Tag: Rudy Gately

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/24/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Shawn Cali had a strong performance on the mound and the Tigers used early offense to score a 4-1 win over a tough Attleboro squad. Cali only allowed one hit and one walk in six shutout innings, striking out four to earn the win. Taunton senior Dawson Bryce had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, hitting an RBI double in both the first and third innings. Ryan MacDougall also had an RBI double in the third and AJ Lewis scored Jared Spencer with a single two at-bats later. Jonny Pagano pitched well for Attleboro, scattering eight hits and two walks, striking out two in five innings of work. Sean O’Hara tossed a scoreless inning of relief for the Bombardiers while Andrew Gorman had a seventh inning RBI single.

Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – OA scored twice in the third and once more in the fourth and was able to pull out its second league win of the season. Ryan Lemay (double) and Drew Hall each drove in runs for the Tigers, while Harrison Fitzpatrick, Jack Morley, and Matt Lawson (double) each provided hits. Andrew Zagami made the three runs stand up by holding the Bulldogs to just four hits and two runs in a complete game win. The Bulldogs scored once in the fifth and the seventh to get back within one. Brendan Clegg had a pair of hits and Andrew Gillis and Hayden Rose each drove in runs for Canton. Kyle Redquest had a strong start in defeat, allowing two earned runs over six innings.

Foxboro, 12 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Foxboro sophomore Tom Watts was solid on the mound and the Warriors’ offense exploded for 12 runs over a three-inning span in a win at Stoughton. Watts allowed one run on three hits and five walks, striking out a pair in four innings to get the win while Pradyu Gubbala threw a perfect inning in relief. Sophomore Ryan O’Leary had a huge day at the dish, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Sean O’Leary (RBI, three run), Louis Carangelo (two RBI, three runs), and Ben Angelini (RBI, two runs) each had two hits in the win.

Franklin @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Tuesday, 4/25 at 3:45.

King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – King Philip was held to just three hits but the Warriors rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh inning to stun Milford. KP was held to a single in the third and a single that was thrown out at second in the fifth, but its offense came through in the clutch. Freshman Johnny Prater drew a lead off walk and moved to second when Max Robison was hit by a pitch with one out. Matt Kelley delivered the big hit, roping a double to left to bring both runners home to put KP ahead for the first time. Kelley, who advanced to third on the throw, came home for the third run on a wild pitch. Milford took the lead in the bottom of the second as sophomore Joe Butler was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored when classmate Joey McGee reached on an error. Rudy Gately kept the Warriors in the game with a strong pitching performance, allowing just the one run on five hits and two walks, earning the win with six strikeouts in six innings. Sophomore Nate Pennini earned the save, working around a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh for a scoreless inning. Milford’s Evan Cornelius surrendered three runs on three hits and five walks, striking out an impressive 16 batters in a complete game effort.

Sharon, 4 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield’s late game heroics continued on Monday as the Hornets walked off with a win over an upset-minded Sharon squad. Junior Matt DeShiro had a one-out double to right and came around to score on the game-winning single from classmate Jake Maydak. Sharon jumped out to a three-run lead, pushing across a pair in the top of the first on an RBI single from Jake Loomis, who came around to score himself on an error. The Eagles tacked on another run in the third on an RBI double from Palash Raina. Mansfield rallied to tie it in the bottom half when Dylan Saraceno scored on a wild pitch, DeShiro brought in a run with an RBI ground out, and Maydak reached on an error to score Sam Martin. Mansfield took its first lead, 4-3, on a single from sophomore Luke Rogan. Sharon pulled level in the top of the sixth on another RBI double from Loomis to make it 4-4. Cole Arundale pitched well for the Eagles, allowing five runs (two earned) on nine htis and a walk, striking out three in 6.1 innings. DeShiro also earned the win on the mound, tossing a scoreless seventh inning in relief. Maydak had a strong start, allowing four runs (two earned) on hour hits and a walk, striking out eight.








Softball
Taunton, 9 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Taunton sophomore Cate Larson dazzled in the circle in a dominant performance and the Tigers’ offense did almost all of its damage in a big fourth inning to secure a win on the road over Attleboro. Larson allowed just two hits and didn’t issue a walk, striking out an impressive 18 batters in a complete game. The Tigers plated eight runs in the fourth inning and the offense was highlighted by two hits apiece from Bella Bourque (two RBI, two runs), Hayley Krockta (two RBI, two runs), and Mia Fernandes (two RBI). Ava Venturelli also had a hit, a walk, an RBI and a run scored for Taunton. Lily Routhier and Rylie Camacho each had a hit for the Bombardiers.

Oliver Ames @ Canton – Postponed to Tuesday, 4/25 at 3:45.

Stoughton, 7 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Kelly Colleran matched her program record with 19 strikeouts in seven innings, facing two batters over the limit and allowing just one hit, to pick up a bounce-back win for the Rocketeers. She also hit a solo homer, scored two runs, and drew three walks. Maddie Bailey had a hit and scored a run, Molly Willey drove in a pair, and Julia Forman scored what turned out to be the game-winning run. Lucy Palmer and Arianna McDavitt each had hits for North.

Milford, 1 @ King Philip, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip caught fire in the second inning, highlighted by senior Sarah Cullen’s grand slam, and the Warriors landed a big win over visiting Milford. Cullen had a big day at the plate with a pair of hits and the big home run — both coming in KP’s 13-run second inning. Freshman Ali Gill (2-for-4, two RBI, two runs) also had a home run in the inning. Junior Ava Kelley was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI and two runs while junior Jordan Bennett went 2-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored. Junior Sydney Burch and sophomore Liv Petrillo also had two RBI for KP. Freshman McCoy Walsh earned the win, allowing one run on two hits and four walks, striking out five in five innings. Junior Maeve Williams had an RBI single in the top of the fourth to score freshman Angelina Bonina.

Mansfield, 11 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Mansfield plated five runs off four hits — all with two outs — in the first inning and never looked back in a win over Sharon. The Hornets ended with 12 hits, scoring once in each the second, fourth, and sixth before adding three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Avery Lake and Jill Koppy paced the offense with three hits apiece while Dani Jameson and Reilly Slaney each had two hits, and Allie Koppy and Callie Lake each had one. Jameson earned the win for the Hornets, scattering six hits while striking out seven. Ally Foulsham struck out six in a complete game effort and had an RBI for the Eagles.




Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 20 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – For Taunton, Izzy Cru z had two goals and an assist to pace the offense while Oren Cullins played well in net, making 14 saves for the Tigers.

Foxboro, 10 @ Hopkinton, 5 – Final – A pair of goals late in the first half helped Foxboro grab some momentum and the Warriors carried it into the second, dominating after the break to score a 10-5 win. The Hillers held a 3-0 lead before the Warriors finally broke through late in the first, cutting the deficit to 3-2 at half. Foxboro went on to outscore the hosts 8-2 in the second half to run away with the win. Tony Sulham had a team-high three goals, Conor Noone added six points — two goals and four assists — and Jon Sacchetti chipped in with a pair of goals to pace the offense. Finn Stapleton, Aidan Waller, and Ryan Cotter each scored once while Adam Addeche made 12 saves in net in the win.

Franklin, 20 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final – Franklin built a four-goal lead after the first, extended it to seven by halftime, and ran away with it for good in the second half on the road at North Attleboro. Jayden Consigli (one assist) had a team-high four goals while Luke Davis (three assists) and Tyler Sacchetti (one assist) each added three goals in the win. Eddie O’Brien (one assist) and Ryan Grasso chipped in with two goals apiece.

Mansfield, 4 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – King Philip’s James Boldy and Mansfield’s Ryan DeGirolamo both delivered in a battle of two of the top goalies in the league, but it wa the Warriors that outlasted the visiting Hornets. Boldy turned away 14 saves in the win while DeGirolamo had another stellar outing, making 23 saves. Noah Minkwitz netted four goals and had two assists to lead the offensive charge for KP. Donovan DeVellis added two goals, Hayden Schmitz (two assist), Cullen McCarthy, and Nick Longobardi each scored once, and Mason Thomas (two assists), Justin Kosh, and Tommy Kilroy each had an assist. Nico Smith (two goals, one assist) and Tommy Smith (one goal, two assists) each had three points for the Hornets while Drew Sacco scored once and had one helper.

Sharon, 13 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Sharon and Oliver Ames were locked in a tight game throughout the first half but the Eagles were able to pull away for the win on the road. For OA, Ben Reardon scored a hat trick and had one assist while Ryan Jaco and Shaun Teehan each scored twice and added an assist.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 3 @ Canton, 16 – Final – The Bulldogs had eight different players find the back of the net in a big win at home against visiting Taunton. Ella Yeaton paced the balanced attack with four goals while Nora Giannacopoulos added three for the Bulldogs. Kayleigh Koen (two goals) and Lauren Shatkin (two goals) each scored their first varsity goal in the win while freshman Olivia McCabe made her debut in net, turning away six shots.

Foxboro, 15 vs. Hopkinton, 8 – Final – Foxboro got contributions from all over in a big win against Hopkinton. Mya Waryas recorded a team-high seven points, scoring twice and spreading the ball around for five assists. Paige Curran chipped in with four goals and two assists, Val Beigel found the back of the net four times, Mary Collins scored a hat trick, and both Addie Riley (one assist) and Cate Noone (two assists) scored once. Sofia Lucente earned the win in the cage, making a pair of saves.

Franklin, 6 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury, 9 – Final – The Panthers got off to a great start but Lincoln-Sudbury rallied to take the win. Franklin scored the first four goals of the game but the visiting Warriors scored four of the next five goals to cut the deficit to just one, 5-4, at halftime. Katie Peterson had two goals and eight draw controls, Jamie Tanner scored twice with two helpers, and Kaitlyn Carney scored once with two assists.




Boys Tennis
Taunton, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – Taking a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action, Attleboro defended home court with a 4-1 decision over visiting Taunton. Kyle Neuendorf and Tyler Rocchio both battled to tough three-set victories with Neuendorf grabbing a 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 win at first singles and Rocchio prevailing 6-1, 2-6, 6-1 at second singles. The team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen earned a straight set 6-3, 6-3 first doubles win, and Attleboro’s second doubles team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler only dropped two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win. Taunton’s Heitor Sens emerged from third singles with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-2 win.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton swept singles action and added one more win in doubles play to defend home court against Oliver Ames. Max Kupferman, Bharat Ramanathan, and Justin Ngan each won in singles action, and the team of seniors Davis Lamb and Jorge Nebril secured a 6-3, 6-1 verdict at first doubles. OA’s Nick Wagner and Brendan Teehan dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – All four of Foxboro’s wins came in straight sets, two from singles action and a sweep of the doubles matches, to beat Stoughton. Raj Jetty rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 win at second singles while Luca Meyer took home a 6-2, 6-2 decision at second singles for the Warriors. The team of Nathan Cote and Ryan Fossella won a tight battle at first doubles, 7-6 (4), 6-4, and the team of Greg Simone and Evan Paluzzi dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin picked up three close wins to earn a tight win over visiting North Attleboro. All three of the Panthers’ wins involved a tiebreaker but were completed in straight sets. Ahan Shetty prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (3) at second singles and Andrew Amante added a 7-6 (2), 6-1 win at third singles for Franklin. The Panthers’ first doubles team of Eric Tomaino and Aaron Ramaswamy secured a 6-4, 7-6 (2) win at first doubles to help clinch the win. North Attleboro senior Brody Carter took a 6-4, 6-2 win at first singles while the junior pairing of Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna landed a 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s second doubles team of Logan Riley and Ashrith Epuri rallied from a one-set deficit, earned a close win in the second set, and completed the comeback in the third set to get the win and clinch the match for the Warriors. Riley and Epuri won by the score of 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 while Luke Bailor earned a hard-fought 7-6, 6-3 win at first singles and Arjun Kollu secured a 7-6, 6-1 win at second singles. Milford’s Corey Rattray grabbed a 6-2, 7-6 win at third singles, and the team of Sean Preveligo and Todd Ostertag picked up a 6-4, 7-6 win at first doubles.

Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept both doubles matches and took two more victories from singles actions in a 4-1 win over visiting Mansfield. Jacob Slavsky took the win in a hard-fought first singles win (6-3, 6-4) while Matthew Lally did the same at second singles, emerging with a 6-4, 6-1 win. The team of senior Rithvik Neti and sophomore Sava Kassev earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles pairing of senior Mihir Basil and sophomore Joel Zwicker won 6-2, 6-4. Mansfield’s Iniyan Karruppusami prevailed in a three-set battle, taking a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (4) win at third singles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – A sweep of both doubles matches and a win at first singles helped Attleboro secure a key road win at Taunton. Maddie Fuscaldo took a 6-2, 6-1 win at first singles for the lone Attleboro win in single action. the Tram of Zoe Stanley and Kyra Johnson added a 6-1, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos added a 6-1, 6-3 verdict at second doubles for the Bombardiers. Taunton’s Ava Alves didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 second singles win and Morgan Smith did the same for a victory at third singles for the Tigers.

Canton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames was victorious in a pair of tight doubles matches and the Tigers added two more wins in singles action to knock off Canton. The team of Ava Barth and Emily Beaulieu battled to a 6-4, 7-6 (5) win at first doubles for the Tigers, and OA’s second doubles pairing of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski earned a 6-3, 7-5. Hannah Farber didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 first singles victory, while Olivia Querzoli earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at second singles. Canton’s Charlotte Powers took a hard-fought 6-4, 6-3 decision at third singles.

Foxboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s second doubles team of Katelynn Dineen and Shannon McElhinney emerged victorious after a three-set battle to help the Warriors clinch the win over Stoughton. Dineen and McElhinney rallied from a one-set deficit to earn a 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win for the Warriors. Hailey Kornbluth added a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles and the team of Audrey Paolino and Analise Tia dropped three games in a 6-1, 6-2 first doubles win. Stoughton’s Nadia Prokopiuk battled to a 6-3, 6-3 second singles win while sophomore Dhruvi Patel won a marathon of a match, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) at third singles.

Franklin, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro picked up one of its best wins of the season, taking down visiting Franklin 4-1 behind a singles sweep and one doubles win. Junior Lauren Hunt earned a 6-2, 6-1 win at first singles, sophomore Megan Atwood picked up a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and senior Grace Noreck rolled to a 6-0, 6-2 verdict at third singles. North’s fourth win came from the sophomore pairing of Grace Manning and Jayla Stone, who took a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win at second doubles. Franklin’s Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen, both sophomores, grabbed a 6-0, 7-6 (4) win at first doubles.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – KP senior Ahunna James had a dominant showing, highlighting the Warriors’ clean sweep with all five matches won in straight sets. James didn’t drop a game in an impressive performance (6-0, 6-0) at first singles, Shea Mellman won by the same score at second singles, and Caroline Freese completed the singles sweep with a 6-3, 6-1 victory at third singles. The team of Caroline Burns and Priya Riar used a strong net game to secure a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles, and the team of Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at second doubles for KP.

Sharon, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Sharon showed no rust from 10 days off, sweeping the Hornets with all five matches being won in straight sets. Judy Song (6-1, 6-0), Navya Shukla (6-0, 6-0), and Ale Aguilar (6-1, 6-2) each won their singles matches. At doubles, the teams of Olivia Landstein and Sophia Oh (6-2, 6-0) and Alina Hou and Jada Villaroel (6-4, 6-4) earned wins for the Eagles.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 @ Medfield, 0 – Final
Taunton @ Barnstable, 5:15

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/19/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 0 @ Needham, 7 – Final

Franklin, 9 @ Catholic Memorial, 2 – Final – Franklin senior Tyler Bellan provided an early spark offensively and classmate Alfred Mucciarone had another double-digit strikeout performance on the mound as the Panthers picked up an impressive 9-2 win at Catholic Memorial. Bellan belted a two-out three-run home run in the top of the first inning to give Franklin a lead that it never relinquished. Franklin went on to push across five runs in the fourth inning to pull away from the Knights for good. Eisig Chin (run), Henry Digiorgio (two RBI, two runs), Rex Cinelli, and Ethan DePaolo (run) each had a pair of hits in the win while Ben Jarosz knocked in three runs. Mucciarone allowed one run on four hits and no walks in six innings, striking out 11 batters for the win.

King Philip, 4 @ Walpole, 3 – Final – Freshman Leo Dowling drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs to bring Max Robison home for the go-ahead run in the top of the sixth inning and junior Tommy McLeish slammed the door shut for the save in the seventh as the Warriors secured a key win on the road. After falling behind by a run, the Warriors struck for three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take the lead. Robison led off the fifth with a single and eventually came home to score on an error, and Aiden Astorino drove in a run with a one-out single to make it 2-1. Rudy Gately reached on an error, McLeish was intentionally walked to load the bases and freshman Johnny Prater drew a bases-loaded walk to give KP a 3-1 advantage. After the Timberwolves scored twice to tie the game, KP jumped back ahead in the top of the sixth. Robison had a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice from Matt Kelley, and after walks to Brendan Sencaj and Astorino, Dowling walked to bring in a run. Nate Pennini earned the win for KP, allowing three runs on six hits and no walks, striking out three in five innings of work. TJ Ahern threw a scoreless sixth inning with one strikeout while McLeish struck out one in the seventh for the save.

Mansfield, 3 vs. St. John’s Prep, 2 – Final (9 inn.) – Mansfield tied the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and then walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to cap a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over visiting St. John’s Prep. The Hornets took the lead originally in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Aidan Jones but Prep plated a pair in the fourth and kept that lead all the way to the final inning. Junior Dylan Saraceno had a leadoff walk and moved to second on a sacrifice from Jones. Connor Curtis roped a double to left to bring the tying run in. Curtis had a one-out single in the ninth, stole second, and came in to score on Matt DeShiro’s double to right to win the game. Jake Maydak had a strong start for Mansfield, allowing a pair of runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out 10 in seven innings. Brian Butler tossed two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two.

Milford, 9 @ Oxford, 1 – Final – Milford’s offense erupted for nine runs on its way to a big win over Oxford, the program’s second win in as many days. Damien Carter had a pair of hits and scored a team-high three runs while Evan Cornelius had two hits, one RBI, and a run scored. Cam DelPrete cleared the bases with a three-run double for the Hawks in the top of the seventh inning. Anthony LaPierre earned the win on the mound, allowing just one run on four hits and four walks, recording 12 strikeouts in a complete game effort.

Oliver Ames, 6 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 5 – Final – Harrison Fitzpatrick celebrated his birthday by helping Oliver Ames celebrate a win over Dighton-Rehoboth in a non-league clash on Wednesday. Fitzpatrick had a hat and scored a couple of runs for the Tigers while Patrick Finnerty had a deep triple — through the tree in center field at Frothingham — and scored a run while Jack Perron had the go-ahead RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning. Andrew Zagami was terrific in relief for OA, earning the win after tossing 4.2 innings.

Sharon, 2 @ Brookline, 8 – Final – Seth Bonner had a big day offensively but the Eagles fell on the road against Brookline. Bonner had two hits including a double, notching and RBI and scoring a run for the Eagles. Luke Meixel pitched well in relief, allowing one run on four hits and one walk, striking out three in 2.2 innings out of the pen.

Softball
Franklin, 0 @ Abington, 5 – Final

Boys Lacrosse
North Attleboro vs. Dartmouth, 12:00

Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro @ Dartmouth, 5:30

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/18/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Milton, 4 – Final – Foxboro pulled even with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, but the defending D2 state champions used a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with the win. The Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first but the Warriors cut the deficit in half with a two-out single from sophomore Mike Marcucella to score Louis Carangelo from second. Milton answered back in the bottom of the fourth to restore its two-run lead but Foxboro tied the game in the top of the fifth. Ryan LeClair drove in Tyler Prescott (walk) with a one-out triple, and then LeClair scored after an error to make it 3-3. Sophomore Nolan Gordon had a solid outing, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks, striking out three in 5.1 innings of work.

King Philip, 9 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final – King Philip’s offense belted out 13 hits and Rudy Gately dazzled on the mound as the Warriors put together one of their best games of the season with a 9-0 win over Bishop Feehan. Gately tossed a one-hitter (a first inning double) and just two walks, striking out six in a complete game shutout. KP’s offense pushed across a pair of runs in the second, single runs in the third and fifth, and put the game away with a five-run sixth inning. Max Robison (three RBI, run), Matt Kelley (two runs), Aiden Astorino (two RBI, run), Johnny Prater (RBI, run), and Tommy Martorano (run) each had a pair of hits for KP.

Milford, 5 vs. Westboro, 4 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 vs. Hopkinton, 3 – Final – Jordan Paradis (run), Gio Martello, Ayden Delaney, and Chris Hanewich each had a hit for the Rocketeers. Dillon Harding pitched well on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, striking out six in a complete game.

Stoughton, 7 @ Brockton, 6 – Final – Stoughton held off a late charge from the hosts to secure its first win of the season. The Black Knights scored three runs in both the first and third innings and the eventual game-winning run came in the fifth inning. Joe Rush had two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored to lead the charge offensively for Stoughton. Jeriel Cuello also had two hits and two RBI while Ben Shirey drove in a pair and scored once. Hunter Malkin earned the win, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits and six walks, striking out six in six innings of work.








Softball
King Philip, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – A pair of early home runs and a three-run third inning helped King Philip start a busy week with a win over Bishop Feehan. The Shamrocks jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but freshman Ali Gill and senior Libby Walsh hit back-to-back home runs to get the Warriors on the board. Tied at 2-2, the Warriors pushed three more runs across the plate to take the lead for good. Charlotte Raymond drew a bases-loaded walk, Maddie Paschke drove in a run with a single, and Liv Petrillo (single) came home on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Regan to make it 5-2. Walsh added a sac fly to score Sarah Cullen in the sixth inning. Feehan rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, and brought the go-ahead run to the plate but KP freshman McCoy Walsh (7IP, 7H, 6BB, 11K) finished it out with a strikeout.

North Attleboro, 16 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final (5 Inn.) – Kelly Colleran had a huge game at the plate and in the circle to earn North a big win. Colleran went the distance, striking out 14 batters, and set a school record at the plate with four homers and nine RBI. Arianna McDavitt had three hits and scored three runs. Molly Willey was 2-for-2 with two walks and Emma Hanwell had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI. Freshman Lucy Palmer got her first start behind the plate and had a hit and a couple of sacrifices. Grace Simmons and Maddie Bailey each scored twice for North.

Franklin, 4 vs. Walpole, 14 – Final

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Whitman-Hanson, 2 – Final – Katie Melendy had another strong performance in the circle against Whitman-Hanson but the Panthers scored a single run in each the third and fifth innings to earn a season split. Melendy limited the Panthers to two run on four hits and a pair of walks, striking out 10. Maddie Homer, Devon Morris (double), Crystaliah Covel, and Emily Martin each had a hit for OA.




Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 vs. Marshfield, 9 – Final – Foxboro came up just short in its opening round matchup at the Chowda Cup, falling 9-7 to Marshfield. Conor Noone paced the Warriors’ offense with six goals while Tony Sulham scored once. Head coach Matt Noone praised the efforts of Ryan Cotter and Cam Deleskey in the midfield, and Adam Addeche turned away seven shots in net. Foxboro will play Hanover on Thursday at 10:00AM at Norwell High.

Franklin, 16 vs. Medfield, 2 – Final – Franklin jumped out to a four goal lead at the end of the first quarter, extended the advantage to seven by halftime, and never looked back in a runaway victory over Medfield. Luke Davis and Tyler Sachetti each had four goals and two assists to lead Franklin’s potent offensive attack while Jayden Consigli added three goals and one assist, and Eddie O’Brien scored twice and had one helper. Matt Corvi (six saves) and Mike Galvin (four saves) both played well in net while Jacob Alexander (one goal) won 14-of-17 faceoffs.

King Philip, 4 @ Catholic Memorial, 6 – Final – King Philip came up just short on the road at Catholic Memorial but not without a tremendous effort in net from senior James Boldy. Boldy recorded 18 saves in the game, including some point blank stops from in close, to keep the Warriors in the game. Donovan DeVellis scored twice and assisted on KP’s other two goals, scored by Henry LeClair and Cullen McCarthy. Alex Viscusi went 9-for-12 on faceoffs for the Warriors.

Mansfield, 8 vs. Falmouth, 13 – Final

Oliver Ames, 12 vs. Ashland, 3 – Final – OA’s Ben Reardon had a big day offensively with 10 points to lead the Tigers to a big win over visiting Ashland. Reardon scored seven goals and had three assists to lead OA, which established a 7-1 edge by halftime. Alex McAndrew added one goal and three assists, Ryan Jaco scored twice, and Shaun Teehan and Evan Jaco each recorded a goal and an assist in the win.




Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 @ Walpole, 11 – Final – Foxboro suffered its first setback of the season, dropping a competitive contest with state powerhouse Walpole. Val Beigel had three goals to pace the offense while Paige Curran (two assists), Mya Warya (two assists), Cate Noone (one assist), and Mary Collins each scored once. Audrey Campbell played well in net with 10 saves.

Franklin, 15 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Franklin built a six-goal lead in a blink of an eye and never looked back in a rout of Bishop Feehan. Katie Peterson shined on attack for the hosts, potting a team-high six goals along with a pair of assists and seven draw controls. Jamie Tanner (two assists) and Emily Carney (assist) each had a pair of goals, Norah MacCallum had another strong defensive game with a pair of caused turnovers, and Ella Mahoney made four saves in the win.

King Philip, 15 @ Medfield, 17 – Final – A wild back-and-forth game ended with King Philip falling by two in a 17-15 loss to perennial state powerhouse Medfield. Nikki McDonald led KP with six goals while Alyssa Legere had a strong outing with four goals and one assist.

Mansfield, 11 vs. Mt. Hope (R.I.), 10 – Final – A balanced offensive attack led Mansfield to a one-goal win over visiting Mt. Hope on Tuesday. Ava Adams, Rose Maher, and Lola Varricchione (five draw controls, one assist) each scored three goals to lead the charge offensively for the Hornets. Stella Moore added one goal, Ella Souza had one assist, Carys Colby recorded seven draw controls, and Lana DiSangro came up with nine saves in the win.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/14/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Milford, 9 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Milford raced out to a four-run lead over the first three innings and then put the game away with a big five-run sixth inning to pick up a win on the road at Canton. Damien Carter (RBI double, two runs) and Mason Baldic (run) each had a pair of hits to lead the Hawks’ offense, which scored twice in the first and then once each in the second (Sean McGee RBI walk) and once more in the third. Canton cut the deficit down to one on an RBI single from Matt Lesser and a two-run single from Kyle Redquest, but the Hawks rallied for five runs in the sixth. Evan Corenlius had an RBI single, Carter scored on a passed ball, and McGee had a two-run single. Carter got the win on the mound, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, striking out nine in five innings. Ian Carter came in and tossed two scoreless innings with just three walks issued, striking out five.

King Philip, 8 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Coming off a shutout loss earlier in the week, King Philip’s offense had a bounce back performance with an 8-2 win over Foxboro. After two scoreless innings from both teams, King Philip scored in each of the final five innings, and never trailed in the game. Rudy Gately was one of three Warriors with a pair if hits, driving in four runs on the day. Matt Kelley (two runs, RBI) and freshman Leo Dowling also had two hits. Tommy Martorano drove in a pair of runs while Tommy McLeish had a solo home run in the fourth to make it 3-0, KP sophomore Cameron Hasenfus had a strong outing on the mound, allowing two runs (one earned) one three hits and a pair of walks, striking out seven in a complete game effort. Ben Angelini had an RBI triple and Ryan O’Leary brought in a run for Foxboro on a sac fly.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Buoyed by a big second inning offensively and another stellar pitching performance, Franklin secured an 8-0 win over Sharon. Matt Miller allowed just one hit in three shutout innings, striking out a pair for the win. Zach Ramaswamy (1IP), Jake Shaughnessy (2IP, 5K), and Dillon Cashin (1IP, 1K) didn’t allow a hit in relief for the Panthers. Ryan Gerety scored in the first inning and then smacked a two-run double to highlight Franklin’s six-run second inning. Jase Lyons, Eisig Chin, Mike Davide, Ryan Carlucci, and Luke Sidwell also had an RBI in the win.

Taunton, 14 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final – Mansfield put Taunton on upset alert by scoring four runs in the fifth inning to take a one-run lead but the Tigers struck back for eight runs in the top of the sixth to secure the win on the road. Dawson Bryce, Dwayne Burgo, and Andrew Cali each had an RBI early on as the Tigers jumped out to a 5-0 lead through the first two innings, but a three-run double from Connor Curtis in the bottom of the fourth brought the Hornets right back in it. Shawn Cali got one back from Taunton in the top of the fifth but the Hornets went to work in the bottom half. Sam Martin and Jake Maydak each hit an RBI double and two runs came in to score after a single from Kyle Marnikovic, putting Mansfield ahead 7-6. Burgo ignited Taunton’s comeback with a leadoff double and scored on a single from Brayden Cali. Ryan MacDougall (RBI single), Bryce (error), Shawn Cali (RBI single), Sean Murphy (walk), Burgo (two-run single), and Brayden Cali all brought runs in for the Tigers. Peter Moor earned the win in relief, allowing just one hit and one walk in 1.1 innings of work while Bryce closed things out with a scoreless inning.

North Attleboro, 10 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – North Attleboro pushed across four runs in the top of the first and never trailed in a 10-4 win on the road at Stoughton. Nate Kelly stayed hot with an RBI single to plate Jordan Paradis (leadoff single), Gio Martello laced a one-out, two-run single to center, and Reed Collins had a two-out RBI single to hand the Rocketeers an early 4-0 lead. North added two runs in the third (Martello RBI single, Collins RBI groundout), the eighth (Collins two-run single), and the seventh (Derek Maceda two-out, two-run single). Ayden Delaney earned the win for North Attleboro, allowing three runs (one earned) on two hits and four walks, striking our a pair in three innings. Maceda tossed four innings in relief, surrendering just one unearned run on three hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts. Stoughton’s Jeriel Cuello went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored. Liam Dunn pitched well in relief for the Black Knights with just two hits and a walk resulting in two unearned runs in 2.2 innings.








Softball
Canton, 2 @ Milford, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Milford had a dozen hits as a team and scored nine runs in the opening two innings to earn its second win in the last three games. Freshman Katelyn Kearnan sparked the Hawks from the eight-hole, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI. Cae Pellegrini, Maeve Williams, and Jianna Fernandes (two doubles) each had a pair of hits for Milford and combined to drive in five. Olivia and Ava Baglione (two runs) and Maeve Driscoll each had hits as well. Driscoll earned the win in the circle, going the distance allowing six hits and one earned run and striking out seven. Chloe Guernschuny was 2-for-3 for Canton. Anna Lehan drove in one and Laura Valkanas had a double.

Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 12 – Final (5 Inn.) – Franklin broke the game open in the fourth inning to earn the five-inning win. For Sharon, Manasa Josyula struck out two over three innings, while Ally Foulsham struck out two in the fourth.

Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 14 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton used a pair of big innings to score a big win against visiting Mansfield on Friday afternoon. The Tigers scored once in the second but did the majority of their damage in the third inning (six runs) and the seventh inning (seven runs). Kaysie DeMoura (two RBI, two runs) and Sam Lincoln (double, RBI) each had two hits while Bella Bourque drove in three runs to lead the Tigers’ offense. DeMoura, Hayley Krockta, and Taylah DeCosta each drove in a pair of runs in the win. Lincoln was the winner in the circle, allowing two unearned runs on one hit and one walk, striking out six. Mansfield had a good start as they took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Molly Kucharski singled and scored on a sac bunt and error by Reilley Slaney, who then came home to score later in the inning on a bunt from Allie Koppy.

Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Kelly Colleran threw just 80 pitches and faced only one more than the minimum, striking out 16 to earn the shutout. She also had a pair of homers and drove in half of North’s runs. Maryellen Charette had a big game behind the plate, calling a great game and throwing out a base stealer early in the game. Arianna McDavitt had a three-run double in the fourth inning and Molly Willey and Emma Hanwell each had two hits for the Rocketeers. Emily Tucker scored a pair of runs and Grace Simmons scored once.




Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 10 vs. Hanover, 6 – Final – The teams went into halftime tied 4-4, but Canton outscored Hanover 6-2 in the second half to pull out the non-league win. Ethan Keleher led the Bulldogs with four goals. Jeffrey Chaput added three tallies and Michael Thomas had a pair of goals. Pat Drury had a big game in goal, making 15 saves in the win.

Franklin, 13 @ Acton-Boxboro, 11 – Final – On the road, against one of the top teams in the state, Franklin rallied in the fourth quarter to pull out an impressive win. Trailing 10-8 after three, the Panthers outscored A-B 5-1, including a run in the final two minutes, to secure the win. Luke Davis scored five goals and dished out an assist to lead Franklin’s attack. Jayden Consigli had a hat trick of goals and a hat trick of assists and Tyler Sacchetti had three scores and a helper. Drew Hansen scored twice for the Panthers. Justin Alexander dominated face offs, winning 22-of-25 and Michael Galvin made six saves.

King Philip, 7 vs. Hopkinton, 6 – Final (OT) – James Boldy had another strong performance in net and Henry LeClair was dominant at the face-off ‘X’ to lead the Warriors to an overtime win over Hopkinton. Boldy made 12 saves in the win while LeClair, who had one goal, won 11 of 13 faceoffs. Donovan DeVellis and Mason Thompson each scored a pair of goals and had two assists to lead KP’s offense while Justin Kosh (two assists) and Cullen McCarthy (assist) each scored once.

Milford @ Seekonk, 4:15

North Attleboro, 11 vs. Bishop Feehan, 14 – Final

Sharon, 17 @ Cardinal Spellman, 5 – Final

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 13 @ Braintree, 14 – Final – Emily McCabe had six goals and four assists, but Braintree was able to edge Canton in a tough, non-league battle. Ella Yeaton, Nora Giannacopoulos, and Shannon McGrann each scored twice for the Bulldogs.

Franklin, 10 vs. Westwood, 14 – Final – In a battle of two of the top teams in the state, Franklin and Westwood were tied 6-6 at halftime, but the visiting Wolverines went on a late run to pull out a back-and-forth game. Lindsay Atkinson sparked Franklin’s attack with four goals and Katie Peterson added a hat trick. Jamie Tanner secured five draw controls and Julia Flynn put in a strong overall performance on both ends of the field.

Sharon, 3 vs. Ursuline Academy, 17 – Final

Stoughton, 3 vs. Dedham, 8 – Final – Morgan Groppi, Amanda Reid, and Hazel McBurney each scored once for the Black Knights. Groppi also had a pair of draw controls and Jordan Coleman made 11 saves for Stoughton.




Boys Tennis
Canton, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – After falling behind by three games in the second set, Canton’s second doubles team of Drew Garrett and Jon Sithivong rallied to win three straight games and then the tiebreaker to clinch the game and secure a 3-2 win for Canton. Garrett and Sithivong finished with a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) win while Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan won in straight sets at first and second singles, respectively.

Foxboro, 5 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – Foxboro bounced back after a couple of tough losses by earning a sweep of KP. Haji Glover (6-0, 6-1) and Raj Jetty (6-2, 6-2) won their singles matches in straight sets to put the visitors in charge. Greg Simone and Viz Chavalan also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The other two matches both went to three sets. Foxboro’s second doubles team of Ryan Fossella and Evan Paluzzi edged Leo Manning and Brent Schneider 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. At third singles, Luca Meyer pulled out a three-set win over Arjun Kollu.

Sharon, 5 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Sharon swept Franklin to stay level with Mansfield atop the Davenport division standings. The Eagles were especially impressive in doubles, as the teams of Sava Kassev and Rithvik Neti and Kevin Li and Joel Zwicker dropped only one game combined. Jacob Slavsky (6-2, 6-1), Matthew Lally (6-2, 6-4), and Alex Budovalcev (6-1, 7-6 (4)) also won in straight sets.

Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North won its second straight match to stay on top in the Kelley-Rex. The Rocketeers got straight set wins at all three singles matches. Brody Carter (6-3, 6-2), Darren Liang (6-0, 6-1), and Caleb Cheney (6-1, 6-4) each picked up points for the hosts. Stoughton got a point at first doubles. Anthony Maylock and Aadil Vihad won 7-6, 6-4 to avoid the sweep. North got its fourth point at second doubles. Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna won 6-1, 7-5.

Girls Tennis
Franklin, 1 @ Sharon, 4 – Final – Sharon swept singles and got a point at second doubles to earn the crossover win against Franklin. Judy Song won 6-2, 6-1 at first singles, Navya Shukla won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles, and Ale Aguilar won 6-2, 6-3 at third singles to earn the Eagles the points that they needed. Olivia Landstein and Jenny Sand secured a fourth point with a 6-1, 6-4 win. The first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen made sure the Panthers avoided the sweep by winning 6-3, 7-6.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – North won both of its doubles matches to extend its win streak to five games to start the season. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva won 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles and Jayla Stone and Grace Manning added a 6-1, 6-2 win at second doubles. Grace Noreck also won in straight sets at second singles to improve North’s record to 5-0. Ally Lada won two tiebreakers, both 7-5, to earn the 7-6, 7-6 win at first singles and Stoughton also got a point at third singles with Dhruvi Patel winning 6-3, 6-2.

Boys Volleyball
Milford, 3 vs. Cambridge, 1 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 04/12/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro junior Jonny Pagano had a stellar outing on the mound and the Bombardiers used a late run to slip past visiting King Philip. Pagano tossed a complete game shutout, scattering four hits (two singles, two doubles) and five walks while striking out five in the win. The game stayed scoreless for five-and-a-half innings before the Bombardiers were able to break through in the bottom of the sixth. Casey Victorio drew a two-out walk and Jackson Huntington sent the third pitch he saw into left for an RBI double for the lone run of the game. Rudy Gately had a strong game on the mound for KP, allowing just one run on three hits and four walks, striking out five in 5.2 innings of work.

Canton, 12 @ Stoughton, 5 – Final – Canton rallied from a 5-2 deficit to take the lead in the fifth inning, before breaking the game open with a six-run sixth to earn a big bounce back win. Jack Digirolamo was 2-for-4 with a run scored and three driven in. Owen Lane sparked the offense from the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a pair of runs scored. Matt Hart was also 2-for-3 and drove in three, while Nick Gillis had a double and a triple and drove in two. James Young added two hits and an RBI from the nine-hole. Hunter Malkin had a pair of hits and a pair of RBI for the Black Knights, who also got a double and an RBI from Sean Farley. Freshman Chris Pirrera hung tough after giving up five runs (one earned) in the first two innings and ended up going 4-2/3 with three strikeouts. Kyle Redquest earned the win in relief, throwing 2-1/3 scoreless innings.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 14 – Final (6 Inn.) – Foxboro jumped out to an early lead with five runs between the first two innings and exploded for six more in the fifth to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Ryan LeClair had a big day at the dish for the Warriors, going 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, a pair of stolen bases, and two runs scored to pace the offense. Ben Angelini (two RBI, two doubles, run), Mat Sullivan (two runs), and Aidan Stow (run) each added two hits in the win. Tyler Prescott reached four times from the leadoff spot with a hit and three walks, driving in three runs with four runs scored. Nolan Gordon earned the win on the mound after tossing five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, striking out two. Palash Raina had a double and a triple with a run scored for the Eagles while sophomore Casey Stengel went 2-for-2 with a pair of runs.

Franklin, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – In a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s state championship game, Franklin edged out Taunton by a run in the first meeting between the two teams. Junior Austin Campbell had another stellar start as he allowed just two runs on six hits and no walks, striking out nine to earn the win. The Panthers plated all three of their runs between the first two innings, taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Back-to-back two-out singles from Henry Digiorgio and Jase Lyons resulted in the first run of the game as Eisig Chin (who reached on a fielder’s choice) crossed home plate. In the second, Ethan DePaolo singled and Luke Sidwell reached on an error, and two batters later, both came home to score on a single from Lyons. Taunton got two back in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan MacDougall smacked a one-out, two run triple to score both Dwayne Burgo (double) and Brayden Cali (single). Shawn Cali pitched well in the loss with three unearned runs allowed on nine hits and no walks, striking out one in a complete game.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Jake Maydak went the distance, scattering eight hits and allowing only two runs, helping Mansfield end its three-game losing streak and get back to .500 in Hock play. Maydak also went 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Mansfield opened the scoring in the first but the Tigers tied it with a single run in the top of the second. The Hornets broke the game open with three in the third. OA cut the lead to two with a run in the fourth but Mansfield tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Matthew DeShiro had a hit, an RBI, and scored two runs, Sam Martin scored a run, and Connor Curtis drove in one for the Hornets. Patrick Finnerty was 2-for-3 with a run scored, Harrison Fitzpatrick was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Colin Costello drove in one for the Tigers.

North Attleboro, 8 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford erased a four-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth inning but North Attleboro responded with four more in the top of the sixth to get a key win on the road at Fino Field. The Rocketeers built a four-run lead with single runs in the second, the third (Dillon Harding sac fly), the fourth (two-out RBI single from Jack Munley), and the fifth (Nate Kelly infield single), but that lead was quickly erased by the Scarlet Hawks in the bottom of the fifth. Joey McGee drove in Louis Consigli (leadoff walk), Damien Carter drew a bases loaded walk, and Keith Lee tied the game with a two-out, two-run single to score both Sean McGee and Joe Butler, who had both walked. But in the top of the sixth, North loaded the bases when Munley was hit by a pitch, Kyle Conroy and Derek Maceda drew consecutive walks, and Harding came through with a bases-clearing double. After two more walks, Gio Martello brought Harding home with a sac fly to make it 8-4. Martello pitched two scoreless innings in relief, walking two and striking out two with no hits against.








Softball
Attleboro, 3 @ King Philip, 16 – Final (6 Inn.) – King Philip’s offense continued its strong start to the season, scattering 14 hits — including three home runs — to land a big win over upset minded Attleboro. The Bombardiers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first (helped by a solo home run by Rylie Camacho) but the Warriors wasted little time erasing that deficit with five runs in the bottom of the first, including a two-run triple from Ava Kelly and an RBI single from Maddie Paschke. The Bombardiers got back on the board with a run in the top of the second when Lily Routhier was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded but KP answered with a run of its own in the bottom half, and then tacked on 10 runs over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Freshman McCoy Walsh was strong in relief for KP for the second straight came, coming in in the top of the third with the bases loaded and getting a strikeout to end the threat. Walsh finished with just one hit allowed and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, striking out nine. Sarah Cullen set the offense in motion from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with three runs scored while Kelley (3-for-4, three runs) and Paschke (2-for-4, run) each finished with four RBI. Libby Walsh and Liv Petrillo hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Paschke ended the game with a three-run blast in the bottom of the sixth.

Stoughton, 8 @ Canton, 9 – Final – Canton walked off with a big division win over Stoughton. Jess Wright led the Canton offense with three hits. Olivia Mackwell, Kailyn Durham, Anna Lehan, Sam Grady, and Kiera Redquest each 2 hits apiece in the win.

Foxboro, 13 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Emma Callahan and Ava Hill each went 4-for-4 to power the Warriors to a big road win. Callahan also picked up the win in the circle with five innings of one-run ball. Autumn Stowell threw the final two innings for the Warriors. Manasa Josyula went the distance in the circle for the Eagles, striking out seven. Isabella Zelenchuk scored twice and Maddie Hu had the third run scored for Sharon.

Franklin, 0 @ Taunton, 12 – Final (5 inn.) – After two scoreless innings, Taunton’s offense roared to life with 11 runs between the third and fourth innings while Sam Lincoln had another dominant performance in the circle for the Tigers in a win over Franklin. Taunton was limited to just one hit in the first two innings but Mia Fernandes launched a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the third and the Tigers rolled from there. Ava Venturelli and Kaysie DeMoura had back-to-back two-run doubles to push Taunton’s lead to 5-0 after three innings. After Lincoln struck out the side in the top of the fourth, Mia Torres had an RBI single, Kyleah Plumb drove in a pair with a single, and Hayley Krockta smacked a one-out, two-run single to extend the lead to 11-0. An RBI double from Abbey Doherty in the bottom of the fifth ended the game. Lincoln allowed just one hit — a single in the first inning — while striking out nine with no walks allowed.

Mansfield, 9 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final – Oliver Ames scored in every inning, including a huge seven-run sixth inning that featured three home runs to pull away from Mansfield in an offensive showdown. After teams traded runs back-and-forth, the game stood knotted at 6-6 after five innings of play. The Hornets jumped back in front after Molly Kucharski smacked a two-out double, stole third, and came home to score on an error. But OA had another response, this time in a big way. Maddie Homer (three RBI, three runs) smacked a three-run home run with two outs and three batters later, Katherine Farley (five RBI) did the same, and Crystaliah Covel followed with a solo blast as the Tigers surged ahead 13-7. A pair of bases loaded walks to Devon Morris (two home runs, four RBI) and Katie Melendy added insurance for the Tigers. Mansfield rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh with an RBI triple from Julia Marnikovic but the Tigers closed it out.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Kelly Colleran continued her dominant season, striking out 19, walking none, and allowing only four hits. She also led the way on offense. Batting leadoff, she went 1-for-2 with two walks, a homer, three runs scored, and a pair of RBI. Arianna McDavitt had a two-run single in the second inning, helping North jump out to a 5-0 lead. Molly Willey added two hits and an RBI for North. Cae Pellegrini had two of Milford’s four hits and was 2-for-3 on the day.




Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 6 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro bounced back from its first loss of the season by holding off Attleboro in a defensive battle. Tony Sulham scored two and assisted on two others to lead the Foxboro attack. Conor Noone added two goals and one assist and Jon Sachetti had one of each. Aidan Waller and Ian Foley each found the back of the net once. Adam Addeche recorded eight saves for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 6 @ Canton, 13 – Final – OA got three goals and an assist from Ben Reardon. Shawn Teehan chipped in with a score and a pair of assist and Jake Manthous and Ryan Jaco each got a goal apiece.

Sharon, 7 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – Franklin’s Jake Davis and Tyler Sacchetti each scored five goals and had three assists as the Panthers rolled to another league win, this time over visiting Sharon. Franklin jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter as, Davis, Sacchetti, Jayden Consigli (four goals, one assist) and Ryan Grasso each scored once. The Panthers then rattled off 11 unanswered goals in the second quarter to take a commanding 15-1 lead by halftime. Justin Alexander went 21-for-23 on face offs and had an assist in the win.

King Philip, 20 @ Milford, 7 – Final – KP had 11 players record a point in a big win. Donovan DeVellis was the top scorer for the Warriors with five goals and three assists. Mason Thompson scored twice and dished out five assists, Hayden Schmitz had two goals and three assists, Jacob Booth had three goals and one helper, and Aiden McCarthy had a pair of goals. James Boldy was big in the cage, coming up with 15 saves for KP.

Mansfield @ North Attleboro, 3:45

Girls Lacrosse
Foxboro, 18 @ Attleboro, 5 – Final – The Warriors stayed perfect with a big win over Attleboro. Mya Waryas and Paige Curran each scored five goals for Foxboro. Waryas added three assists. Val Beigel had a hat trick, Mary Collins had two goals and two assists, Addie Riley had two goals and a helper, and Cate Noone scored one and added a hat trick of assists. Audrey Campbell had a pair of saves in the win. Amelia Collins and Isabella Cavallini each scored twice for the Bombardiers, while Addison Papagolos had one goal and Makenah Stones had one assist. Cavallini also chipped in with five draw controls.

Canton, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Sierra Abbott had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who picked up an important division win. Nara Giannacopoulos added her first varsity goal, one of seven Canton players to record at least one point. Ashley Balunas came up with seven big saves to help secure the win.

Franklin, 20 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Franklin went on the road and came back home with another league win, rolling to a 20-1 decision at Sharon. Katie Ryan had a strong game with three goals and two assists, Payten Crandall added two goals, and Norah MacCallum had a strong game defensively for the Panthers.

Milford, 4 @ King Philip, 19 – Final – Ten players recorded points for the Warriors, who bounced back with a big home win. Makenzie McDevitt continued her strong start to the season with a career-high nine points. She scofred four goals and added five assists. Nicole McDonald also tallied four goals, while Alyssa Legere, Lily McNulty, Emily Heslin, and Abby MacDonald each had a pair of scores. Haley Bright made five saves in the win. Emily Croteau scored twice for the Hawks, Carly Haley and TJ Downing each scored once, and Rhea Mathew and Erin Michelson each recorded an assist. Caitlyn Bangert played well in net for Milford with 11 saves.

North Attleboro, 6 @ Mansfield, 16 – Final – Mansfield built a three-goal lead but pulled away with a strong second half to knock off visiting North Attleboro. Ava Adams led the charge offensively with five goals while Cammy Shanteler, Tessa Johnson, Lola Varricchione, Ella Palanza, and Stella Moore (two assists) each scored twice. Rose Maher added a goal and two helpers with Carys Colby and Ella Souza each had one assist in the win. Caitlyn Zajac made eight saves for the Hornets.

Stoughton, 9 @ Taunton, 13 – Final – Taunton broke into the win column by taking down visiting Stoughton on Wednesday. Cali Melo paced the offense with five goals and two assists while Maddi Szala had a strong game with three goals and one assists. Raquel Azevedo added two goals while Caroline Vallarelli and Talia O’Leary each scored once; Mel Jesus turned away 12 shots for the Tigers. Stoughton had its best performance of its debut season. Morgan Groppi led the way for the Black Knights with six goals, while Amanda Reid added two and Nicole Reid had a goal and an assist. Mia Rivera added an assist and Jordan Coleman made six saves for Stoughton.




Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Attleboro won a pair of matches — one singles, one doubles — in three sets to secure a 4-1 decision on the road at KP. Tyler Rocchio overcame a one-set deficit to win two tight sets in a row at second singles (3-6, 6-3, 6-4) while the team of Noem Cook and Clay Tyler prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 at second doubles to help swing the match to the Bombardiers. Kyle Neuendorf picked up another win at first singles with a 6-2, 6-1 win while the team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles. KP’s Luke Bailer didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles.

Stoughton, 1 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton’s first and second singles players Max Kupferman and Bharat Ramanathan continued to roll early in the season, helping the Bulldogs knock off neighboring Stoughton. Both Kupferman and Ramanathan won in straight sets without dropping a game while sophomore Justin Ngan added a 6-3, 6-3 win at third singles to complete the singles play sweep. The team of Drew Garrett and Matt Wright added a 6-2, 6-0 win for Canton.

Foxboro, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court by taking all five matches in straight sets against Davenport foe Foxboro. Sophomore Jacob Slavsky earned a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Matthew Lally dropped just one game in each set for a 6-1, 6-1 win, and Alex Budovalcev rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 win at third singles. Sharon’s first doubles team of sophomore Sava Kassev and senior Rithvik Neti emerged from a hard-fought match with a 6-2, 7-5 win while junior Savir Basil teamed with senior Hyojae Park for a 6-1, 6-1 win at second doubles.

Franklin, 5 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – All three singles matches went three sets and first doubles was a back-and-forth battle but it was Franklin that came out on top in all five matches in a win at Taunton. Jay Gorgas prevailed with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 win at first singles, Tyler Fitzpatrick added a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win at second singles, and Will Forrest rallied from a one-set deficit to secure a 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 win at third singles. The team of Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino picked up a hard-fought 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles while Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 second doubles victory.

Mansfield, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Mansfield had one dominant doubles win and swept all three singles matches to return home from Easton with a win over Oliver Ames. The team of Jacob Weiner and Josh Weiner didn’t drop a game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at first doubles. Neema Khosravani earned a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win at first singles, Nikhil Nain added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles, and Iniyan Karruppusami picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win at third singles. OA’s Nick Washner and Jared Murphy emerged with a 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles.

Milford, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – Final – North Attleboro senior Brody Carter battled his way to a three-set victory, completing the Rocketeers’ sweep on the road at Milford. Carter took a 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 decision at first singles, sophomore Darren Liang added a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles, and junior Caleb Cheney earned a 6-4, 6-4 win in a competitive third singles match. The team of Brody Gaulin and Quinn DiFiore added a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles while Arnav Raghuvanshi and Aaryan Anjna didn’t drop a game in a clean 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
King Philip, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – King Philip made it back-to-back wins, handing Attleboro its first loss of the season with a 5-0 verdict. Senior Ahunna James had a terrific showing, rolling to a 6-0, 6-0 win at first single, Shea Mellman added an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Caroline Freese emerged from a hard-fought three-hour marathon of a match with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Rirar used strong net play in a 6-2, 6-4 win at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang earned a 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – It came down to a third set tiebreak at second singles but Canton’s Olivia Duruham was able to pull it out and secure the win for the Bulldogs. Durham dropped the first set but rallied to take the second and third, the latter in a tiebreak (4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (1)) to help complete Canton’s victory. The Bulldogs also got a pair of hard-fought victories in doubles play as Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth went the distance, overcoming a one-set deficit for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Canton’s second doubles pairing of Panayiota Michaelidis and Liv McCloskey prevailed 6-4, 7-5 at second doubles. Stoughton’s Ally Lada earned a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles while Dhruvi Patel secured a 6-3, 6-3 third singles victory for the Black Knights.

Sharon, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Sharon took two wins from both singles and doubles action to earn a key division win on the road at Foxboro. Navya Shukla dropped just one game in each set in a 6-1, 6-1 win at second singles while Ale Aguilar had an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at third singles for the Eagles. The team of Sophia Oh and Abby Vilk battled to a 6-4, 7-5 win at first doubles, and Sharon’s second doubles squad of Olivia Landstein and Ellie Zhao emerged with a 6-3, 7-5 win. Foxboro sophomore Hailey Kornbluth earned an impressive 6-0, 6-3 win at first singles.

Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Taunton picked up two wins from singles matches and one more in doubles to prevail over Franklin. Junior Morgan Smith battled to a key three-set win at third singles (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) while the all-junior second doubles pairing of Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik emerged victorious in three sets (6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-5). Taunton junior Ava Alves added a win at second singles, splitting the first two sets before getting the win when her opponent retired. Franklin’s Chloe Essam picked up a 7-6 (1), 6-0 victory at first singles and the Panthers’ first doubles team of Brooke Daniels and Ava Davies won in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

Oliver Ames, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – OA rallied for a pair of three-set wins in the doubles matches to earn the sweep. Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth dropped the first set 6-4 to Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey at first doubles, but battled back to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-2. At second doubles, Marina and Ella Mierzwinski lost the opening set 6-0 to Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman, but the Tigers bounced back to win the final two sets 6-1, 6-2. Hannah Farber (6-1, 6-0), Olivia Querzoli (6-4, 7-6), and Stella Zachos (6-2, 6-1) all won their singles matches for OA.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – North won four of its matches in straight sets to earn a big road win and stay perfect on the season. Lauren Hunt (6-0, 6-1), Megan Atwood (6-0, 6-4), and Grace Noreck (6-1, 6-0) swept singles for North. Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) at first doubles. The second doubles match went to three sets. Sophomores Grace Manning and Jayla Stone pulled out a 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 match against Milford’s Audrey Brannigan and Paige Caldon.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip @ Millis, 6:00
Milford, 1 @ Newton North, 3 – Final

Baseball: Ten Players to Watch for 2023

Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch
King Philip senior Brendan Sencaj is one of the best offensive players in the league this year. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Players are listed alphabetically

Eisig Chin, Senior – Franklin

Coming off an appearance in the Division 1 state championship game, Franklin’s lineup is loaded with returning talent and ready to make another run at both another Kelley-Rex division title and the state title. You could pick a handful of different Panthers to make this list like Northeastern commits Ryan Gerety and Henry Digiorgio, or the big bat of Jase Lyons, but Chin — who is committed to play at Stonehill — is coming off a breakout year and gets the nod. A three-year starter for head coach Zach Brown, Chin hit 0.339 last year with 21 hits, 20 RBI, 17 runs scored, and seven walks. His emergence at the dish really strengthened Franklin’s offense and the Panthers will rely on his power in the heart of the lineup this time as he has started the year batting third.

2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

Jack Digirolamo, Senior – Canton

Canton has aspirations to contend for the Davenport division title this year along with other potential hopefuls Foxboro and Mansfield, and their lineup could be the reason they have a serious chance. Canton has put up double-digit runs in each of their first three games in wins over North, Sharon, and Norwell so the offense is certainly off to a good start. At the heart of that lineup is senior first baseman Jack Digirolamo, who is coming off a monster junior season in which he hit 0.446 with 29 hits and 14 RBI. There are other Bulldogs that could have made this list, like Brandies commit Matt Chafin who was on it last year, because of their success at the dish. Digirolamo and Chafin are joined by Hayden Rose, Matt Hart, and Nick Gillis are returners this season that hit over 0.300 last year. If Digirolamo can replicate his success from last year, expect Canton to be in the mix for the title.







2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

Patrick Finnerty, Senior – Oliver Ames

After graduating a majority of their lineup, including some of its top producers at the plate and on the mound, there will be some new faces in the mix for Oliver Ames this year. But one veteran piece of the lineup that head coach Joe Abarr will be able to lean on is senior Patrick Finnerty. Committed to playing in the Northeast 10 Conference next year for Bentley, Finnerty is coming off a solid junior campaign in which he batted over .300 and had 10 runs scored and 12 RBI, helping the Tigers reach the postseason (and win a game). He will be back patrolling center field for the Tigers, dealing with the infamous tree in play at Frothingham Park. He will also get some innings on the mound as a reliable arm in relief.

2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

Rudy Gately, Senior – King Philip

King Philip is coming off a spot in the Div. 2 state title game and the Warriors have a strong squad to try and go a step further this spring. Gately will be crucial for KP after showing his ability to impact the game on the hill and at the plate. He was the staff’s ace last year, going 5-1 with a 2.73 ERA. He stuck out 50 batters in a team-high 56.1 innings. Offensively, the Bowdoin commit batted 0.329 with 25 hits and six doubles. He drew 12 walks, drove in 21, and scored 21 runs. Gately’s competitiveness on the mound gives the team energy and he was counted on to face some of the best teams in the state, including six games against teams that reached the Final Four. The Warriors want to compete with Taunton and Franklin in the league, as well as make another D2 title challenge, and Gately’s ability as a pitcher and batter will be crucial to that.




2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

Ryan MacDougall, Senior – Taunton

The defending Div. 1 state champs will be one of the favorites again this season and MacDougall’s return to the lineup will be a major reason why. The reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year was a dominant presence at the plate last spring, batting 0.476 with a league-best 30 hits. He scored 17 runs, drew 11 walks, and knocked in 19 runs in the regular season. He also stepped up in the clutch, batting 0.600 in the playoffs and hit a game-winning solo homer in the sixth inning of the state championship game. The Dayton commit was also strong on the mound, tossing 36 innings and posting a 7-1 record with a 1.94 ERA. This year promises to be one of the most competitive seasons that we’ve seen in the Kelley-Rex division and MacDougall will give Taunton a foundation to try and build another state title-winning campaign.

Derek Maceda, Senior – North Attleboro

The defending Davenport champs will be in the Kelley-Rex this season and a young roster is going to lean on its experienced leaders to carry it through what should be an ultra-competitive spring. Maceda has been vital to North’s success over the past two years and the senior outfielder has become one of the most consistent hitters in the league. Setting the table at the top of the order, Maceda batted 0.402 last year. He had 33 hits, including seven extra-base hits. Maceda had 12 RBI and scored a team-high 31 runs. A dynamic base runner, Maceda puts tons of pressure on the opposition and his aggressiveness helps manufacture runs. After getting to the Div. 2 Final Four in 2022, North will be counting on Maceda’s leadership to keep the Rocketeers in playoff contention again this year.

Alfred Mucciarone, Senior – Franklin

Franklin got to the state title game only to fall to rival Taunton. The Panthers will be seeking some revenge this season and will have a strong roster that can make another deep tournament run. Mucciarone will be the team’s ace this year. The UMass Lowell commit is in his third year on varsity and the righty has proven to be one of the league’s top starters. He went 6-1 with a 2.05 ERA, walking just six batters on the season and striking out 56 over 54.2 innings. An accurate thrower with explosive stuff, Mucciarone puts the pressure on opposition lineups and he showed composure in big games. A leader of the Franklin staff, Mucciarone will need to have his best stuff again this season, which promises to be as competitive as ever and with typically high expectations for the Panthers.




2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

Sean O’Leary, Senior – Foxboro

Foxboro surprised a lot of people by making a run to the Div. 3 Final Four and nearly pulling off the upset of top seed Austin Prep. O’Leary was a big component in one of the best seasons in program history. He was 6-2 on the mound, throwing 40.1 innings with a 2.25 ERA and holding opponents to a 0.208 batting average. O’Leary also had a pair of saves. One of the best hitters in the league, the UMass Lowell commit hit 0.443 with 31 hits, including 10 doubles. He drove in 25 runs and scored 13. Controlling games on the hill and punishing pitchers at the plate, O’Leary was one of the best two-way players in the Hock. Foxboro will be trying to build off the momentum of last spring and O’Leary will be a major factor for the Warriors with his ability to impact games in multiple ways.

Brendan Sencaj, Senior – King Philip

King Philip has a good handful of bats back from last year’s squad that made a run to the Division 2 state championship before ultimately falling to a tough Milton squad. One of those bats is one of the best in the league is senior third baseman Brendan Sencaj. Last season, he was second on the team in average (0.390), runs (26), hits (30), and had a team-high in doubles (6) and RBI (25). He is among the most dangerous hitters in the league, having nine extra-base hits as a junior. He is also committed to play in the Northeast 10 Conference next year at Bentley University, joining OA’s Patrick Finnerty (above). The Warriors have aspirations to compete for the Kelley-Rex title and make another run in the D2 tournament, and having one of the best hitters in the league in Sencaj will give them a big boost.

Braden Sullivan, Senior – Taunton

Not every team has the luxury of bringing such a loaded lineup after winning a Division 1 state championship the year prior, but that’s the situation that Taunton finds itself entering this season. The Tigers have six of their eight starters from the championship game back in the mix, including reigning league MVP Ryan MacDougall (above) and star shortstop Dawson Bryce (Merrimack), and there are a number of players that could make the list but we’ve gone with UMass commit Braden Sullivan. Sullivan returns to third base to complete a very talented left side of the infield alongside Bryce. He led the Tigers in average last year at 0.482, was third on the team with 27 hits, and had a team-best 21 RBI during the regular season. There’s no doubt Taunton will be right back in the thick of the league title race, and the return of Sullivan will be a big reason why.

2023 Hockomock Baseball Players to Watch

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview
Taunton players celebrate after beating Franklin to win the D1 state title. Both teams bring back strong teams and are contenders to win the state championship again this spring. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Attleboro

2022 Record: 5-15
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Steve Dunlea
Attleboro returns a strong core from last year and will be aiming to make some noise in one of the toughest divisions in the state. The Bombardiers had three one-run losses last year and two more in extra innings, and despite their record, just missed out on the state tournament. A big reason for that is the challenges they face throughout the season as the Kelley-Rex division last year featured both Division 1 state finalists (Franklin and Taunton), the Division 2 state finalist (KP), plus Mansfield, who reached the Division 2 final four.

The Bombardiers boast a lot of returning players up and down the lineup, and on the mound as well. Although it’s a young rotation, Attleboro has some talented arms that picked up some invaluable experience a year ago. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Tyler Dunlea (3-3, 2.74) will anchor the rotation a year removed from striking out 23 batters in 23 innings of work as a freshman. Junior Jonny Pagano is another righty that gained key experience last year and senior Sean O’Hara will be a veteran presence in the rotation. Senior Owen Lombardo, juniors Matt Harvie, Braxton Levin, Tyson Forte, and freshman Ryan Landry are all in the mix to get some innings in relief.

Offense will be an area that Attleboro will look to improve on as they go against some of the best pitchers in the area. Senior Danny Johnson is in his third year as a varsity starter and will lead a talented outfielder group that features Harvie and classmate Brody McKenna. Seniors Casey Victorio and Ran Martin, along with junior Jackson Huntington, will look to provide an offensive punch as well. Senior captains Peter Delpozzo and Cooper Johnson (0.364 average last year) are back in the fold and will lead by example both offensively and defensively for head coach Steve Dunlea. Pagano, junior Andrew Gorman, and sophomore Jacob Bettencourt are all battling for time in the infield as well. Aiden Hochwarter resumes his role as the starting catcher for the Bombardiers.

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

“I am very excited about this year’s team,” said Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea. “We have excellent leadership in our three captains. Our pitching and defense will continue to be a strength for us. We also have a great mix of returning starters and new players on offense. These guys are well aware that we play in arguably the toughest division in Massachusetts and you have to be ready to compete every day.”

Canton

2022 Record: 9-12
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: David Walsh
Canton has a new head coach in David Walsh but the goals remain the same as the Bulldogs will be aiming to return to the state tournament again this year. With a talented core back in the fold from last year’s team, not only will the Bulldogs be in the mix to make the playoffs, they could contend for the Davenport division title.

The lineup will feature a lot of familiar faces from last year that is anchored by a seasoned senior class. Shortstop Matt Chafin is among the best players in the league and is committed to play at the next level at Brandies. He will be joined in the lineup by Jack Digirolamo, one of the most dangerous hitters in the league. Digirolamo led the team in average last season with a 0.446 batting average (29 hits), which was good for fourth in the entire league while Chafin finished at 0.350 with 16 runs scored. Senior Hayden Rose (Framingham State) is another familiar name that will play a lot of innings for the Bulldogs, coming off a season in which he hit 0.328 with a team-high 17 RBI.

Rose will anchor a pitching staff that will need to fill some holes this year. Rose was among the league leaders in terms of innings pitched last year, coming in second in the regular season in the Hock with 43.2 innings of working. He posted a 4-4 record with a 2.89 ERA, striking out 28. Andrew Butler and Zach Peters combined for over 50 innings last year but with both players graduated, there will be an opportunity for new faces to step up for Walsh. While the Bulldogs get the rotation set, Walsh is preaching fundamentals and having the team pride themselves on good defense.

“This will be a fundamentally sound group who is gritty, tough, and are not afraid of the everyday grind,” Walsh said. “We will rely on our pitchers to throw strikes, defense to be routine, and situationally hit. If we are able to do all three in each game we will be very competitive.”

Foxboro

2022 Record: 16-8
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Final Four
Coach: Derek Suess
Foxboro was one of the feel-good stories last season as the Warriors made a dramatic tournament run to the state semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Austin Prep. While the Warriors are strictly focusing on the road ahead, last season set a new standard for Foxboro.

There is a lot of optimism that the Warriors can pick up where they left off because they have almost their entire roster back for 2023. Last year’s squad had a lot of young and inexperienced players that matured quickly throughout the year. Foxboro won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year as they start the season as a serious contender for the Davenport division title. On the mound, Foxboro has six players back that tossed varsity innings including their top three: senior Sean O’Leary (UMass Lowell), senior Mat Sullivan, and sophomore Nolan Gordon. Senior Alex Stern and sophomores Danny Jacobs and Tommy Watts are also back in the fold and the Warriors have added junior Pradyu Gubbala and sophomore Ryan O’Leary to the mix. Ryan LeClair, a veteran in the group, could also see time on the mound this year.

Sophomore Mike Marcucella returns behind the dish after earning the starting role as a freshman last year. LeClair (Stonehill) returns to shortstop and is one of the best defensive players in the region and he’s complemented by Sean O’Leary, who will play third when he isn’t pitching. On the right side, junior Tyler Prescott will man second base and he will also be counted upon to set the table for the offense out of the leadoff spot. Ryan O’Leary will take over at first base this season. Stern, Sullivan, and Watts will add infield depth when not on the mound.

The outfield will also have a lot of familiar faces with veteran Louis Carangelo back in left field after a breakout junior season. Carangelo was one of the most consistent offensive players in the Hock, hitting 0.333 with 16 RBI. Sophomore Ben Angelini has had a strong preseason so far and will patrol center for the Warriors while junior Shane Henri will be in right field. Senior Kenny Mello was a solid contributor for Foxboro last year but will miss the season with an injury. Freshman Aidan Stow and Gordon will provide outfield depth.

“Despite last season’s success, this season provides new opportunities and challenges for our ballclub,” said Foxboro head coach Derek Suess. “We will be battle-tested, with an always difficult Hockomock League schedule, and a strong non-league slate as well. We need to compete each day, at a championship-level standard, to give ourselves the best opportunity to reach the goals we have set for the season. Our leadership and culture have never been stronger.”







2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Franklin

2022 Record: 23-4
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Final (Kelley-Rex champion)
Coach: Zach Brown
Although Franklin has won three straight Kelley-Rex division titles, there is still plenty of motivation for these Panthers.

The Panthers are coming off a tough one-run loss in the Division 1 state championship to rival Taunton, but with a strong core returning it looks like Franklin will once again be among the top powerhouses in the state this year. One obvious strength will be the offense with five players back in the lineup from last year’s squad. Not only is it an experienced group (multiple players entering their third year starting), but it’s an incredibly talented one that features senior Ryan Gerety (Northeastern), senior Jase Lyons, senior Eisig Chin (Stonehill), senior Ben Jarosz, and junior Henry Digiorgio (Northeastern). Gerety and Chin will return to their spots in the outfield while Lyons (1B), Jarosz (3B), and Digiorgio (SS) are all back in the infield. Seniors Tyler Bellan, Luke Sidwell, and Ethan DePaolo also provide some experienced depth and newcomers Rex Cinelli, Ryan Carlucci, and Koen Bonetti will all try to contribute for head coach Zach Brown.

Pitching will be another strength with senior righty Alfred Mucciarone (UMass Lowell) back after going 5-1 during the regular season last year, posting a 2.33 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 42 innings. His experience gives the Panthers an ace to rely on as they navigate a difficult schedule. Junior lefty Austin Campbell could be the next breakout star for Franklin after some impressive outings last year, and juniors Jake Shaughnessy (LHP) and Matt Miller (RHP) fill out a strong core of pitchers. Both Chin and Lyons will also be in the mix while senior newcomers Dillon Cashin and Zach Ramaswamy are prepared to come on in relief when needed.

“We are returning a strong senior class and veteran core,” Brown said. “We are excited about how hard this group has been preparing for the upcoming season. The seniors have provided great leadership during the preseason and scrimmages.”

King Philip

2022 Record: 16-9
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final
Coach: Jeff Plympton, Jr.
King Philip is another squad that is coming off a tremendous season (a trend among most Hock teams) as they reached the Division 2 state championship, falling to Milton. The Warriors are also following another trend in the league as they have the majority of their lineup back in the mix this season as they look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex division title in a loaded field.

The Warriors have a strong pitching staff in the league, highlighted by senior Rudy Gately. Gately has been KP’s ace for the past two seasons and will resume that role again this year. During the regular season, he tossed 39 innings and struck out 37, posting a 3.41 ERA. He will be joined by lefty Tommy Martorano, who missed virtually all of last year with an injury. Junior Tommy McLeish emerged as a reliable option in relief last year, striking out 22 batters in 20.2 innings and he should be in line for an expanded role this year.

Offensively the Warriors will have a big void with the graduation of Shawn Legere, one of the best hitters in the state. But head coach Jeff Plympton Jr. has plenty of options to work with, including senior Brendan Sencaj, who is coming off a terrific season in which he hit 0.371 with 15 RBI and 21 runs scored. Gately, a middle infielder, is a strong two-way player that hit 0.344 last year with 16 RBI and senior Matt Kelley is a great all-around player that will make the switch to center field this season, and another weapon in the lineup. Junior Max Robison is coming off a breakout campaign (0.359 average) and is one of the best defensive first basemen in the Hock.

“We are excited to be bringing back a great core of guys from our team last year,” Plympton Jr. said. “We’re hoping to build off of our success last season and continue to build a winning culture. We will have a lot of new arms in the rotation and a few very good returning arms from last year.”

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Mansfield

2022 Record: 17-8
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four
Coach: Chris Hall
Mansfield lost some key contributors from a sizable graduating senior class that led the Hornets to the Division 2 Final Four a year ago, but the cupboard is far from empty for head coach Chris Hall.

The most experience back on the team comes on the offensive end with some key bats back in the lineup. Senior captains Sam Martin and Conner Zukowski look to man the left side of the infield while returning starters Matt DeShiro and Jake Maydak — both juniors — will hold down the right side. Zukowski had a great season at the dish, hitting 0.344 during the regular season with 15 runs scored while DeShiro had a breakout sophomore campaign, leading the Hornets in batting average with a 0.373 average and a team-high 25 hits, driving in 13 runs as well. Defensive wiz and captain Aidan Jones returns as the starting catcher for the squad.

There is a lot of competition in the outfield right now including junior Brian Butler, another returner from last year. Seniors Kyle Marnikovic and Will Lund are also in the mix along with juniors Wyatt Bolduc, Connor Curtis, Drew Urban, Dylan Saraceno, Anthony Saraiva, and Joey MacIntyre. Juniors Matt Tryon and Derek McGrath are versatile pieces that will bring some power to the lineup.

Mansfield lost its top three starters from a year ago in Jimmy Gilleran, Aaron Blinn, and Anthony Sacchetti, who combined to pitch over 100 innings during the regular season. Hall will turn to junior Connor Curtis, who didn’t allow an earned run in 16 innings of work in the regular season last year, recording three saves with 19 strikeouts. Maydak is also in the mix for an expanded role on the staff along with juniors Yuv Sakhalkar and Ryan Jeans, and sophomore Luke Rogan. Senior Nate Thibault will chip in as a reliever.

“Most teams who play in the Hockomock League have a chance to make a run at a state championship due to the competition you face every single game in the regular season,” Hall said. “I believe the makeup of our roster puts us in that conversation this year. This year’s team is a tight-knit, cohesive group that battles with one another at practice. They thrive off competition and work together to do whatever they can to best benefit the program. We are excited for the season and look forward to the challenges presented to us.”




2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Milford

2022 Record: 7-13
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Alex Dion
Similar to Attleboro, the Scarlet Hawks were a victim of playing in a division that had three teams reach a state championship game and another reach the final four. With another year of experience, Milford will look to challenge those top teams and make a push for the postseason.

The roster features a lot of familiar names that are either in their third or second year in the lineup and head coach Alex Dion is hoping that experience will lead to competing with some of the state’s best teams. The pitching staff starts with three-year starter and right-handed pitcher Evan Cornelius. A top two-way play and multi-sport athlete, Cornelius leads by example both on and off the field for the Scarlet Hawks. He went 4-2 last year with a 2.31 ERA, ranking among the league leader with 48 strikeouts in 30.1 innings of work. Junior righty Damien Carter is also in his third year while senior Tyler Caldon and junior Anthony LaPierre logged a lot of work on the mound a year ago and return as starters this year. Senior Mason Baldic and sophomore Ian Carter are both in the mix for innings this year as well.

While pitching looks to be a strength for Milford this year, the Hawks will rely on a lot of the same names to deliver offensively as well. Cornelius will man first base when he isn’t on the mound and is a reliable offensive option. Damien Carter, junior Sean McGee, and freshman Joey McGee are options in the infield alongside Cornelius while Ian Carter, Baldic, and sophomore Nick Koch are in line for opportunities in the outfield. Junior Keith Lee is back behind the dish as taking on that role a season ago and junior Nate Scudo can be effective in a variety of positions. Seniors Brady Butler, Tony Fontes, Jacob Gove, Guy Saintyl, and Cam DelPrete will provide key depth while junior Victor Martinez will look to provide some pop in the lineup.

“Looking forward to competing in this great league again this spring,” said Milford head coach Alex Dion. “We have a number of guys that have been together for three years now. I have seen strong leadership from veterans early on, a group of guys that are competitive on the mound, and some athletes that are eager to learn and compete at a high level.”

North Attleboro

2022 Record: 18-6
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Final Four (Davenport champion)
Coach: Mike Hart
The Hockomock League had so much success during last season’s tournament that the Rocketeers’ accomplishments almost get lost in the shuffle. North Attleboro went 13-3 in league play last year and reached the D2 final four, picking up wins over D1 state finalists Franklin and D2 state finalists KP in the process. Now the Rocketeers join a loaded Kelley-Rex division along with those two squads, defending state champs Taunton, and two improved squads in Attleboro and Milford.

That means North Attleboro has its work cut out for them as they not only try to navigate a difficult schedule but has a lot of holes to fill in the lineup after graduating nearly a dozen seniors from last year’s 18-win squad. Head coach Mike Hart has done a terrific job since taking over the helm of the program and he will be leaning on the handful of returners he does have to lead the way this year. Hart has a dozen more seniors this year led by veterans Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis. Maceda will patrol center field, Harding is at shortstop, and Paradis is a seasoned pitcher that had 18 strikeouts in 17 innings of regular season work. Maceda will also get some innings on the mound along with classmates Ayden Delaney Peter Santoro, junior Parker Abrantes, and sophomore Gio Martello, and Harding will be a go-to option to close games out.

Martello was a late-season call up to the varsity squad and made an impression in his short stint with the squad. He will complete the middle of the infield at second base and will be a key piece in the lineup offensively. Seniors Jack Munley, Mark Vogel, Delaney, and sophomore Bryce Kiser are also in the mix for spots in the infield. Along with Maceda and Paradis, seniors Kyle Conroy and Reed Collins, along with junior Chris Hanewich, will cycle throughout the outfield. Junior Nate Kelly and senior Harrison Gagne are competing for time behind the dish. Hart expects the defense to be a strength of this year’s squad.

“We are looking forward to a season of growth,” Hart said. “We have many quality players new to varsity baseball who are looking to take the next step in their development and continue the success we have been privileged to have over the last few seasons. Derek Maceda, Dillon Harding, and Jordan Paradis are three capable and proven players in all three phases of the game. We will look to our pitching staff to lead us. Our team has committed to getting better each and every day. We are excited to get out and compete!”




2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Oliver Ames

2022 Record: 11-11
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Joe Abarr
After graduating one of the largest senior classes in the league, there is plenty of opportunity to go around for Oliver Ames and head coach Joe Abarr this season. After an up-and-down year that included a playoff win, the Tigers will be looking to challenge the likes of Foxboro and Mansfield in the division title race.

With a lot of pieces departed from last year’s lineup, Abarr will start the season leaning heavily on the handful of returning pieces that played key roles last year. Senior captain Patrick Finnerty will be a major part of the defense and offense this year, as the Bentley University commit will patrol the center field and anchor the offense. On the mound, the Tigers will turn to senior captain Andrew Zagami to lead a relatively young staff that will include juniors Ian Kelley and Lucas Riley, both returners from last year’s team.

Abarr noted that there is a lot of competition in the squad right now as they battle for spots in the lineup, and he’s hoping the first few weeks will allow for a consistent lineup to emerge. Senior Nathan Luke, another returner from last year’s roster, will play the corners in the outfield at Frothingham Park this year.

“Many players have been stepping up in early practices and inter-squads and will be counted on early in the season,” Abarr said. “If we consistently stay after hitters and throw strikes we will be a competitive club. We have the potential to hit well, but the Hock’s pitching will be top-notch again based on some of the stellar returners around the league.”

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Sharon

2022 Record: 3-17
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Andrew Poliferno
The Eagles will have to replace some of the production lost from the 10 seniors that graduated from last year’s squad, but Sharon has some key pieces in key spots and will look to continue to improve.

One strength the Eagles will have early on is the return of almost all of its pitching staff back from last year, plus the addition of some more talented arms to create some strong depth at the position. Junior captain Luke Meixel was among the league leaders in innings pitched last season and will anchor this year’s staff. He had 33 strikeouts in 38 innings of work as a sophomore year and the Eagles are looking for him to take a big step this year. Senior Alex Coughlin will pair with Meixel to create a formidable 1-2 punch, and the Eagles will also get pitching contributions from Cole Arundale and Zach Loomis.

Senior Palash Raina is a captain alongside Meixel and Coughlin, and he will be a staple in Sharon’s lineup this season. He battled through an injury almost all of last season but is ready for a breakout final year on the diamond as he patrols center field. Head coach Andrew Poliferno believes there is a lot of depth — and internal competition — in the lineup, and that should improve production at the plate. Sophomore Drew Yaffe got his feet wet at the varsity level last season and will be looking to turn that experience into more production this year. Junior Liam Conway is back behind the dish after a strong defensive year in 2022.

“I’m really excited to see what this group of players accomplishes this season,” Poliferno said. “We have a large group of players on varsity and in the greater SHS baseball program who are hungry to compete and win games. My expectations for this team are high and that is a direct reflection of the level of talent and work ethic our players have exhibited since day one.”

2023 Hockomock League Baseball Preview

Stoughton

2022 Record: 3-15
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kevin Carty
Although the Black Knights lost a lot of production from its eight-member senior class that graduated last Spring, there is a lot of opportunity for new faces to work their way into the lineup for Stoughton head coach Kevin Carty.

There are some key pieces back in the mix this season after getting some valuable experience a year ago. Carty will lean on senior captains Sean Farley and Joe Rush to lead the way, with Farley both patrolling center field and pitching while Rush will play first base when he isn’t on the mound, and potentially some time behind the dish at catcher. There is also a strong contingent of players looking to build off of last year, including seniors Jeriel Cuello, who will play in the infield, and outfielder/pitchers James McCarthy and Liam Dunn, and Andrew Beder, who can play both in the infield and outfield, as well as on the mound.

Juniors Hunter Malkin, Ryan Summers, and Dom Belle all factored into the lineup for the Black Knights a year ago as sophomores and are in line for bigger roles this year. Malkin will pitch and play at first, Belle can play at both corners of the infield, and Summers will see time behind the dish at catcher.

“So far I could not be more impressed with the hard work and attitude from all of our players in the program, especially the new players on the roster,” Carty said. “I am very excited to work with these guys on a daily basis and can’t wait to see them improve throughout the season.”

Taunton

2022 Record: 22-3
2022 Finish: Won Div. 1 State Championship
Coach: Blair Bourque
The defending Division 1 state champions enter this season with a massive target on their back, but Taunton has the majority of its talented lineup back in the mix and is ready to take on all challengers, including a very competitive and skilled Hockomock League.

Athleticism, competitiveness, and experience will all be strengths for this year’s Taunton squad which has a lot of familiar faces in it including last year’s league MVP Ryan MacDougall, who had the game-winning home run in the state final against rival Franklin. The left side of the infield might possess the best duo in the state in seniors Braden Sullivan, a UMass commit with a strong bat that plays third base, and Dawson Bryce, a slick-fielding shortstop with consistent offensive production that is also going to play at the D1 level at Merrimack. That trio makes up the heart of the lineup for the Tigers and will make life difficult for opposing pitchers. Junior Brayden Cali, who started at second in the championship game, will be another key piece offensively for Taunton.

MacDougall also led the Tigers in innings pitched during the regular season, and classmate Shawn Cali was right there with him, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.60 ERA, striking out 27 in 35 innings of work. That gives Taunton a strong 1-2 punch in its rotation, but there’s also room for opportunity with the graduation of Evan Cali, who went 3-0 in the regular season and started the state championship game.

“The majority of our guys are multi-sport athletes who love to compete,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And since many of our starters from last season are returning, they know the challenges of playing in arguably the most competitive league in the state as well as how to manage playing in the high-stress environment that is the post-season. Taunton has never been in a position with such high expectations so as a coach, I’m excited to see how my kids respond. This is a close-knit group and even with all the talent, they have great camaraderie.”

King Philip Falls To Catholic Memorial In D2 State Final

King Philip football Matt Kelley
King Philip senior Matt Kelley is tackled by Catholic Memorial’s Maxwell Tucker at Gillette Stadium during the Division 2 state championship. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
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 FOXBORO, Mass. – For the second straight year, the King Philip football team went toe-to-toe with the best team in Massachusetts on the biggest stage, but unfortunately for the Warriors, the result was the same.

Catholic Memorial blanked KP over the final two quarters and scored a pair of second half touchdowns to pull away for a 27-7 win to claim their second straight MIAA Division 2 state championship and extend their win streak to 29 straight games.

“It’s just a lot to hang with for a long time,” said King Philip head coach Brian Lee. “Our kids have such great heart and work so hard, and we’re gifted with great coaches, but in the end, it’s just too much to hang with for that long. We couldn’t bail out our defense enough. We couldn’t run the ball and get sustained drives. It was hard, it was tough, they are so fast and converge on the ball so it was just tough.”

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The Warriors were in a good spot after 24 minutes of action, trailing by just a score at 14-7 going into the halftime break. The Knights scored on their opening drive – 10 plays for 80 yards, helped along by a 30-yard fumble recovery by an offensive lineman – and then again on their fourth series, punching in a touchdown with just 16 seconds left in the halftime.

KP bounced back after going three-and-out on its opening series. The defense, which played well for all four quarters, forced a turnover on downs on CM’s second drive to get the ball back. The Warriors marched 60 yards on 14 plays to find the end zone.

Rudy Gately (14 carries, 43 yards) converted a third down with a 6-yard carry running behind senior center Michael Murphy and right guard Logan Van Vaerenewyck, Will Astorino also moved the sticks with a 4-yard burst up the left behind Luke Danson and Sean King, and two plays later Gately got his biggest run of the game for 16 yards. A roughing the passer flag kept KP’s drive alive and moved the Warriors inside the 10-yard line.

The drive stalled inside the 5-yard line but KP elected to go for it and after not finding an open receiver, junior quarterback Tommy McLeish kept it himself and dove across the goalline for a 4-yard touchdown. Matthew Kelley’s extra point got KP within a point, down 8-7, with 9:49 left in the second quarter.

KP’s defense once again forced a turnover on downs but the CM defense stood tall and forced a punt from the Warriors. The Knights covered 54 yards in seven plays, going with play action on first down as freshman quarterback Peter Bourque found Maxwell Tucker for a 23-yard strike. The two-point attempt was picked off by KP sophomore Aiden Astorino, but couldn’t be returned.

Despite trailing 14-7 at half, the Warriors were set to receive the second half kickoff.

“Just keep doing what we were doing,” Lee said of the halftime discussion. “We were in it, we were hanging in there. We knew we needed to get a little more going. It was kind of the same thing last year, in the second half we get tired running guys on and off. They wear you down. They’ve got some humongous tackles, some serious players and it just wears you down.”

A strip sack on third down put an end to KP’s first drive of the second half and set CM up at the KP 40-yard line. Despite good field position, the CM offense couldn’t crack the Warriors’ defense and seniors Will Astorino and Carson Meier dropped CM running back Carson Harwood in the backfield for a turnover on downs.

KP was able to get a first down on the ensuing drive on a penalty but an interception by Tucker stopped the Warriors. That set up CM’s third scoring drive as JC Petrongolo hit Harwood for a 22-yard touchdown with just 1:22 left in the third quarter.

The Warriors had to punt on their first series of the final quarter and the Knights cashed in just four plays later. Meier had a tackle for a loss on first down and an incompletion on second down – due to pressure from Chris Sesay – set the Knights up for 3rd and 11 but Bourque hit Jaedn Skeete in stride down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown and a 27-7 lead with 10:36 left in the fourth quarter.

“These kids come out and know what they are going up against and they sat in there and fought,” Lee said. ”And they did it a bunch of times this year. We had some really big wins, had a few losses mixed in, but you have to be, and I am, so proud of what they’ve accomplished. No matter what you’re doing in life, you’re trying to maximize what you are and what you can be. Nobody wants to be average, and these guys didn’t want to be average. They didn’t want it to be a rebuilding year, and they came back to Gillette. I’m so proud of them.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Kyle Abbott had a first down run and McLeish had a couple of QB sneaks on fourth down to keep the drive alive and move the chains. A 12-yard pass from McLeish to senior Will Laplante earned another first down and moved KP into the red zone. But the Warriors couldn’t finish the drive and turned it over on downs.

“For them to work and get back here, to have the kind of wins they did, to take the steps to put themselves back here and have another chance at this is very, very impressive,” Lee said. “When I look at what our ceiling was and how we smashed through it, and willed ourselves back here, that’s a tribute to the kids and their work.”

King Philip football finishes the season at 9-3.

Franklin Wins Back-to-Back Titles After Comeback at KP

Franklin Football
Franklin senior Luke Davis (6) hauls in a two-point conversion with 2:46 remaining, which lifted the Panthers to a come from behind win at rival King Philip and to a second straight Kelley-Rex title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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WRENTHAM, Mass. – King Philip got the ball back up by seven points with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter of Thursday morning’s holiday matinee at Macktaz Field and went back to work with the ground game that had been nearly unstoppable for most of the game.

After running more than seven minutes off the clock, KP had first down from the Franklin 30 and looked like it was maybe one or two plays away from clinching the title-deciding showdown.

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Rudy Gately (21 carries, 116 yards) was stopped for a loss of three by Emmett Lackey. Quarterback Tommy McLeish took the next snap and went on a sweep around the left side, but Franklin read the play and pried the ball loose. Devine Johnson pounced on it at the 34 to give the visitors a chance with 6:11 on the clock.

Mike Davide (11 carries, 40 yards) broke free for a 13-yard gain into KP territory and Jase Lyons (20-of-27, 232 yards) hit Josh Ribeiro on the sideline. Ribeiro refused to go out of bounds, cutting back infield and eventually gaining 17 to the KP 28. After back-to-back completions to Luke Davis, Lyons kept it himself, looking for contact in the secondary and being brought down at the three. Davide finished the drive to bring the Panthers within one.

Instead of lining up for a Garrett Portesi extra point and potentially playing for overtime, Franklin coach Eian Bain rolled the dice and kept the offense on the field.

“Not for a second,” Bain said later, when asked if he thought about kicking. “We were going for two and then just onside kick it if we have to. We were going for the win right there and then make them have to make a decision too, do they stick with the offense they ran the whole game?”

Lyons dropped back and looked for Davis on a quick out-route a couple yards into the end zone. Davis (nine catches, 153 yards) made the diving grab and put the Panthers up 29-28 with only 2:46 left on the clock. The Franklin defense was able to limit KP to just one first down, sealing a win and a share of its second straight Kelley-Rex division title.

“We just had a good matchup,” Bain said. “We had a play call for both sides and when they adjusted from the empty backfield, we had Luke one-on-one, which is what we wanted.”

Davis was thrilled at his coach’s decision to stick with the offense in that situation. He said, “I was hoping for him to say that. Obviously, KP is a good team and they have their drives, so just to get that extra point was huge. I had full confidence in Jase and the offense to make the play, so it was a great call. Trust coach.”

KP coach Brian Lee rued uncharacteristic turnovers from his team that led to two Franklin touchdowns, including the eventual winner, but also praised Bain for his call to go for two at the end.

“We were just about another first down away from giving (Matthew) Kelley a chance for a field goal and kudos to them,” Lee explained. “Bottom line, we’ve got to hold onto the ball. We turned it over twice. Once on an exchange – points, and down here – points.”

He added, “The guts on coach to go for two. That’s a great call. I love that stuff, going for that win here. It shows that program is in good hands.”

Franklin came into Thanksgiving an underdog against KP, which is heading back to its fifth Div. 2 Super Bowl in six seasons, but the Panthers were riding the confidence of beating the Warriors last year (ending a decade without a win in this series) and got off to a roaring start. On third and five, Lyons went deep down the sideline to Davis, who hauled in the pass then cut back towards the hash mark and raced past a pair of defenders for a 69-yard TD.

“He does everything,” Bain said about Davis. “He’s going to be impossible to replace. I don’t think the kid ever gets tired, I don’t think he ever doesn’t smile, he always goes and he does it right way too.”

Davis noted, “Being on that team last year, we got that feeling of success. We’ve been working at it all year, had KP in the back of the mind all year until it was finally Thanksgiving week. Having that success last year, helped us know what it meant and know what the feeling is to win this game.”

KP responded like it usually does, but lining up behind its big offensive line and running right at the heart of the defense. On their first drive of the day, KP marched 64 yards on nine plays, all of them runs between the tackles. Gately had five carries on the drive, including a 16-yard rush inside the Franklin 10. William Astorino (14 carries, 109 yards) punched it from the two to tie it.

Kyle Abbott and Christopher Sesay each sacked Lyons to end Franklin’s next possession. KP got the ball back and went 57 yards on eight plays, again all runs right up the middle, to take the lead. Astorino and Gately split the carries on the drive, with Astorino finding the end zone on a 12-yard run. Kelley’s extra point made it 14-7.

Franklin drove into KP territory, but David Constantine’s interception ended the drive at the Warriors 12. On third and 17, a fumbled hand-off was recovered by Jack Nutter to give the Panthers the ball at the 18. The Panthers took advantage, as Lyons recovered from being sacked twice (by Carson Meier and Astorino) to hit Davis for a six-yard score, tying the game with 46 seconds left in the half.

Coming out of the locker room, the Warriors took control. A seven-play, 65-yard drive kicked things off. Abott broke free for 16 yards into Franklin’s half of the field and then Astorino ran over defenders on a 32-yard rush down to the 13. Four plays later, Astorino got his third score of the day from two yards out.

The KP defense stepped up to stop Franklin. Gately was playing centerfield and he read a deep ball to Davis on the sideline, coming across to pick it off and return it down to the Panthers 26. On second down, McLeish went play-action and hit Astorino in the right flat. The running back did the rest, weaving his way to the end zone for a 28-14 lead.

Momentum was swinging back-and-forth and this time it was Franklin’s turn to steal it back. The Panthers went 69 yards in nine plays to get back into the game. A pass interference call got the ball to the 27. After and eight-yard pass to Derek Dubriske (five catches, 32 yards), Lyons fired a strike to Davis, who went up and over the defensive back to pull in the 19-yard score.

Killing the clock and killing off the game is usually KP’s forte, but the Panthers found a way to force the turnover and give themselves one last chance to retain the Kelley-Rex crown. When they found the end zone, there was no question of going for the tie, only for the win.

Bain said of the comeback that earned Franklin (7-3) its first back-to-back league titles since 1971, “King Philip makes you play a certain way. You’ve got to get a little grimy, you’ve got to roll your sleeves up and you’ve got to bang with them. Today we got hit in the mouth plenty, there were any number of times where we could’ve said, ‘You know what, we had a good run,’ but these guys never gave up.”

King Philip (9-2) will play Catholic Memorial in the D2 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night at 8:00. It is a rematch of last year’s title game, but Lee was adamant that the upcoming final had no impact on his team’s play on Thursday.

“Up 14, that’s something where you feel like you should be able to control it and we just couldn’t,” Lee said. “No. 6 (Davis) is a dude and the quarterback gets the ball out on time and that puts you under pressure. They kept making plays, kept fighting, and kept believing and that’s a hard thing to combat.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

KP Holds Off Feehan, Books Another Visit to Gillette

King Philip Football
Carson Meier celebrates after sacking the Bishop Feehan quarterback in the first half of Friday’s Div. 2 semifinal at Alumni Field. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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MANSFIELD, Mass. – Stop me if you’ve heard this one before – King Philip makes enough plays down the stretch, getting the defensive stops it needs to hold on and grind out a playoff win. It seems to now be built into this program’s DNA that, as the weather gets colder and the games get tighter, the Warriors will find a way to come out on top.

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On Friday night at Alumni Field, KP did it again. The Warriors scored 17 unanswered to hold a three-score lead at halftime and then held on, making a red zone stand to force a field goal and picking up a key interception to all but seal a 17-10 win over upset-minded Bishop Feehan in the Div. 2 semifinal.

“In the end, they always seem to grit up and find a way to do it,” KP coach Brian Lee said of his team. “We were able to hang in there, make them grind and put them in a passing situation, something they didn’t really want to do, and then we can make that play at the end.”

Senior lineman Christopher Sesay added, “It’s hours of hard work. We know how to work together, we know each other, and we all trust each other. When the game is on the line, we all rally together and we know what to do, what plays we’ve got to make, what business we’ve got to handle.”

The Warriors set the tone early in the game with a prototypical KP drive. Behind its imposing offensive line, the Warriors took the ball and proceeded to march 66 yards on 11 plays and chew up more than six minutes off the clock.

William Astorino got things started with a couple of dives for 15 yards and Kyle Abbott burst through the line for 12. Astorino (12 carries, 70 yards) broke free for 15 more down to the Feehan 20. Rudy Gately (10 carries, 63 yards), who is only recently back from an injury that kept him out for the majority of the regular season, got a couple handoffs. Astorino would get the call on the final three plays, eventually punching it in from a yard out on fourth down.

Feehan had scored 97 combined points in the first two rounds of the tournament (KP had allowed only 19) and was riding the legs of running back Nick Yanchuk, who had rushed for more than 300 yards in each of the first two games. KP knew what was coming on Friday and tried to bottle up the Shamrocks star.

Carson Meier and Luke Danson combined for a tackle on first down, then Aiden Astorino made back-to-back stops to force Feehan’s first possession to end in a punt. On its second drive, Feehan got into KP territory but a false start forced third and long and Meier sacked Niko Iovieno for a loss of five to get the ball back.

KP started at its own 41. On second down, Gately was able to spin out of the pile and broke down the near sideline for 29 yards. It was KP’s longest run of the day. Two plays later, Abbott (seven carries, 53 yards) went around the left side of the line and raced down the sideline for a 25-yard score.

The Warriors were winning the battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Danson stuffed Dante Bruschi for a gain of one and, on third and four, Feehan tried a draw to Yanchuk that was dropped for a loss by Robert Casper.

Following a punt return by Gately, KP started at its own 47 and there was a feeling that another touchdown would seal the win even if there was another half to play. Astorino got five yards to convert third and four, but KP wouldn’t be able to keep the drive going. Matthew Kelley made sure that the Warriors came away with points, splitting the uprights from 46 yards out to make it 17-0.

Coming out of the break, the game flipped on its head. Feehan was suddenly winning the battles up front and Yanchuk, who had been held to 49 yards in the first half, finally found some room to run. A 30-yard gain would get the ball into KP territory and a bench interference call tacked on 15 more. On second and goal, Yanchuk (29 carries, 155 yards) would slip through the right side to put the Shamrocks on the board.

It was an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes off the clock, almost an exact replica of KP’s opening possession. When the Warriors went three-and-out on offense, it put a tiring defense back on the field against a Feehan team that felt momentum shifting.

Starting at their own 48, the Shamrocks were going to sink or swim with the ball in Yanchuk’s hands. He got the call on 11 of the next 12 plays, pushing the Warriors back to their own 15. A false start gave the defense a little life and Aiden Astorino made a big play on third and seven to stop Yanchuk for two yards. Brett McCaffrey would pull Feehan back within seven by booting a 30-yard field goal.

“We realized what’s on the line here,” Sesay said about the team coming up with a big stand to hold Feehan to three points. “We owe it to ourselves to get back to Gillette and take it home this time, so I guess we all motivated each other with, if we don’t win this game then we’re going home. Most of our d-line is seniors and it’s our last season together and it’s just the culmination of all the hard work since we were like eight years old.”

KP was unable to get things going with the ball, getting one first down but then failing to fool the Shamrocks with a Thomas Brewster end-around on third and nine. Feehan would get the ball back at its own 30 down by a score with 4:19 to go.

Iovieno converted fourth and an inch with a QB sneak and got another first down on second and short with the same play. Now in KP territory, Feehan was backed up five on a false start. On first and 15, Iovieno was sacked by Abbott and Meier for a loss of seven. Feehan spiked the ball to stop the clock, bringing up third and 22 with 1:49 to play.

Kelley broke on the route on the outside, picking off the Iovieno pass and returning it to the Feehan 21, effectively sealing the win and sending KP back to the state title game.

“Watching film I saw they like the out-route,” Kelley explained, “and I was playing deep because I didn’t want to let anything behind me. I saw the out-route, saw the quarterback’s eyes, and just jumped it.”

With the victory, KP advances to the D2 Super Bowl for the fifth time in six seasons. The Warriors are now 18-3 in playoff games since 2016.

“It’s pretty freaking crazy,” Lee said. “The kids work and give so much. It’s not easy to win and it’s harder now than it ever was, so to be able to do that, to get there again, it hasn’t even sunk in. Five in six years, that’s pretty awesome.”

When Sesay was asked about being part of the program’s sustained success, he replied, “It feels amazing just to be a part of a program that can do something that big.”

“To know we’re part of something this big that will carry on for generations, it’s something special I’ll always hold with me and I’ll know with these guys, it’s something I’ll remember my whole life being part of the KP dynasty.”

King Philip (9-1) will have a rematch in the state title game, regardless of the opponent. Either the Warriors will face top seed Milford in a rematch of their league encounter from October or they will face No. 4 seed Catholic Memorial in a repeat of last year’s title game.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.