Miguel Vasconcelos (7) scored the only goal of the game to lead Sharon to a win at North Attleboro in the D2 Round of 32. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – When Sharon scored in the regular season, the Eagles were unbeaten (6-0-4). So, when Miguel Vasconcelos found the back of the net midway through the first half of Saturday morning’s Div. 2 Round of 32 game at Beaupre Field, Sharon must have been thinking a Sweet Sixteen berth was in its grasp.
It wasn’t going to be easy to get over the line with the win. North Attleboro, which won the regular season meeting between the teams, tilted the field in the second half, keeping the pressure on Sharon’s back line and getting the ball into the box at every opportunity.
Led by center backs Rhys Davis and Tyler Goodman and goalie Matt Baur, the Eagles were able to withstand North’s push for an equalizer and hang on for the 1-0 victory.
“I think we work hard to be composed all 80 minutes,” Sharon coach Scott Nathan explained. “I tell them all the time, especially when we’re up a goal, you know what the other team is going to do. They’re going to put more pressure on you, so you have to match their intensity, you have to stay composed, you have to use your skills and I thought we did that really well in the second half.”
First-year North coach Mike Lacasse said, “I think it’s something we’ve been working on all season long, and gotten better at it, creating those opportunities, but I think Sharon played very well. Their back line was really solid. I’m proud of everybody, they fought to the last second.”
Sharon started the game on the front foot, led by central midfielder Adam Eastman and freshman Vlad Shkolnikov. Eastman’s run from deep led to the first good chance of the game, as he was able to bring down a looped pass by Cam Birnbaum over the defender and draw a foul on the edge of the box. The North wall did its job though, deflecting Eastman’s free kick a foot over the bar.
North’s best chances would come from set pieces. An in-swinging corner kick from Patrick Etienvre picked out defender Sam Bush at the back post. Bush rose highest and got good contact on the header but it was inches wide of the top corner. Just seconds later, North was behind.
Eastman played a ball down the left channel for Vasconcelos to run onto. The senior forward got a step on his marker but didn’t get great contact on his first effort, which was blocked by North keeper Owen Goeller. Vasconcelos stayed with the loose ball and calmly slotted it into the now empty net to put the Eagles in front. It is Sharon’s 18th goal in 19 games this season.
“It’s huge,” Nathan said about getting the opening goal. “We know each other really well. We knew that we could get on them first and early that it would really help our cause and give us energy and I’m really happy we could do that.”
Another Etienvre corner gave Givany Carney a chance, but he was only able to make partial contact under pressure from his defender and Baur easily grabbed the loose ball.
Sharon was continuing to create chances at the other end, looking for a second goal that would make things more comfortable. Rishi Shetty’s cross from the left wing found Shkolnikov at the back post but North defender Brody Carter was well-positioned to clear it off the line. Shkolnikov sent Shetty away down the left side late in the first half, but Goeller was able to get down and block the shot at the near post.
In the second half, North picked up the intensity, searching for the tying goal. Kaden Burns was a consistent outlet for the Rocketeers, making runs down the left wing. He crossed into the middle of the box, but Zach Smahi was only able to get a toe on it with Carney just behind him ready to pounce.
Etienvre curled in a long free kick that was flicked on by Smahi to Burns but his header went agonizingly wide of the post. Burns then provided a deep cross to Smahi at the back stick but his downward header was blocked. Eliude Alcenat tried to follow up, but Baur was able to cut out the low cross before it could reach Bryce Newth in the middle.
Sharon had very little going forward in the second half but was able to fashion one chance to put the game away. Freshman Diego Martinez played a ball into the middle to Birnbaum, who took a touch and played the ball into the path of James Jennings on the left. Jennings charged into the box and, from a tight angle, forced Goeller to touch it around the post.
It was a rare foray into the attacking half for the Eagles. North came right back down the other end. Carson Dameron made a nice run to the end line, nutmegged the first defender, and crossed into Newth only for Goodman to clear. The ball fell to Etienvre but his shot was over. A few minutes later, Quinn Conley made a run on the left and cut it back to Smahi on the edge of the box but his shot was right at Baur, who covered.
“It’s difficult to stay composed,” Lacasse said about trying to find a late equalizer. “You have to adjust but still play within your style of play and try to create those scoring opportunities. Second half we were trying to get deep in their zone and work it back to the top of the 18 instead of crosses in towards their goalie because he’s tall and athletic.”
Dameron would find Burns with a late corner, but again the downward header was easily caught by Baur off the bounce. It would be the last chance for the hosts, as the Eagles were able to celebrate the win that keeps their season alive.
Nathan added, “I think this year, all but two of our games were one-goal games, so I think we’re used to and prepared for tight games, which I think helps us and I thought the boys did really well collectively as a unit today to finish it off. I’m proud of them.”
Sharon (7-6-6) will face the winner of No. 2 Hopkinton and No. 34 Fitchburg on Wednesday. North Attleboro finishes with a record of 8-8-3.
Football
Stoughton, 19 @ Attleboro, 42 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (S) Jared Daughtry 58-yard pass to Tagh Swierzewski, Tommy Silva XP good; (A) Matt Harvie 1-yard rush, Josue Salguero XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (A) Isaiah Miranda punt block recovery, J. Salguero XP good; (A) Aiden Hochwarter 15-yard punt block return, J. Salguero XP good; (A) M. Harvie 26-yard pass to Aidan Pantages, J. Salguero XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 22-yard pass to Victor Belan, XP blocked; (A) M. Harvie 46-yard pass to Cole McKenna, J. Salguero XP good.
4th Quarter: (A) M. Harvie 18-yard pass to A. Pantages, J. Salguero XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 41-yard pass to Alex Huynh, Conversion failed.
North Attleboro, 19 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final 1Q: (F) Mike Marcucella 23-yard pass to Lincoln Moore, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 5-yard pass to Jack Munley, XP good; (NA) Greg Berthiaume 18-yard rush, XP blocked.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (NA) C. Frisoli 3-yard pass to G. Berthiaume, XP failed; (F) M. Marcucella 25-yard pass to Luis Sulham, S. Carpenter XP good.
King Philip, 19 @ Milford, 7 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (KP) Matthew Kelley 25-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: (KP) M. Kelley 42-yard field goal; (M) Evan Cornelius 32-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, Nicholas Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (KP) Will Astorino 1-yard rush, Conversion failed; (KP) Tommy McLeish 13-yard pass to M. Kelley, M. Kelley XP good.
Mansfield, 20 @ Barnstable, 6 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (M) Connor Curtis 6-yard rush, Travis Hennessy XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) C. Curtis 2-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Tommy Smith 25-yard run, XP no good; (B) Targas 5-yard rush, XP no good.
Sharon, 29 vs. Fairhaven, 36 – Final 1Q: (F) Fairhaven 1-yard rush, XP good; (S) Liam Conway 34-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, Jace McCarron XP good.
2Q: (F) Fairhaven 21-yard rush, XP good; (S) L. Conway 9-yard pass to Jacob McLoughlin, J. McCarron XP good; (F) Fairhaven 13-yard rush, XP good.
3Q: (S) L. Conway 15-yard pass to Anthony Piron, J. McCarron XP good.
4Q: (F) Fairhaven 1-yard rush, XP good; (S) Gabe Korn 9-yard rush, G. Korn 2pt rush; (F) Fairhaven 4-yard rush, 2pt conversion.
Taunton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Saturday, 10/15 at 3:00.
Oliver Ames, 8 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Casey Milliken recorded a hat trick less than 15 minutes into the game to lead the Tigers to a big win on the road. Milliken finished with five goals on the day and added one assist for OA, who staked a 4-0 lead at halftime. Mike MacAdam, Mike Morais, and Jake Williams each scored once in the win. Ryan Linhares notched two assists while Jason Zalis, Joey Carney, and Andrew Martins each had one assist.
Sharon, 2 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Sharon senior Adam Eastman scored a beautiful goal in the second half to give the Eagles a crucial two points on the road at Canton. Rishi Shetty opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing off a service from Miguel Vasconcelos for the lone tally of the first half. Canton senior Jake McCabe buried the equalizer early in the second half but Eastman’s free kick to the upper 90 proved to be the difference. Rhys Davis anchored an outstanding defensive effort by the Eagles and senior Matt Baur had a strong outing in net.
King Philip, 1 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin turned it up a notch in the second half and exploded for four goals after the break to take a big win on the road and stay two points clear in the Kelley-Rex division title race. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini recorded his first assists to junior Michael Fernandez-Martin for the only goal of the opening half. After the break, Trey Lovell scored a pair of goals — the first assists by Max Tobin and the second by Scagliarini, while Fernandez-Martin grabbed an assist to Wyatt Herndon. Noah Cain (from Josh Dunlop) capped the scoring for the hosts.
Girls Soccer
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Freshman Tatum O’Brien recorded four points to lead the Bombardiers to a big win that pulls them back to .500 on the season. O’Brien opened the scoring in the first half, cutting in from the right wing and firing a left-footed shot into the top corner. A few minutes later, O’Brien doubled the lead cutting in from the opposite win. Jamie Davies made it 3-0 for the hosts before the break, running in behind the Milford defense and poking the ball past the onrushing keeper. Milford kept pressing in the second half. Serena Borges hit the bar with a free kick and Dani Atherton’s run down the right and cross into the middle picked out Ava Baglione but the freshman’s shot slammed back off the bar. The Hawks got on the board and with the same combo, Atherton from the right finding Baglione who took a touch in the six, turned, and scored. Attleboro finished the game with a flurry. O’Brien played a ball into the middle for classmate Jordyn Riley and she clipped a first-time shot over the keeper with the outside of her foot. O’Brien wrapped up her hat trick with a left-footed shot that snuck into the bottom corner.
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Meghan McCann scored the game’s only goal in the final three minutes of the first half and it was enough for the Hornets to split the season series with the Warriors. Alexandra Fernandes assisted on the goal. Olivia Salisbury came through with a save on a Foxboro breakaway late in the second half to preserve the win.
Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – KP had a strong first half but was unable to find a way through Franklin goalie Rachel Welch, who made a series of big saves. The Panthers were able to turn things around a little after the break and scored twice to split the season series and move three points clear of the Warriors in the division. Alli Powderly scored the opening goal for Franklin, finishing an assist from Selene Hammad. Anya Zub headed in a long free kick from Norah Anderson for what turned out to be the game-winner. KP pulled one back with five minutes to play. Mikayala Thompson scored off an assist from Rachel DeFlaminis.
North Attleboro, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro scored less than a minute into the second half to double its lead and tacked on two more in the final half hour of play to get a win on the road. Emma Pratt cleaned up a rebound off of a shot from Caroline McKenna to give the visitors the advantage in the 7th minute, a lead the Rocketeers carried into halftime. In the opening minute of the second half, Clara Giuliano converted a cross from Grace Norack to make it 2-0. McKenna then set up Amelia Maier in the 50th minute, and Haley Sinacola capped the scoring by heading in a cross from Sophia Bostock in the 76th minute. Cali Melo, Ava Uhl, and Juliana Matos has strong performances for the Tigers. Goalie Hayleigh Porter made 10 saves in the loss.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – After the Tigers edged the first meeting by a goal, the two teams played out a scoreless draw in the game at Muscato Stadium. The draw ended OA’s 10-game win streak that went back to the season opener at Franklin. Jenna Nelson, Molly Capace, and Sophia Byron all had strong games for the Tigers.
Field Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Norwood, 0 – Final
North Attleboro, 3 @ Dartmouth, 1 – Final – North staked a one-goal advantage in the opening quarter then scored once in each the third and fourth quarters to earn a 3-1 win on the road over Dartmouth. Sophomore Madison Folan scored off of an assist from older sister Caroline Folan on a corner midway through the first quarter, and that was the only goal from either team in the first half. Caroline Folan set up both of North’s second half strikes, first linking up with Francesca Spencer at 4:35 of the third and then with Julia Puccio at 8:31 of the fourth to make it 3-0. North’s defensive diamond of Ella Luistro, Rory McGinley, Maddie Bailey, and Ava Mckeon kept the net safe and started the Rocketeers’ runs on offense while Ava Spencer, Emily Burnham, and Kelsey Thompson played well in the midfield.
Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 @ Braintree, 1 – Final
Stoughton, 2 @ East Bridgwater, 3 – Final
Taunton, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton earned its second win in as many days, this time earning a 3-0 sweep (25-12, 25-18, 25-12) at home over visiting Taunton. Jess Wright had another strong outing with nine kills, 12 digs, and two aces, Kaitlin Bigham and Fatima Sidibay were strong at the net with a combined five blocks, and Zoe Scibelli ran the defense with 12 digs and three aces.
Sharon senior Cam Birnbaum passes the ball between a pair of Stoughton defenders in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – With the final stretch of the regular season just around the corner, both Sharon and Stoughton are looking to bolster their chances of making the postseason.
The latest power rankings released by the MIAA earlier this week saw the Eagles sitting at 24 while the Black Knights were just outside the playoff cutoff at 37.
After 80 minutes of hard-fought action on Thursday, each team took a point after a 1-1 draw.
Sharon took the lead just minutes into the second half but Stoughton responded with just under 10 minutes to go to pull level to secure a point on the road.
“We wanted to obviously win the game, especially with where we are at with our record and playoff rating so I’d say it was an okay tie,” said first-year Stoughton head coach Ruben Teixeira. “It’s not going to hurt us, but we wanted to get the ‘W’ to help us more. Now we turn the page to Franklin, a powerhouse, and hopefully, try and get some points there.”
The host Eagles had the edge in possession for most of the first half as the Knights mostly sat in their own defensive third without extending too much pressure. Teixeira shuffled his lineup and changed formations in the latter stages of the second half to get more of an attacking look and the Black Knights cashed in in the 70th minute.
“I thought we dominated the game so it’s a bad tie for us,” said Sharon head coach Scott Nathan. “We had one mental breakdown in our defensive third and it led to a soft goal. We kept talking about how a one-goal lead wasn’t good enough. We needed to continue the way we’ve been playing but be more aggressive and score more goals. I thought we tried but there were moments in that second half that [Stoughton] was being more aggressive and we were giving the ball away too easily instead of playing out of it.”
Sharon senior Brandon Mauricio registered the first scoring chance in the 14th minute, taking down a long ball from Adam Eastman, cutting to the middle of the field, and unleashing a shot from 25 yards out that was comfortably handled by Stoughton goalie Ben Shirey.
Ten minutes later, it was Eastman that uncorked a hard shot from distance but Shirey had a clear look at it the whole way and gobbled it up.
Stoughton’s first real chance came just before the half-hour mark as Kyle Grant’s free kick into the area was partially cleared but Sam Santos hustled to a loose ball and got off a shot, but it ended up high.
Eastman dished a service out wide to sophomore James Jenning, who was able to get a step into the area from the right sideline but good defense from Stoughton juniors Joe McSweeney and Evan Khang denied any scoring threat. On the counter, Matheus Groberio came racing up the field and tried to play a ball through but Sharon senior center back Tyler Goodman read it perfectly and held up, causing the Knights to be offside on the service.
After a strong shift in the first half, Eastman was rewarded for his hard work early in the second half. A clearance from the Stoughton defense was blocked and bounced back toward goal. Shirey came off the line but the ball took a funny bounce and Eastman was able to muscle his way to the ball and deposited it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute.
The Eagles had a couple of chances throughout the second half to double their lead, but couldn’t push one past Shirey.
In the 58th minute, a Rick Das service from the sideline was cleared away from Stoughton’s Alex Kozak but only as far as Sharon freshman Vlad Shkolnikov, who blasted a shot just over the bar from distance.
In the 65th minute, a nice give-and-go from Cam Birnbaum and Mauricio put the Eagles into the area but a last-ditch slide from Kozak broke it up and the Knights cleared. And just four minutes later, Birnbaum went in on goal but Shirey came flying out and got just enough of it. After it was knocked around in the area, a shot from Sharon was destined for the back of the night but Khang was positioned perfectly on the line and kept it out.
“The defense did a great job,” Teixeira said. “We watched film on Sharon of their game against Milford and took a lot of notes from that. This was a huge game for us, and it felt like the defense responded to it being a big game.”
Meanwhile, the Knights’ chances improved each time up the pitch. Groberio linked up with Kozak for a low shot that was handled by Sharon keeper Matt Baur. A dangerous attacking throw into the area was cleared away by Goodman minutes later, and then after some good work from Santos to find Groberio, a perfectly timed slide tackle from Sharon senior Rhys Davis thwarted the bid.
Stoughton finally chased in just moments after Khang’s goal line clearance denied Sharon a second goal. Joao Marotti helped transition the Knights from defense to offense and the ball ended up with Santos on the right side. A cross to the far post found Groberio open in the box, and he calmly took it down and blasted in from close range to make it 1-1.
“We changed the formation a little, moved some positions around to a more attacking style, we knew we needed goals and that gave us more of a threat, and it worked,” Teixeira said. “We just told the guys, going forward this is how it’s going to be. We have to be that aggressive from the first minute. We’ve shown that we can do it, now we just have to do it for 80 minutes.”
Sharon had a pair of chances in the final minutes at the game-winner, including Mauricio getting on the end of a cross from Rishi Shetty, but his header looped just inches over the crossbar.
“We created some decent chances but we just need to be more clinical in the final third,” Nathan said. “Right near the end, we had two solid chances, we had some good looks. We tend to get a bit amped up when we’re near goal because they want to score so badly. It’s getting them to figure out when to take the shot or to work with a teammate at that moment. The positive is that we’re creating a lot of good chances, we just need to be a bit more composed in the final third and put teams away.”
Sharon boys soccer
Sharon boys soccer (3-4-4) is off until Wednesday when they travel to play their final Kelley-Rex opponent of the season at North Attleboro. Stoughton boys soccer (3-6-2) is in the same situation as they travel to Franklin.
Football
Attleboro, 20 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (A) Matt Harvie 27-yard pass to Ayden Ramirez, Adrian Rivera 2-point rush good; (A) M. Harvie 14-yard pass to Cole McKenna, XP failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (A) Shaun Maher 4-yard rush, 2-point rush failed.
Canton, 14 vs. Dedham, 0 – Final 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (C) Owen Lane 22-yard pass to Michael Thomas, Hayden Rose XP good.
3Q: (C) O. Lane 3-yard rush, H. Rose XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Foxboro, 14 @ Plymouth South, 21 – Final
Franklin, 21 vs. Duxbury, 34 – Final 1Q: (D) Alex Barlow 1-yard rush, XP good; (F) Michael Davide 5-yard rush, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (D) Matt Festa 6-yard rush, XP good; (D) M. Festa 40-yard pass to Chris Walsh.
3Q: (D) Adam Barr 1-yard rush, XP failed; (D) M. Festa 88-yard pass to C. Walsh, XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 37-yard pass to Derek Dubriske, G. Portesi XP good.
4Q: (F) J. Lyons 49-yard pass to Luke Davis, G. Portesi XP good.
King Philip, 19 vs. Xaverian, 14 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: No scoring.
2Q: (KP) Matthew Kelley 33-yard field goal.
3Q: (KP) Carson Meier 45-yard interception return; M. Kelley XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 30-yard field goal; (X) Henry Hasselbeck 77-yard pass to Jonathan Monteiro, Joseph MacDonald XP good.
4Q: (KP) Nathan Kearney 6-yard rush, 2-point conversion failed; (X) H. Hasselbeck 29-yard pass to J. Monteiro, J. MacDonald XP good.
Mansfield, 35 @ Doherty, 0 – Final 1Q: (M) Drew Sacco 18-yard rush, Travis Hennessy XP good; (M) Brian Butler 12-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good; (M) B. Butler 9-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
2Q: (M) Connor Curtis 8-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
3Q: (M) Tommy Smith 13-yard rush, T. Hennessy XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Milford, 42 @ Natick, 27 – Final
Oliver Ames, 35 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – Final1 1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 2-yard rush, 2-point failed.
2Q: (OA) Wayne Casey 25-yard pass to Bronson Burnham, XP failed; (OA) W. Casey 70-yard pass to Nick Ferrini, C. Silva 2-point rush good.
3Q: (OA) C. Silva 2-yard rush, W. Casey 2-point pass to Jack Morley; (OA) Jordan Young 2-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
4Q: No scoring.
Stoughton, 14 vs. Hanover, 51 – Final 1Q: (H) Nick Freel 17-yard rush, XP good; (H) N. Freel 15-yard rush, XP good.
2Q: (H) Ben Scalzi 5-yard rush, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 36-yard pass to N. Freel, XP good; (S) Jonathan Goncalves 90-yard interception return, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 15-yard pass to David Quinlan, XP good; (H) B. Scalzi 38-yard pass to John McDonald, XP failed.
3Q: (S) Liam Dunn 51-yard rush, XP good; (H) J. McDonald 25-yard field goal.
4Q: (H) Marvin Felix 2-yard rush, XP good.
Taunton, 24 vs. Middleboro, 13 – Final 1Q: (T) Tanner Brannon 35-yard fumble return, XP failed.
2Q: (M) Jacob Briggs 66-yard rush, Matt Cohen XP; (T) Malachi Johnson 1-yard rush, 2pt pass failed; (M) J. Briggs 56-yard rush, XP failed; (T) Jacob Leonard 32-yard pass to Jose Touron, 2pt rush failed.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (T) M. Johnson 52-yard rush, 2pt pass failed.
Sharon, 0 @ Dover-Sherborn, 16 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro junior Alex Vecchioli scored twice and assisted on a third to lead the Bombardiers to a bounce-back win on the road at Taunton. Vecchioli opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off an assist from Billy Badger to put the visitors ahead 1-0, which they took into halftime. Vecchioli set up the next goal, finding Steve Etienne who scored to make it 2-0. Clay Tyler assisted on Attleboro’s final goal, connecting with Vecchioli, who buried his fourth goal of the week.
King Philip, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final – A goal-filled first half favored Milford and that was all the scoring in the contest as the Scarlet Hawks staked a 3-1 win over King Philip. The teams traded goals to start as Milford took a 1-0 lead when Eduardo Santana found Mathias Felipe for the opener but King Philip leveled on a goal from Matt Crago, assisted by Dermott Amorim. Santana put the Hawks back ahead, finishing off a corner from Arthur Tome, and then right before the halftime whistle, John Borges found Nick Ribeiro, who squeezed one in from a tough angle.
Sharon, 2 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Sharon scored a pair of goals inside a five-minute span in the second half to secure two points in a win over Mansfield. The Hornets took the lead 10 minutes into the game when Cooper Austin headed in a corner kick from Tyler Znoj for a 1-0 lead, an advantage that Mansfield carried into halftime. In the second half, Palash Raina headed in the equalizer off a cross from Rishi Shetty. Just four minutes later, Cam Birnbaum ran onto a through ball from Adam Eastman and finished for the eventual game-winner. Znoj, Austin, Derek McGrath, Dylan Mullin, Marco Germiniani, and Lucas deSousa played well for Mansfield.
Girls Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Neither team could find the back of the net in a game where the advantage depended on who had the wind at their backs. Taunton keeper Hayleigh Porter made nine saves to earn the first clean sheet of her career, while Alexis Campbell played well to get her first clean sheet this season. Christina Da Costa, Cali Melo, and Jenna Pereira all played strong games in Taunton’s defense, while Emily Calderon and Juliana Matos sparked the Taunton attack in the second half. Eighth graders Kaylee Lopes, Maddie Crowley, and Lia Abouyazbek also impressed for the Tigers.
Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Foxboro and Stoughton played to a scoreless draw at Sam Berns Community Field. The Warriors created a few chances through forward Erin Foley, but couldn’t find the finishing touch. Allie Sougaris made several important stops in the second half and earned her second clean sheet of the season for Foxboro.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 1 – Final
Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Rachel DeFlaminis scored a second half hat trick and Mikalyla Thompson finished with three assists to lead the Warriors to a big win at home. Ella Pisani’s brace had KP up 2-0 in the first half (her fifth and sixth goals in the past two games), but Milford cut the lead in half when Dani Atherton’s cross wasn’t cleared and Erin Michelson finished from close range. KP was able to score in the final minute of the half to restore its two-goal lead, as Kylie Menendez finished off a pass from Thompson. Heidi Lawrence added two goals, Ally Pochay scored on a Danielle Gresham corner, and Dani Lomuscio (two assists) slipped a pass through to DeFlaminis to make it 7-1 just 12 minutes into the second half. DeFlaminis would score twice more, one off an assist from Menendez, to wrap up the scoring.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Saturday, 10/29 at 10:00AM.
Field Hockey
King Philip, 1 @ Westwood, 2 – Final – King Philip put up a great fight but fell on the road in a non-league tilt at Westwood. Kelly Holmes scored the lone goal for the Warriors while Maggie Murphy had a great game defensively in front of goalie Haley Bright (16 saves).
Stoughton, 0 vs. East Bridgewater, 0 – Final
Volleyball
Attleboro, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Attleboro rolled to a 2-0 lead and then closed out the sweep with a competitive third set over Bridgewater-Raynham (25-14, 25-7, 25-23). Mary Katherine Runey called it a “full team effort” in the win. Natalie Brojek notched 26 assists and six aces, Julia Leonardo recorded 13 kills and five aces, and Addie Shelton chipped in with seven kills and four aces.
Milford @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Golf
Attleboro, 176 @ King Philip, 151 – Final – King Philip’s Cameron Hasenfus carded three birdies in a medalist round to lead the Warriors past Attleboro. Hasenfus birded on the second hole and then back-to-back on seven and eight to finished with a medalist round of 34. Anthony Fraone shot a 37, Jason Silva added a 39, and Gavin Croke rounded out the scoring with a 41.
Mansfield, 177 @ Sharon, 178 – Final – Mansfield senior Drew Urban fired a team-low round of 42 and the Hornets left the Cape Club of Sharon with a one-stroke victory over the Eagles. Brendan Vokey added a 44, Davon Sanders shot a 45, and Jason Friedman rounded out the scoring with a 46.
Boys Soccer
Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Sharon senior Brandon Mauricio bagged a brace and the Eagles exploded for four second half goals to start the season with a 5-1 decision over visiting Taunton. Just when it looked like the teams were destined to head into the break scoreless, Sharon senior Tyler Goodman won an aerial duel and freshman Vlad Shkolnikov played a terrific ball forward to Mauricio, who cut the ball back onto his right foot and deposited his shot far post for a 1-0 lead just before the halftime whistle. The second half started with fireworks as the teams combined for three goals in the opening 10 minutes. Senior Adam Eastman delivered a free kick into the area from just over midfield that saw classmate Rhys Davis rise up and meet with his head and play it to the far post. Rishi Shetty was first to it, sending it back across the face of goal where Mauricio was there to bang it home from close range. Taunton responded in quick fashion as senior Riley Rebello ran into a loose ball behind the defense and squared up a pass to Javonte Fernandes, who showed great patience to touch past the keeper and finish from in close. But just moments later, the Eagles were back ahead by two. Eastman played a perfectly paced through ball to Shetty, who made a diagonal run past the defense and calmly finished past the keeper. Miguel Vasconcelos added a fourth for the Eagles on a pass from sophomore James Jennings, and Eastman was credited for the fifth goal as his corner was knocked in for an own goal.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 5 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Five different players scored for the Eagles in a season-opening road win. Sofia Goclowski, Carly Pinnix, Autumn Simon, Maya Sajeev, and Olivia Landstein each found the back of the net for Sharon. Jessica Li had a pair of assists on her Sharon debut and Nasiba Aikulova also dished out a pair of helpers. Emily Calderon had the line goal for the Tigers.
Field Hockey
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield senior Lily Danehy turned away a dozen shots for the shutout and the Hornets scored the lone goal of the game midway through the second quarter to open the season with a close 1-0 decision over Attleboro. Junior Liv Barry scored the game-winner with 6:19 left in the second quarter, finishing off an assist from sophomore Ella Palanza. Danehy turned away 12 saves, including four in the fourth quarter during an Attleboro offensive flurry to preserve the shutout and the win.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – Franklin opened its season with a solid win over OA. Kaitlyn Carney scored three times and finished with four points and Emily Carney added four assists to power the Panthers to the win. Kaitlyn scored off an Emily assist to open the scoring and then added a second from a Sophia Cuneo assist to make it 2-0 after one quarter. Cuneo got her first goal off an Emily Carney assist in the second. Raena Crandall added a goal before halftime, assisted by Kaitlyn Carney. In the third, Emily Carney assisted on goals by Haley Wernig and Kaitlyn Carney. Sydney Rogan added an unassisted goal in the fourth to wrap up the scoring. Devon Barry made one save in the first half for the Panthers.
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – Five different Warriors found the back of the net and seven players registered a point in a season-opening win over visiting Stoughton. Junior Kelly Holmes led the charge offensively for the hosts, netting a pair of goals along with a pair of assists while classmate Mara Boldy scored a hat trick. Junior Nikki McDonald chipped in with two goals and an assist, sophomore Abby MacDonald registered one point and one assist, and senior Sydney Maryland notched her first career goal. Haley Bright had the shutout in net for KP. Stoughton senior Katherine Giroux had a strong game and played with high energy while freshman Casey Groppi played hard defensively the entire game for the Black Knights in her varsity debut.
Foxboro, 8 @ Milford, 8 – Final
Volleyball
Foxboro, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford emerged victorious on a closely contested first set and went on to take the next two to complete the sweep, 3-0 (26-24, 25-15, 25-21). For Foxboro, Shannon McElhinney had a terrific game defensively with 19 digs and three aces.
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip opened its 2022 campaign with a 3-0 sweep, taking down visiting Stoughton (25-12, 25-11, 25-11). The Warriors used a balanced attack with senior Ahunna James notching a team-high eight kills, senior Sami Shore adding four kills, four aces, and two blocks, and senior Olivia O’Neil chipped in with four kills. Senior Emily Sawyer had a big day from the service line with seven aces and added a pair of kills at the net.
Sharon, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton bounced back from a close loss in the first set to win three in a row and improve to 2-0 on the season with a sweep of Sharon (23-25, 25-23, 25-17, 25-22). Hayley Krockta landed 11 kills and Sayla DePina added six kills to pace the Taunton offense. The Tigers had another big day from the service line, dropping 23 aces just one game after landing 18 against New Bedford in the opening. Anna Abouzied accounted for nearly a third of them with seven, adding 14 assists as well. Defensively, Mia Fernandes had 11 digs and Megan Rose added six digs.
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Mansfield kept the game alive with a win in the third set and nearly pushed the match to five but Attleboro closed it out in a thrilling fourth game to take a 3-1 decision in the first contest held inside the new Attleboro High School gym (25-19, 25-23, 23-25, 28-26). Sophomore Julia Leonardo picked up where she left off a season ago, landing a team-high 16 kills to pace the offense. Junior Natalie Brojek added 17 assists and sophomore Julia Modelo landed six aces in the win.
Canton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton edged out North in a closely contested second set and went on to complete the sweep in the next set to open the season with a win (25-18, 28-26, 25-19). Junior Jess Wright led the way offensively for the Dogs with 11 kills, eight digs, and a pair of aces while Sally Hoban had a great varsity debut with eight kills and an ace. Zoe Scibelli ran the show defensively with 14 digs and one kill while Kaitlin Brigham had a great blocking performance in the win.
Boys Cross Country
Canton, 37 @ Nauset, 20 – Final – Luke Darling was Canton’s top runner down the Cape, finishing in second with a time of 20:48.
Girls Cross Country
Canton, 34 @ Nauset, 21 – Final – The top runner for the Bulldogs was Tahlia Weaver, who finished in third place and set a personal best with a time of 25:57.
Golf
Mansfield, 165 vs. Xaverian, 148 – Final – Mansfield dropped its first match of the season in a non-league contest against visiting Xaverian. Nathan McClean, Cody Nieratko, and Hayden O’Connor each shot a 41 for the Hornets while Drew Urban rounded out the scoring with a 42.
Sharon, 182 @ Stoughton, 186 – Final – James Spoto and Dylan Cummings each fired a round of 44 to help Sharon secure a close win over division foe Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Stoughton’s Mason Page was the match medalist with a low round of 42 but the Eagles earned the close win. Reid Nierman added a 46 for Sharon while both Patrick Dykeman and Jacob Kaufman shot 48 to round out the scoring for the Eagles.
Franklin, 144 @ Milford, 148 – Final – Franklin pulled out another tight win early on this season, this time besting Milford by four strokes. It’s the Panthers’ third win in four matches winning by five or fewer strokes. Jack Hagerty had another big performance for the Panthers, earning match medalist honors with a low round of 34 at Hopedale Country Club. Tyler O’Brien added a 35, Brendan Collins came in at 36, and Cam Labrie chipped in with a 39. For Milford, Nate Lawrence fired a round of 36, Jacob Hipolito and Anthony LaPierre each shot a 37, and Eric Farrell finished with a 38 on the day.
Attleboro, 177 @ Taunton, 188 – Final – Leo Lombardo continued his strong start to the season, earning match medalist honors and helping Attleboro claim a win over Taunton at Segregansett Country Club. Lombardo fired a low round of 42 to lead the way for the Bombardiers, Carter Shelton added a 44, Bradley Martin finished with a 45 and Ryan Hill rounded out the scoring with a 46. Dwayne Burgo had a team-low round of 45 for the Tigers, Logan Letourneau added a 46, Alex Dias chipped in with a 48, and Jesse Chaves capped the scoring with a 49.
Canton, 179 @ Foxboro, 176 – Final – Foxboro came away with a huge division win, taking down Canton and handing the Bulldogs their first division loss since October 2018, snapping a 35-match Davenport winning streak. Patrick Callahan had a team-low round of 40 for the Warriors, Mat Sullivan chipped in with a 44, and both Reese Curreri and Josh Connolly shot 46 on the way for Foxboro. Canton’s Huck McCready earned match medalist honors after firing a 39 on the day.
Taunton and Attleboro will be looking to challenge Milford atop the Kelley-Rex division. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021 Record: 9-8-3 Coach: Peter Pereira
While last year’s record doesn’t jump off the page, it was a good season for the Bombardiers and a step in the right direction for the program.
There were a lot of varsity debuts a year ago, and a lot of new faces in the lineup for longtime head coach Peter Pereira. This year is the opposite as many of those players are back and looking to make a serious challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title. Highlighting a deep and talented group of returners is a trio of HockomockSports Second XI selections from a year ago: senior forward Esvin Morales, junior goalie Tyler Rocchio, and junior midfielder and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Alex Vecchioli.
That trio gives the Bombardiers a top player in most key spots on the pitch. Vecchioli will be flanked by some familiar faces as senior Lucas Marques, junior Billy Badger, and junior Luke Hagopian are all back in the mix after starting last season. Juniors Kyle Neuendorf and Richard Ferreira provide key depth off the bench for the midfield unit. Up front, senior Steve Etienne will complement Morales at striker with juniors Nick Ticas and Clay Tyler able to provide energy off the bench.
Attleboro did graduate one of the best center backs in the league in Cash Stuger so there will be a hole to fill there but Pereira has a solid trio of experienced seniors in Jake Stomfors, Toby Smith, and Ian Miller to rely on defensively. Juniors Zack Diffenderfer and Joshua Codella are also in the mix for minutes in the back four.
“It is a hard-working group and I believe we have the potential to win some big games,” Pereira said.
2021 Record: 14-5-4 (D2 State Finalist) Coach: Danny Erickson
The Canton boys soccer team made history last year with its run to the Division 2 state final and while it will be a big ask to replicate such a special run, the Bulldogs have plenty of key pieces to at least challenge for a division title and have a go at another big run.
Canton lost the majority of its lineup from a year ago after graduating seven of the 11, but with a large, talented senior class, Hall of Fame coach Danny Erickson always has his squads ready to compete. The biggest piece back to the puzzle is senior striker Jake McCabe, a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection that tied for the league-lead in goals during the regular season a year ago with 13 goals.
Having 13 seniors on the squad will give the Bulldogs a boost, including veteran players like Caden Mirliani, Ashton Cetoute, Carson Eagles, and Brian Shea. Junior Zaza Francoeur picked up some valuable minutes a year ago and will be a key piece in the attack this year.
“We will certainly need to reinvent how we play after losing so many weapons but we have a great group,” said Erickson. “Lots of guys competing hard for the opportunity to contribute. That should help us compete in the always-tough league.”
2021 Record: 9-9-1 Coach: Dan Ambrosio
Foxboro has a strong core of returners back from last year’s squad that qualified for the postseason and will be looking to incorporate some young players to challenge for the Davenport division crown.
The Warriors will need to get the new players up to speed quickly because the injury bug has already hit, taking seniors Jorge Sanchez-Garcia (All Hock honorable mention last year) and starting defender Ian Foley for the season. Head coach Dan Ambrosio will lean heavily on his senior captains, striker Alex Penders and defender Marco Pacini. Penders, a standout on the hardwood for Foxboro’s basketball team, isn’t your typical striker but standing at 6’5, he’s a nightmare for opposing defenders and a dream for teammates serving the ball into the area.
Pacini is a seasoned veteran as a four-year member of the varsity team and will be the anchor of the back line. Sophomore Ryan Cotter will take over in net behind Pacini and the back line. The strength of the squad could be in the middle with a trio of juniors: John Hollis, Ryan Flaherty, and Pradyu Gubbala. All three are returners from a year ago and will be key pieces in not only helping the back line but orchestrating and organizing the attack.
“The strength of the attack lies in the ability to counter quickly, while defensive organization is a strength when without the ball,” Ambrosio said.
2021 Record: 11-5-4 Head Coach: Fran Bositis
Franklin will be looking to replicate its success from last year after the Panthers came just three points shy of the division title and earned a win in the state tournament.
The Panthers didn’t graduate a huge senior class but they did lose some key pieces like HockomockSports Best XI selection Terry O’Neill in midfield and Second XI selection Aidan Griffith on defense. But there is plenty of talent back all over the pitch for the Franklin, who will certainly be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex crown this year. Franklin’s four captains are spread throughout the field with Best XI selection Rex Cinelli back at center back, Will Kryzak up front, Trey Lovell in the middle of the pitch, and Griffin Tolonen in net.
Cinelli is coming off a very strong sophomore campaign and will join forces with Will Klawson to anchor the back line, which has impressed so far this preseason. Lovell will partner with Noah Cain at center mid to help the Panthers transition from the back, and orchestrate the offense. Juniors Hansy Jacques and Andrew O’Neill will provide depth alongside Kryzak up front. Michael Fernandez Martin, Garrett Scagliarini, and Matt Honekamp are new names to keep an eye on.
“It’s still early but our athletes are working hard and I know that we are all excited for the upcoming season,” said Hall of Fame head coach Fran Bositis. “We are looking forward to the challenge of competing in the Hockomock League.”
2021 Record: 3-13-2 Coach: Mike O’Neill
After battling through an injury-plagued 2021 season, the King Philip boys soccer team is aiming to be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex division title this year.
The Warriors boast a strong group of seniors that will be the heart and soul of the squad but will be looking to integrate some young and new faces in order to challenge in a very talented Kelley-Rex division. After scoring just 20 goals last year, the Warriors are hoping offense will be a strength this year behind a deep mix of creative and quick wing players. Senior Matt Crago returns after a terrific junior season (four goals, two assists) and will be a go-to option in the midfield and out wide. He’ll be joined by junior wing Will Bowen and junior wing Dermott Amorim.
Up top, KP will look to junior Tommy Lomuscio to find the back of the net. As a sophomore, he scored five goals and had nine assists – factoring in on just under half of the Warriors’ offense production. Senior goalie Connor O’Reilly made some huge saves a year ago and is back in net this year. Senior Tom Meader will anchor the back line at center back while senior Oliver Blackburn and sophomore Sayan Panda will lend some help to the defense from the center mid spot.
“I think the Hock is wide open this year, which is just another way of saying that there is a tremendous amount of parity,” said KP head coach Mike O’Neill. “Any win is a good win in the Hockomock League. We have strengths in our captains and our senior leadership. In order to be really competitive, we will need our younger players to contribute right away.”
2021 Record: 8-5-4 Coach: Steve Sheridan
Mansfield is looking to make a big splash in its first season competing in the Davenport division and enter the season as an instant contender.
The Hornets join the Davenport in a challenging year with Oliver Ames looking to make it three straight Davenport titles (four overall), a Canton squad fresh off of a state finals appearance, a revitalized Stoughton squad, a very skillful Sharon team, and a competitive Foxboro group. Despite losing 14 seniors from last year’s squad that went 8-5-4, Mansfield has a solid core intact for a big year.
It starts with captains Aidan Steele, Grady Sullivan, and Dan Checkoway – all three are seasoned veterans and know what it takes to compete in the Hock. Steele plays up top as a target forward while Sullivan and Checkoway patrol the midfield, along with the talented Connor Palinski. Junior Lucas DeSousa and sophomore Tyler Znoj have impressed early on in the midfield while sophomore Cooper Austin is in the mix up front.
Head coach Steve Sheridan is turning to senior Liam Doyle, who missed all of last year with an injury, to take over in net. Senior Derek McGrath will anchor the back line in front of Doyle while sophomore Matthew Sullivan has had a strong camp in the back as well.
“We don’t have as much varsity experience as I’d like, but we have a good bunch of kids that hopefully click sooner rather than later,” Sheridan said.
2021 Record: 12-4-3 Coach: Antonio Pinto
The defending Kelley-Rex champions might have some inexperience and youth in some spots in the lineup, but the Scarlet Hawks return a strong core of players ready to defend their title.
Milford has won four straight division titles, two in the Davenport and now two straight in the Kelley-Rex, and will be looking to make it five straight with another banner this year. Returning HockomockSports Best XI selection Nick Ribero is such a steady presence in the midfield and does a great job spreading the ball and finding open teammates. He will have a lot of options with Arthur Tome (seven goals, nine assists), Eduardo Santana (nine goals, five assists), and John Borges (two goals, eight assists), all back this season.
After losing Best XI selection Chris Tocci (center back) and Kevin Gomes (goalie), the Hawks will have some inexperience in their own final third. The Scarlet Hawks will turn to junior Nate Dinis to anchor the back line after he played some key minutes a season ago.
“We have a very young squad going into the season, but a tight group of kids who are together 24/7, a very family-like team here at Milford this season,” said Milford head coach Antonio Pinto. “Offensively we will have to figure out ways to score goals. Defensively we are very young and inexperienced but have a tight group of kids that will help each other out.”
2021 Record: 8-8-2 Coach: Mike Lacasse
An untimely departure from the girls’ program at North forced a bit of a shakeup in the coaching ranks as Geoff Burgess moves over to the girls and Mike Lacasse, who has coached the JV team for a number of years, moves up to take over varsity.
Lacasse and the Rocketeers will look to make some noise in a very talented Kelley-Rex division, and look to get back to the state tournament. The strength of the squad will be in the midfield as the Big Red has some familiar faces back in key spots. Senior Carson Dameron is back for his third year as a starter and will be joined by classmates Zach Smahi and Griffin Rodden. Juniors Kaden Burns and Quinn Conley will patrol the flanks while sophomore Patrick Etienvre could be poised for a breakout campaign after some impressive minutes as a freshman.
Defensively, North Attleboro has the challenge of replacing one of the better keepers in the league in David Floyd as well as HockomockSports Second XI selection Brody Rosenberg at center back. Seniors Jack Regan (outside back) and Sam Bush will try to solidify the backline with junior Owen Goeller in position to start in net. Up front, the Rocketeers will turn to senior Givany Carney, a powerful striker, and junior Bryce Newth, to produce some goals.
“We have a good mix of young talent and experience in some key positions,” Lacasse said. “I am excited to see what this team can accomplish this season, as they look to continue the progress they had toward the end of last year.”
2021 Record: 13-4-2 Coach: John Barata
For most programs, losing the league MVP plus the league’s top goal scorer would be a massive hurdle to get over. But this isn’t something new for Oliver Ames, who has won three straight division titles and eight overall since the 2011 season. While graduation will certainly hurt, the returners and new arrivals have OA right back in the mix for another title.
Despite the loss of Mathias Taylor (MVP) and Clide Neau (tied for a league-high 13 goals), the Tigers have plenty to be excited about, starting with sophomore Casey Milliken, who finished atop the points leaderboard during the regular season a year ago and earned HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year honorable mention.
On top of that, Joey Carney is back in the mix in the midfield looking to capitalize on a solid sophomore campaign (four goals, two assists), and sophomore Andrew Martins will see an increased role after impressing as a freshman. And like always for OA, they will lean heavily on the captains: senior Hector Bucio, who had a breakout year with seven goals and three assists, and senior Jake Williams. Sophomores Luke Churchill has also impressed so far this preseason.
“OA is excited to compete in the Hockomock League,” said OA head coach John Barata. “We are working to get into the tournament this season. We want to grow as a team and have a lot of fun.”
2021 Record: 6-9-3 Coach: Scott Nathan
Sharon battled its way through injury after injury last season, showing glimpses at times (wins over league champs Milford and Oliver Ames, finishing on a four-game unbeaten streak) but missed out on a spot in the state tournament.
With a host of talent returning this year, the Eagles are serious contenders to challenge for the division title in what is shaping up to be one of the deepest years in the Davenport. The Eagles look to have a strong defensive group this year anchored by HockomockSports Second XI selection Rhys Davis at center back. He’ll be joined by seniors Tyler Goodman, Brandon Mauricio, and Tony Yang to not only give the Eagles a veteran backline but one with skill and pace. Senior Matt Baur is back with the program and returns to his starting spot in net.
The Eagles also have some key pieces back in the midfield and up front. Senior captain Adam Eastman will be looking to build on his nine-goal season from last year, which was tied for fifth most in the Hock. Seniors Rishi Shetty, Malachi Diaz, and Miguel Vasconcelos provide depth up front. Cam Birnbaum and Kevin Lu are also returning players from last year’s squad that could see valuable minutes.
“The Hock is among the strongest leagues in the state,” said head coach Scott Nathan. “We look forward to getting the chance to play against so many quality teams. The boys can’t wait to get started!”
2021 Record: 0-17-1 Coach: Ruben Teixeira
Stoughton struggled through a difficult schedule last season but there is a bit of a buzz about the Black Knights entering this season.
First year head coach Ruben Teixeira, who has coached both at the high school and collegiate level, had a great turnout for tryouts and the Black Knights will be looking to bounce out of the bottom of the standings and make a serious run at the Davenport division title.
Stoughton has a good amount of returning players from a year ago, including a lot of young players that were getting their first varsity experience. Teixeira will look to his seniors to guide the way, especially early on. Senior Joao Marotti sets the tone with his hard work and will be a factor both defensively and offensively for Stoughton. His versatility will provide Teixeira with some flexibility in the midfield. Another senior to keep an eye on is Matheus Groberio, a new addition to the program that has a lot of experience and knowledge of the game. He could be an instant impact player for Stoughton this season.
2021 Record: 5-10-3 Coach: Taylor Whitters
Taunton had an excellent start last year, winning four straight to open the season but the momentum came to a halt and the Tigers finished at 5-10-3 and on the outside looking in for the postseason.
With nearly its entire squad back in the mix this season, the Tigers will be looking to replicate that start and then carry it even further and challenge for the Kelley-Rex title. Taunton was young last season as the lineup featured mostly juniors and sophomores, but now the Tigers are one of the most experienced groups and will be looking to use their speed to challenge the rest of the Hock.
Riley Ribello was a 2021 HockomockSports Best XI selection on defense but he’s shown he can play at center mid or move up top and be a dangerous attack, and it’s likely that’s where we’ll see him this season. The Tigers also have Quincy Jones-Sylvia back at center back while Josh Letourneau, Ian Robicheau, and Jonathan Trinh all saw time at outside back and will provide key defensive depth this year.
Conal Scully proved to be a top attacking option last year with the ability to score from a variety of spots on the pitch. Aidden Fitting plays with a ton of pace on the outside and the Taunton midfield will get another speedy player in Javonte Fernandes, who is back on the field after playing goalie last season. Vinicius Lira Lima and Az-Anael St. Marc provide attack depth for the Tigers.
“We have a lot of individual talent, however, it is our unmatched team chemistry and synchronicity on the pitch that will undoubtedly make this our year in the Hock,” said Taunton head coach Taylor Whitters.
