 Record: 11-10
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Bill Wallace

North Attleboro returned to the postseason in 2016 and for the Rocketeers to get back to the tournament this spring it will be the younger players that will lead the way. Head coach Bill Wallace knows that his team will be “green” (with only four seniors on the roster), but he is excited about North’s athleticism and versatility.

Pitching may be North’s biggest strength this season with five players in the rotation, led by freshman Bella Erti, who won her first career start, and last year’s starter Amelia Murphy. Juniors Olivia DesRoches, Jaclyn Buckley and Abby Warren could also step into the circle to help out. Senior Sam Courtemanche will be behind the plate to help the pitchers.

Senior Liz Morehouse returns at first base and Andrea Miceli will be at second. Megan Barlow moves in from the outfield to take over at short (and provided the walk-off hit in North’s season opening win), while Murphy will see time at third when she’s not pitching. Olivia Capobianco will play center with Katherine Munley and Kristina Murphy in left and right with freshmen Ashley Cangiano and Abby Gallagher getting playing time.

“With only four seniors on the roster, I am hoping the learning curve will be brief!” said Wallace. “This may be the year we see a lot of pinch hitting and pinch running! For a young team, they are very focused between the lines!”

Oliver Ames

2016 Record: 10-11
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Preliminary Round
Coach: Lindsey Allison

Oliver Ames finished in second in the league in 2016 and qualified for the postseason, but that will be an even tougher task now that the Tigers have made the move to the Kelley-Rex division. Even with facing the likes of defending state champion King Philip twice this spring, head coach Lindsey Allison is optimistic that the 10 returning players have the experience to get back into the playoffs.

Senior Victoria Ziner will be the spark on offense for the Tigers this season, but OA also has a number of juniors that Allison said can “do some damage at the plate.” Among those players is Caroline Mahoney, whose bat “is still as dangerous as ever,” according to Allison. Freshman Katie Abreu will be a newcomer to watch for the Tigers as her versatility will make her a valuable member of the lineup.

The Tigers will bring back sophomore Kayla Georgeu in the circle and will be hoping that she continues to develop and keep OA competitive against the league’s top teams. Junior Alexis Campbell will be a second pitcher and also help out at second base.

“We have a solid 10 players returning from last year’s roster,” said Allison, “and we are looking to fill holes behind the plate, in the outfield and at first base this year. Definitely hoping to use some of the speed we have on our team to our advantage this year.”

Sharon

2016 Record: 4-16
2016 Finish: Missed Postseason
Coach: Deb Parker

Sharon is coming off a four-win season in 2016 but head coach Deb Parker believes that the Eagles have the potential to be a contender in the Davenport division this spring as long as the players continue to develop over the course of the season.

Although the Eagles are a relatively young team, Parker is counting on senior captains Clara Cook and Sam Marglous to provide the leadership needed to keep the team on the right track. Cook will be back in the circle for Sharon, while Marglous will be back behind the plate. Parker said, “Both have been solid contributors for their entire high school careers.”

Sophomore centerfielder Rebecca Clayman and shortstop Ally Small, who Parker referred to as “standouts,” will be the anchors of the defense. Freshman Shoshanna Lowe will step in to play third base and should have a positive impact in the lineup as well.

“I believe we have the right combination of experience, talent and drive to be a contender in the Hock,” said Parker. “This is a team that works hard every day to be better than they were the day before. They have great chemistry and our captains have done an excellent job leading them into the season.”

Stoughton

2016 Record: 10-11
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Norton

The Black Knights made a return to the state tournament in head coach Tim Norton’s first season in charge, and nearly pulled out a win against Braintree, and Stoughton will be counting on last year’s freshmen to continue developing and keep the program heading in the right direction.

One of the sophomores that the team will be leaning on is third baseman Jordan Lyons, who brings a strong bat to the hot corner and her leadership skills had her named a captain for this spring. Brianna Ferrandiz will take over behind the plate for Sam Tullis and Karly Estremera will move into the infield and continue to be the table-setter as the leadoff hitter.

Norton is excited to have depth in the circle with Shannon Flaherty and Gina Carafa both capable of racking up innings and “setting great examples on and off the field.” Stoughton will also have depth in the outfield with first-year starters Krista Michienzi, Val Whalen and Alessandra Loffredo.

“We were extremely fortunate in Stoughton last year to have such a strong freshman class with great senior leadership,” Norton explained. “This year that sophomore class is going to have to come into their own. While this team is young they got a taste of the post season last year and are hungry for more.”

Taunton

2016 Record: 22-2
2016 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Dave Lewry

Last season, Taunton won its first outright league title, ending King Philip’s nine-year reign atop the Hockomock. It was a fitting coda to the impressive careers of Taunton’s senior class, but this spring the Tigers will now have to move forward with six new faces in the starting lineup, including at pitcher and the middle infield positions. Taunton typically reloads quickly and head coach Dave Lewry believes this year’s team has a plenty of potential.

Senior Courtney Fisher will step into the circle hoping to make a seamless transition from 2016 Player of the Year Aimee Kistner. Fisher tossed three shutout innings and had three hits in the season opener and got several opportunities to pitch in the past two seasons. She will be pitching to junior captain Kya Enos, who is making the move back to catcher after two seasons in the outfield. Other starters coming back include first baseman Katie VanZandt, junior outfielder Liana Duarte, and sophomore Jaime Brown, who is in her third year at third base.

The Tigers have always found young players who can step right in an make an impact at the varsity level and this year could be a breakout season for eighth grader Hannah Aldrich, who will take over from Jordan Wade at short. Sophomore Alexa White looks ready to step in at second, while senior Rebekah Lajoie and junior Hailey Medeiros are in line to start in the corner outfield places. Taunton could also get contributions at pitcher from eighth grader Kelsey White and freshman Jaylin Couto.

“While we lost six starters from last season, I am excited about the potential of this year’s team,” said Lewry. “I expect there will be some growing pains with six new starters in the lineup, but with some seasoned veterans and good young talent we are optimistic that we’ll be competitive this season.”