Tag: Ryan Brown

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/15/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
North Attleboro, 1 @ Dartmouth, 6 – Final – Senior Peter Santoro pitched well in relief for the Rocketeers, tossing three scoreless innings with three hits and no walks, striking out five. Jordan Paradis (RBI) and Gio Martello each had a double and Chris Hanewich scored for North.

Taunton, 10 @ Plymouth North, 3 – Final – Taunton bounced back from a loss on Friday with a big win on the road at Plymouth North. The Tigers plated three runs in the top of the first and never trailed the rest of the way, adding two runs in the third, single runs in the fourth and seventh, and three more in the sixth inning. Braden Sullivan (two runs), Dawson Bryce (two doubles, two RBI, three runs), and Sean Murphy (RBI) each had two hits for Taunton while Ryan MacDougall (double, two RBI), Brayden Cali (two runs), Andrew Cali, and AJ Lewis (run) each had a hit. Brady Morin earned the win in relief, tossing 2.1 shutout innings with three strikeouts while Jack Cali had two scoreless innings in relief with a pair of strikeouts.

Sharon, 6 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Sharon overcame an early two-run deficit by chipping away in the middle innings and pulling away for good with a three-run seventh inning. The host Black Knights jumped out to a 2-0 lead after Jeriel Cuello singled and then scored on a ball put in play by Hunter Malkin in the first inning, and courtesy runner Joey McEachern scored in the second (after a single from James Spector. Sharon responded with a run in the third (Liam Conway triple, wild pitch), one in the fourth (Seth Bonner RBI double), and one more in the fifth (Soham Kulkarni two-out RBI single) to take a 3-2 lead. In the top of the seventh, Cole Arundale tripled and came home on a single from Jake Loomis, who came home on a sac fly from Bonner. Conway’s second triple of the game added another insurance run to stretch the lead to 6-3. Luke Meixel earned the win for the Eagles, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk, striking out eight in a complete game.




Softball
Attleboro, 23 @ Holliston, 7 – Final

Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final – Oliver Ames earned its third straight win, building a big lead early to take down visiting Canton. The Tigers scored the first run in the second, stretched the lead with a four-run third, and scored once more in each the fourth and sixth innings. Maddie Homer (run), Erin Martin (RBI), and Paige Taylor (run) each had two hits for the hosts, Devon Morris drove in two runs and scored two runs, and Crystyliah Covel had one RBI. Katie Melendy earned the win for OA, allowing two runs (both unearned) on five hits and one walk, striking out seven in seven innings.

King Philip, 12 @ Bishop Feehan, 0 – Final (5 inn.) – King Philip collected its second straight win over a top ranked team, this time putting up 12 runs against a top-10 Shamrock squad from Feehan. KP took the lead on Ava Kelley’s RBI single in the first inning, scored three more times in the second, and plated four runs in both the third and fifth innings. Kelley (two runs, RBI), Charlotte Raymond (RBI), Liv Petrillo (two runs), Maddie Paschke (three RBI), and Taylor Regan (RBI, two runs) each had a pair of hits for the Warriors while Libby Walsh had a two-run home run in the fifth. McCoy Walsh tossed a five-inning shutout, allowing three hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

Mansfield, 1 vs. Norton, 13 – Final

North Attleboro, 3 vs. Dartmouth, 0 – Final – Last week, Kelly Colleran had a perfect game over five innings, today she threw one over seven innings. Colleran finished with 16 strike outs, two put outs, and an assist. She also blasted a second inning homer that turned out to be the game-winning run. With two outs, Maryellen Charette would double the lead, driving in Molly Willey. In the fifth, Willey drove in the third run with a fielder’s choice. Emma Hanwell had three hits for the Rocketeers, while Colleran and Arianna McDavitt each had a pair of hits.

Stoughton, 2 @ Norwood, 8 – Final




Boys Lacrosse
Milford, 5 @ Attleboro, 13 – Final

Canton, 12 @ North Attleboro, 10 – Final – Canton erased a three-goal deficit and outscored the host Rocketeers 9-4 in the second to get the win. North staked a 6-3 edge at the break but Canton owned the third and fourth quarters to get the win. Jeff Chaput led the charge with four goals, Michael Thomas and Ethan Keleher each had a hat trick, and AJ Thomas potted a pair for the Bulldogs.

Sharon, 11 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Sharon used a dominant second quarter to create separation on its way to a key win over division rival Foxboro. The Eagles and Warriors traded goals in the first quarter but the second belonged to Sharon, who outscored the hosts 6-0 in the frame. Foxboro scored the first two goals of the second half but Sharon answered with four straight between the third and fourth quarters to pull away for good. Jordan Burt, Sam Rothbaum, Jordan Weisman, Ryan Brown, and Dylan Cummings each scored twice for the visitors and Edward Bondar found the back of the net once. Matt Powers played well in net for the Eagles. Foxboro’s Conor Noone scored twice while Jon Sacchetti and Tony Sulham each added one.

Franklin, 20 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Drew Hansen, Eddie O’Brien, and Luke Davis each scored a hat trick to lead Franklin to a win on the road over Oliver Ames. Hansen also had two assists, Davis had one helper, and both Tyler Sacchetti and Jayden Consigli had three points (two goals, one assist). Shaun Teehan scored for OA while Noah Isleib made 17 saves in the cage.

Mansfield, 19 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield shut out the Tigers and clinched at least a share of the program’s first Davenport title and first league title since 2012. Tommy Smith led the way offensively, scoring four times and dishing out a pair of assists. Tommy Vallett added a hat trick, Cody Gordon and Andrew Burnham each had a pair of goals and a pair of assists, Drew Sacco scored twice, and Andrew DeGirolamo had a goal and a helper. Liam Barry, Will Riley (assist) Billy Doherty, Taher Mustafa, and Cooper Austin each found the back of the net once. Ryan DeGirolamo made six saves in the Mansfield goal.

Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 12 @ Milford, 11 – Final (2OT) – Attleboro rallied for a pair of late goals, including the game-tying goal with under a minute left in regulation, before pulling out the win in the second overtime. Bella Cavalini’s ninth goal of the game from a free position was the game-winner in double overtime while Peyton McAuliffe (16 saves) had a huge stop in the final seconds of the first overtime to keep the Bombardiers in it. Amelia Collins added two goals and two assists and Ryan Mooney added one goal. Leandra Lennon (six ground balls) and Ella Stromfors (five ground balls) played well defensively for the Bombardiers. Emily Croteau lead Milford with six goals and one assists, Alexa Landry and Kaitlin Landy each found the back of the net twice, and TJ Downing scored once. Caitlyn Bangert made 10 saves for the Scarlet Hawks.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Canton, 11 – Final

Foxboro, 17 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Mya Waryas (two assists), Cate Noone (four assists), and Paige Curran (four assists) each had a hat trick for Foxboro in a win on the road. Mia DiNunzio (one goal), Kaelin Connors (goal, two assists), and Kathryn Ferguson (assist) all chipped in offensively in the win.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Franklin, 22 – Final – The Panthers had 12 players find the back of the net and senior Lindsay Atkinson recorded her 100th career point in a win over Oliver Ames. Ella Mahoney and Maise Streeseman both played well in net.

Stoughton, 2 @ King Philip, 18 – Final – King Philip built a big lead early and never looked back in their first ever matchup with Stoughton. Haley Bright and Rose Campbell each had their first varsity goals in the win while Sammy Cloutier (two assists), Makenzie McDevitt, Nikki McDonald, and Ilah Weiblen each scored twice. Sarah Brown chipped in with three points, scoring once with two helpers. Morgan Groppi scored a pair of goals for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 15 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. On senior night, goalie Caitlyn Zajac made 11 saves, including the 400th of her career, and scored her first varsity goal to help the Hornets pick up the win. Ava Adams scored five goals and dished out an assist, while pulling down seven draw controls. Brooke Butler scored five times and had three assists to lead the attack. Stella Moore had a pair of goals and Lola Varricchione and Carys Colby each scored once. Rose Maher had three helpers and Bella Sacchetti had one. Maddi Szala had two goals and an assist for the Tigers, Raquel Azevedo notched one assist, and Mel Jesus made 11 saves.







Boys Tennis
Canton, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final

Milford, 0 @ Medway, 5 – Final

North Attleboro @ Dartmouth – Postponed

Sharon, 3 vs. Martha’s Vineyard, 2 – Final – Sharon extracted revenge against Martha’s Vineyard, treating the visitors to a 3-2 win in a rematch from earlier this season. Senior Matthew Lally earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at second singles and junior Alex Budovalcev sank his opponent with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 comeback win at third singles. The team of Kevin Li and Hyojae Park helped the Eagles clinch the win with a 6-3, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

Mansfield, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – Mansfield took three wins from singles and one more from doubles to return home from Franklin with a 4-1 verdict over the Panthers. Sophomore Neema Khosravani notched a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, junior Nikhil Nain added a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles, and junior Iniyan Karruppusami dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. The team of junior Jacob Weiner and sophomore Josh Weiner emerged from first doubles with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) comeback win. Franklin’s Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy recorded a 7-6 (4), 6-4 win at second doubles.

Taunton, 4 @ Durfee, 1 – Final – Martin Frankimet overcame a one-set deficit to take a win at second singles, highlighting the Tigers’ victory over Durfee. Frankimet earned a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win, Michael Kimmer added a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, and Heitor Sens completed the singles sweep with a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles. Taunton’s first doubles team of Kenny Dias and Rowan Kimmer emerged with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 win for the Tigers.

Girls Tennis
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames returned from a trip to Canton with a clean sweep, 5-0, over the Bulldogs. Hannah Farber had an impressive win in a top battle, taking a 6-1, 6-1 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli prevailed in a super tiebreaker (6-3, 4-6, 10-3), and Stella Zachos secured a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles. OA’s first doubles team of Emily Beaulieu and Ava Barth prevailed in a tight battle 6-4, 6-7 (2), 10-4, and the Tigers’ second doubles tandem of Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski earned a 6-1, 7-5 win.

King Philip, 0 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final

North Attleboro, 4 vs. Dartmouth, 1 – Final – A trio of dominant singles wins highlighted North Attleboro’s 4-1 win over visiting Dartmouth. Lauren Hunt rolled 6-0, 6-0 at first singles, Megan Atwood notched a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles, and Grace Noreck recorded a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles. North’s second doubles team of Jayla Stone and Grace Manning prevailed 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Sharon, 4 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 1 – Final – Sharon took wins in both doubles matches and added two more wins in singles action to earn a season sweep of Martha’s Vineyard. Nayya Shukla (6-0, 6-2) and Ale Aguilar (6-2, 6-0) both dropped only two games total at second and third singles victories. The team of Abby Vilk and Jenny Sand impressed in a 6-0, 6-3 first doubles win, and Ellie Zhao and Olivia Landstein rolled at second doubles to the tune of 6-0, 6-0.

Franklin, 5 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – The Panthers won all five matches in straight sets to stay tied with North Attleboro at the top of the Kelley-Rex. Izzy Trull (6-1, 6-1), Brooke Taylor (6-1, 6-0), and Chloe Essam (7-5, 6-2) won their singles matches for Franklin. The doubles teams of Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen (6-4, 6-1) and Allison Bagley and Ava Davies (6-1, 6-1) made it a clean sweep for the visitors.

Taunton, 4 vs. Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton swept doubles action and won a pair of singles matches in straight sets to topple the visiting Hilltoppers. Juniors Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin teamed up for a 6-4, 6-0 first doubles win while the junior tandem of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett notched a 6-0, 6-3 victory at second doubles. Junior Ava Alves prevailed 6-4, 6-1 at second singles for the Tigers while classmate Morgan Smith recorded a 6-2, 6-2 win at third singles.

Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Millis, 4:45
Milford vs. Newton South, 6:15

Taunton, 3 vs. Barnstable, 1 – Final – After dropping the first set, Taunton rallied to win three in a row, including a marathon fourth set to clinch the victory (22-25, 25-16, 25-18, 34-32). Bradley Hyland continues to anchor the defense for the Tigers, recording 21 digs and three aces in the win. Daniel Freitas was putting the ball up perfectly, finishing with an impressive 60 assists in win; Freitas set up Matt Freitas (27 kills), Alvin Morisseau (12 kills, three blocks), Josh Duncan (nine kills, one block), Owen Kelley (eight kills, 10 digs), and Anotnios Dimakis (five kills, three blocks).

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
North Attleboro and Mansfield are looking to return to the playoffs this spring. Read full team-by-team breakdowns of the Hockomock League boys lacrosse teams. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Attleboro

2022 Record: 6-11
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton
Attleboro took a step in the right direction last season as it improved its win total and had one of its best offensive seasons in its program’s young history. Head coach Kevin Patton is hoping the upward trajectory continues this season.

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

After a big increase in offensive production, expectations remain high for a similar output as the Bombardiers have its top two scorers back from a year ago in seniors Carter Shelton and Cole McKenna. Shelton will return to the attack after finishing inside the top 10 in the Hockomock League in points, tying for ninth with 47 goals and tying for eighth best in the league with 37 assists. A lot of those assists went to McKenna, an end-to-end midfielder that really sets the tone on both ends. McKenna had 25 goals and 12 assists a year ago. Senior Jack DiLiddo and sophomore Nathan Conroy are also back in the mix in the attack, giving the Bombardiers an experienced group up front.

As the Bombardiers strive to make the state tournament, another positive is the experience on the defensive end. Junior Harry Wheaton is back in the net for the third straight year and is among the most experienced goalies in the league after turning away 237 shots last year. He has a veteran group in front of him as well led by senior Bobby Sawyer, juniors John Wheaton and Ethan Lyons, and sophomore Matt Silva — all returning varsity players. Meanwhile, McKenna will be joined in the midfield by fellow returners and classmates Spencer Sherck and Patrick McAvoy. Junior Tyler Graney and freshman Landon Vieira will also be in the mix for meaningful minutes in the midfield.

“With a solid returning core with varsity experience, we will be relying on these guys to provide leadership and hard work to help us achieve our goals,” Patton said.

Canton

2022 Record: 5-12
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Tommy Galvin
Former Canton standout Tommy Galvin, who was the interim coach during the 2021 season when the Bulldogs won a share of their third-ever Davenport division title, takes over as head coach this season and will be looking to get his squad back into content for the league crown.

There isn’t much experience on this year’s squad so Galvin will be leaning heavily on the handful of veterans he does have on the squad. The offense will face the task of replacing the production of last year’s leading scorer Sam Carlino, who had over 150 points between the past two seasons. Senior Jeff Chaput will lead the charge offensively as one of the few returners in the attack, coming off a season with 21 goals and 17 assists. Junior Brendan Tourgee anchors the midfield unit and had a terrific sophomore campaign, adding to the offense with 22 goals and 26 assists. Freshmen Ethan Keleher and Michael Thomas could make an immediate impact right away.

There are only a handful of seniors on the team so there is plenty of opportunity for new faces to step in and find a spot in the lineup. Galvin will be looking to find the right combination of players in order to find the recipe for success this season. Defensively, junior Colin Blake is back in the mix and will be a leader on that end of the field. Galvin believes the Bulldogs have a smart and tough defensive core that will play in front of a competitive group of goalies.

“I am very excited to begin my head coaching career with this group of kids,” Galvin said. “They come to practice every day ready to learn and always give 100%. We have some new faces but also a lot of two and three-year starters who we will lean on, especially at the start of the season. I expect to be competitive in every game and am looking forward to the season starting this week.”







2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Foxboro

2022 Record: 14-7
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Quarterfinal
Coach: Matt Noone
Foxboro has always been in the picture in the Davenport division title hunt, having won four in the past six seasons, and with nine returners back it looks like the Warriors will be in the mix once again this year.

There’s no doubt that the Warriors will have one of the best attacks in the division, and in the entire league, with the talent they have back up front. Senior Conor Noone has been scoring goals and making plays for the Warriors since his sophomore season, finding the back of the net 23 times during the regular season last year and added a team-high 31 assists. Sophomore Jon Sacchetti is coming off an impressive freshman season and will look to take the next step this spring, and sophomore Aidan Waller rounds out the Warriors’ attack group. Senior Finn Stapleton is another seasoned veteran and his presence on both ends will be vital for Foxboro’s success this year.

Stapleton will be joined in the midfield by a trio of talented juniors in Ryan Cotter, Luis Sulham, and Ian Foley — all multi-sport athletes that can get up and down the field and make plays on both ends. Sophomore Ian Williamson and freshmen Cam Delesky and Michael McCabe will provide depth in the midfield. Defensively, it starts in the cage with junior Adam Addeche, who begins his third campaign as the starting goalie. He will have a familiar face out in front with junior Jack Sullivan returning to anchor the defensive unit while sophomores Jaiden Jean and James Dee Gaffney will look to fill out the defense.

Franklin

2022 Record: 15-6
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal (Kelley-Rex champion)
Coach: Lou Verrochi
Every spring, Hockomock teams start the new season hoping this will be the year that Franklin loosens its grip on the Kelley-Rex division and each time the Panthers return with the talent to not only win state titles but to compete with the best programs in the state. In fact, longtime coach Lou Verrochi believes this might be as good a team as he has ever had.

Franklin’s attack will be among the best in the state. Senior Luke Davis is already a two-time All-American, senior Jayden Consigli was an All-American last year, and senior Tyler Sacchetti joined his attacking partners by recording more than 100 points in 2022. All three are Div. I commits. The Panthers have loads of depth in the midfield with senior Ravin Chaudhury providing box-to-box work and classmate John Walshe a standout defensive midfielder. Juniors Eddie O’Brien, Ryan Grasso, and Drew Hansen can all jump into the attack and produce, while seniors Chris Drake and Brian Leonard will provide cover in the defensive half.

The defense has more experience this season. Senior Ben Harvey will be the anchor of a strong group of poles. Senior Braeden Leonard has battled injuries but is finally healthy and ready to step into a big role and sophomore Drew McCarthy will be the third starter. Senior Connor Sullivan and sophomore Flynn Baker will split time between LSM and close defense. Junior Matt Corvi and senior Mike Galvin give Franklin two strong shot-stoppers in goal and senior Justin Alexander is one of the best FOGOs in the state.

“We also have many players waiting in the wings that can really play,” Verrochi said. “I’m very excited for this season.”




2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

King Philip

2022 Record: 13-5
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Hal Bean
King Philip has been chasing Franklin at the top of the Kelley-Rex division since the team shared the title in 2014. The Warriors are hoping to finally unseat the Panthers this spring but also to put together a tournament run after last season’s postseason came to an abrupt end at the hands of rival Mansfield. After graduating 16 seniors from last year’s roster, KP will have to quickly incorporate a lot of new faces to make that title challenge.

The attack will be led by junior Donovan DeVellis. He scored 30 goals last year and was second on the team in scoring. This spring, he’ll lead the line. Also helping out in attack will be Pat Weiblen, Justin Kosh, Aiden McCarthy, and freshman Mason Thompson. Senior Alex Viscusi and Noah Minkwitz will take charge of an athletic midfield. They will be joined by Hayden Schmitz, Cullen McCarthy, Brandon Berdos, Thomas Kilroy, Henry Leclair, Nick Longobardi, and Jake Booth.

Defense has been a consistent strength for the Warriors. They allowed a league-low 122 goals in 18 games last season. Senior goalie James Boldy will be the leader of the defensive unit and will have a lot of depth in front of him. Juniors Tyler Douglas and Jack Berthiaume will be helped out by freshman defenseman Brodie McDonald, whose potential makes him one to watch. The defense will also see contributions from Luke Stehley, Averi Dangelo, Drew Bowen, Jackson Fornash, and backup goalie Finn Cunningham.

The King Philip boys varsity lacrosse team finds ourselves in familiar territory playing in competitive games against teams in and out of the Hockomock League and working towards improving previous years’ standings,” said KP coach Hal Bean. “This year’s captains James Boldy, Alex Viscusi, and Donovan DeVellis are great individuals and a joy to coach. I am very fortunate to have them leading this program.”

Mansfield

2022 Record: 8-12
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen
Coach: Tim Frias
Mansfield’s defense came up strong in the closing stretch of the 2022 season, holding three of its final five opponents to five goals or fewer, including rival King Philip in the opening round of the playoffs. The Hornets have an experienced group at both ends of the field hoping to carry that momentum into the new year and put together a title challenge in their first year in the Davenport.

Up top, the Hornets return a talented group of attackers. Senior Drew Sacco will be the leader of that group, but he will have plenty of help from juniors Tommy Smith and Will Riley. Freshman Andrew DeGirolamo will give Mansfield a strong four-man rotation hoping to set the ton near the opposition cage. The midfield will be led by seniors Aiden Steele, Cody Gordon, Grady Sullivan, and junior Andrew Burnham, all of whom are strong two-way players. Juniors Sam Oliveira, Logan Pereira, and Ben Grella and freshmen Nico Smith, Tommy Vallett, and Donovan Minton will give Mansfield enviable strength in numbers.

The defense will also have a lot of depth this season. Senior Liam Barry, juniors Nolan Bordieri and James DeGirolamo, and sophomore Thomas Gormley will lock things down at close defense. Senior Stephen Mullert, junior Dylan Sansone, and freshmen Ben Hoopis and KJ Mahoney will provide extra help at LSM. Senior goalie Ryan DeGirolamo will be back in the cage this season to give the Hornets extra leadership in defense.

Milford

2022 Record: 1-15
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Austin Costa
Milford coach Austin Costa, who has played for the Portuguese national team, is excited that the Hawks could be poised for a step forward as a program this spring. With all but one starter returning from last season, more than 20 underclassmen adding depth to the roster, and enough players in the program to have a JV team for the first time in seven years, Milford has the depth to make a mark.

The attack will be loaded with experience, as all three starters are back. Senior Jacob Ligor is the team’s top scorer and the AIC commit will again be counted on to lead the line alongside classmate Eric Farrell. Sophomore Jayden Martins could be poised for a breakout season. The midfield is loaded with young talent including freshman Henry Baldic, who will also try to be a contributor on face-offs. Freshmen Jason Stokes and Ricky Nashawaty and sophomores Anthony Maietta, Robbie DeGasperis, and Matthew Lioce will all be contributors this season.

Senior Nick Casilli is the leader of the defensive unit and senior goalie Alex McGuire will help keep things organized at the back. Junior Oliver McKee is a newcomer that will add strength in defense and freshman Dylan Burns is expected to have an instant impact with his speed. Freshman Ethan Charczenko will be a defensive midfielder who should see immediate playing time.

Costa said, “I think this is going to be another great step for Milford in our goal of growing the lacrosse program and competing in the Hockomock. With a great balance of senior leadership and talented underclassmen, I cannot think of a better group to reset the expectations and reach new goals for Milford lacrosse. The excitement, the numbers, and the energy are back for Milford lacrosse.”




2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

North Attleboro

2022 Record: 18-3
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Quarterfinal (Davenport champion)
Coach: Ryan Izzo
North Attleboro won 18 games and the Davenport division title in 2022, but the Rocketeers graduated 12 seniors and will have a new coaching staff this season. Former Walpole, UMass, and MLL standout Ryan Izzo takes over after a couple of seasons coaching Norton and he inherits a young roster that will be looking to gain valuable experience.

Senior goalie JT Gallagher is back in the cage this season and will be an important leader for the defensive unit. Classmate Julian House and junior Connor Rajotte return on close defense and will be counted on to mark some of the opposition’s best attackers. Senior Jack Regan will be the leader of an attacking group that graduated a lot of production from last year. Sophomore Brady Backner is the team’s top returning scorer but has an injury to start the season.

“Young squad with great senior leadership,” Izzo said about his roster. “Will be a good test this year in regards to understanding the speed at this level and the skill set from those really well-rounded teams. We will look to compete at a high-level day in and day out. With a lot of first-year players on the squad, we may be inexperienced on paper, but what’s lacking in skill, will be made up with toughness and outworking our opponents. Looking forward to a great season for North.”

Oliver Ames

2022 Record: 7-11
2022 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Ben Devlin
Even after graduating a 50-goal scorer, Oliver Ames has plenty of scoring punch back from last year’s team. Defensively, the Tigers will have only one returning starter so will be counting on several new faces to step into bigger roles this spring and have instant impacts as they try to get into the playoff mix.

Senior Ben Reardon is coming off a 55-goal, 29-assist season and will be the leader of the attacking group, while junior Alex McAndrew and sophomore Shawn Teehan will join him up front. Teehan stepped into a starting role by the end of his freshman season. Junior Ryan Jaco provided 23 goals from midfield last year and he’ll be joined by his twin brother Evan, who is moving forward from his defensive midfield role. Senior Jake Manthous will handle face-offs and get more time on offense this season, while senior Victor Romeiro and junior Owen Bourne will both see playing time.

The defense will be relatively inexperienced, but junior Landon Grothe is a three-year starter. Senior Jason Zalis saw plenty of action as a sophomore but missed his junior season and junior Liam Dunlap, sophomore Bryce Deibel, and freshman Lawrence Dear will compete to be the third pole. Junior Jack Corey takes over at LSM after being converted from attack. Senior Noah Isleib, a St. Michael’s commit, is back for his third year as the starting goalie and he will be backed up by junior Ethan St. Jean.

“We continue to try to rebuild and compete in a very difficult Hockomock League,” said OA coach Ben Devlin. “We look for several returning, younger players to pick up some of that lost production. We are hoping that our defense is improved over last year with some increased depth and experience from several key players. As always, our toughest games are within the league. Every Hock team is talented and well-coached, but our goal as always is to try to win enough games to make the tourney.”

Sharon

2022 Record: 9-10
2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32
Coach: Jon Shocket
Sharon continues to build experience with a relatively young roster. The Eagles have only one senior on the roster this season, but they will still be looking to get back into the state tournament and stay in the mix in the Davenport division.

The defense will continue to learn on the job. Sophomores Ben Goldberg and Zack Berstein will be back at the poles with classmate Matt Powers in the cage. On the other end of the field, the attack features junior Sam Rothbaum and Jake Kaufman with newcomer Dylan Cummings getting the chance to contribute right away.

The midfield will be athletic and is probably the team’s most experienced group. Ryan Brown will give the team energy on both ends of the field and Ronan Widland will be back at LSM. Gabe Korn and Jordan Weisman will add depth and production in the midfield.

“We will have some growing to do,” said Sharon coach Jon Shocket. “We have only one senior on the squad so this year and next will be super exciting!”

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Taunton

2022 Record: n/a
2022 Finish: n/a
Coach: Brendan Chambers
Taunton is playing varsity boys lacrosse for the first time since 2018, but the Tigers are hoping that the experience and cohesiveness of the roster will carry the team through the season. Although it hasn’t been at the varsity level, many of the seniors have been playing together since eighth grade and the Tigers have a host of underclassmen that could step in and play big roles.

The defense will be led by senior Ethan Fitzsimmons, whose game IQ will be crucial against some of the top attackers in the Hock. Senior Jake Leonard will also play close defense. Freshman Riley Mellin will be in the mix on defense as sophomore Landen Rodrigues works his way back from an injury. Freshman Oren Cullins will be in the cage after a strong JV season that saw him go 10-4 and allow five goals per game. Senior Dylan McCaughey will be at LSM.

Offensively, the Tigers will be relying on three seniors. Last year’s leading scorer Israel Cruz has a nose for goal and will be the focal point of the attack. Thomas Murphy and Colton Scheralis will also get the chance up top and bring different facets in front of goal. Senior Tommy Selfridge is dropping back from attack into the midfield to balance the lineup and initiate the offense from the top of the cage. Seniors Colt Kennedy and Connor McGrath are capable dodgers and add more experience to the top midfield line. Eighth-grader Jameson Vallarelli has made a positive impression in the preseason and also looks ready to make an immediate impact.

“With a senior-heavy, determined squad, many of whom have been playing together since eighth grade, we are looking to fit the pieces together to have a competitive season in the Hock,” said Taunton coach Brendan Chambers.

2023 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Baur’s Big Night Boosts Sharon Past Burlington

Sharon boys basketball Matt Baur
Sharon senior Matt Baur, who had a career-high 28 points, goes up for a first half layup against Burlington. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 SHARON, Mass. — A year ago, Sharon’s Matt Baur was the leading scorer for the Davenport division champion Eagles.

One season later, Baur’s role has changed. The emergence of juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson paired with the addition of senior Dante James saw Baur finish fourth on the team in scoring during the regular season.

But make no mistake about it, just because the Eagles haven’t needed Baur to score as much certainly doesn’t mean he isn’t capable.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The senior captain poured in a career-high 28 points, including 20 in the first half, to lead the third-seeded Eagles to a big 75-59 win over #19 Burlington in an MIAA Division 2 Round of 16 matchup.

“It really speaks to the human being that Matt Baur is,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “After missing those first couple of games, he realized he doesn’t have to come in and score 20 points a game like we needed him to last year. He committed to being one of the best defensive players in the league and we think he did it. He took [Cedric Rodriguez] and really took him out of the game, held him to 13 points and he’s averaging over 20. That was Matt’s task tonight and then he adds the offense on top of it. Our team has a lot of talent on it and he’s been a consummate leader for us.”

A HockomockSports First Team selection last year, Baur has always led by example with his defense and willingness to sacrifice his body. Despite only scoring over 20 points twice this season, he earned all-league honors because of all of his intangibles. On Tuesday night, his offensive prowess was on display.

Baur wasted little time heating up from the floor as he hit 5-of-8 attempts from the floor in the opening quarter, scoring 11 points to help the Eagles establish an early double-digit lead at 18-8.

It didn’t stop there as he took a feed from Ryan Brown to open the scoring in the second quarter, and then a pass from Sam Letendre for another bucket. After making his third field goal of the second quarter — and eighth of the game already — he drew an offensive foul on the other end to get Sharon the ball back.

“We have a lot of offensive threats on this team, and I knew that coming into the season,” Baur said. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win. If that means taking a back seat with scoring, I’ll do it. I’m still confident and tonight I was hot so I kept rolling with it.”

Baur came up with a steal and found James (seven points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals) with a sweet behind the back pass for a traditional three-point play as Sharon’s lead ballooned up to 13 (29-16) midway through the second quarter. Baur added a triple, set up Katznelson (15 points, four rebounds) for one of his two threes in the game, and a late three from TTyler Goodman gave Sharon a 38-26 lead at halftime.

After a strong first half, the Eagles faced a stiffer test in the second as the Red Devils came out of the break with renewed energy. A press seemed to give Burlington some life while taking away Sharon’s rhythm. A 9-2 surge over the first four minutes saw the lead cut down the five, and the Red Devils even had a three-point attempt in the air that would have cut it down to two, but it was off the mark.

Sharon came down the other end and drained a key three by — guess who — Baur, taking a handoff from McLoughlin (15 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals) and draining a tough three.

During that run, Ferguson elected to let his team play instead of calling a timeout to try and stunt Burlington’s momentum.

“We’ve had the experience of being in similar situations, we had it against Mansfield,” Ferguson said, “I don’t call a ton of timeouts, even if my assistants are wanting me to, I want my guys to figure it out. We have three seniors and four juniors really out there and we have to trust those guys, and they reward that trust more often than not.”

After another Burlington, Brown dropped in a perfectly weighted pass over the top to Katznelson for two, and nearly as quick as it was gone, Sharon’s double-digit lead was restored.

Nothing comes easy in the postseason and the Red Devils proved that as they responded with five straight, and once again the deficit was down to five. McLoughlin got into the lane for a floater, and senior Jack Bates found Baur for two more, handing Sharon a 49-42 lead.

Sharon slammed the door shut in the fourth quarter as its seven-point advantage quickly doubled just 60 seconds into the final frame. Bates hit a tough layup, James linked up with Katznelson for three, and McLoughlin got by his defender for two at the rim.

And just 30 seconds later, Bates found James for two and Sharon had its largest lead of the game to that point, 58-44, with 6:32 to play.

Burlington inched closer to get it back to 11, but Baur answered with his fourth triple of the contest.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

“We’ve been in tough situations like this all season,” Baur said. “Teams are going to going to make runs, we know that. One of our focuses coming into the season was mental toughness and facing adversity and we were able to execute that tonight. It’s a game of runs so we shouldn’t be afraid of that.

“All of the hard work we’ve been putting in the last two years, it’s really hard to put it into words and describe this to see it all paying off.”

Sharon boys basketball advances to the Elite 8 to take on #6 Nashoba, who edged North Quincy 56-53 on Tuesday night. The Eagles and the Wolves are scheduled to tip off at 6:00 on Friday in Sharon.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 03/03/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Division 1
#15 Taunton, 52 vs. #18 Attleboro, 57 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Division 2
#2 Mansfield, 71 vs. #34 Newburyport, 25 – Final – Mansfield limited the visitors to five or fewer points in three quarters and its offense clicked throughout to open the state tournament with a 71-25 rout of Newburyport. Mansfield poured in 21 points in the opening eight minute while limiting the Clippers to just a pair of field goals for a 21-4 lead. That advantage ballooned to 37-9 by halftime. Junior Trevor Foley had nine of his team-high 14 points in the opening quarter and junior Eddie McCoy dropped in 10 of his 12 points in the first frame to get the Hornets going. Senior JT Veiking added 10 of his team-high 14 points in the third quarter and Caden Colby had a balanced night and finished with 12 points. The Hornets will host #15 Salem on a date and time to be announced by the MIAA.

#3 Sharon, 70 vs. #30 South High, 57 – Final – Sharon’s offense proved to be too much as the Eagles outscored South in each quarter on their way to a Round of 32 victory. Nate Katznelson was a force down low for the Eagles, hitting 10 two-point field goals to tie a season-high with 24 points. Senior Matt Baur helped the Eagles get off to a strong start with seven of his nine in the opening period while both Jacob McLoughlin and Dante James spread their points around and finished with 10 points each. Sharon established a 35-27 lead by halftime and stretched it to 53-39 going into the fourth. Ryan Brown and Tyler Goodman both had strong defensive performances in the win. Sharon will host #19 Burlington, who knocked off Canton, on Tuesday at 6:00.

#9 Foxboro, 58 vs. #24 Norwood, 60 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

#14 Canton, 50 vs. #19 Burlington, 62 – Final – Canton fell behind in the first quarter and couldn’t find a run to get the lead back in a Round of 32 loss to Burlington. The Bulldogs fell behind by five (20-15) after one and trailed 33-21 going into the half. A 19-point third quarter from the visitors prevented Canton from getting any closer the rest of the way. Jeremiah Predin led Canton with 12 points while Jamaal McConnell and Caden Mirliani each had 11 points.

Girls Basketball
Division 2
#5 Foxboro, 68 vs. #28 Holliston, 35 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Sunday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/19/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
North Attleboro, 64 vs. Marshfield, 54 – Final – North Attleboro had four players in double figures to score an upset win over playoff-bound Marshfield in the first round of the Weymouth Invitational. The Rocketeers built a 25-21 lead at halftime before erupting for 20 points in the third quarter to extend its lead to double digits, 45-35, going into the fourth. Derek Maceda hit a trio of three-pointers for a team-high 15 points along with eight rebounds, Givany Carney anchored the offense early with 13 of his 15 points in the first half and snagged seven rebounds, sophomore Jonnie Obuchowski added 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, and sophomore Chase Frisoli chipped in with 10 points and eight boards. Senior Jack Munley (seven points, five rebounds) had a pair of huge offensive rebounds in the final four minutes, both leading to points to keep North ahead. After Marshfield cut the deficit to one, 53-52, with under a minute to go, Maceda, Frisoli, Obuchowski, and Chris Hanewich converted from the free throw line to clinch the win.

Sharon, 57 vs. Dedham, 42 – Final – Sharon sank five three-pointers in a 21-point first quarter and never looked back in a comfortable win over Dedham in a first round matchup of the Dudley Davenport Classic. Ryan Brown hit a pair of threes in the first on his way to a career-high 12 points while Matt Baur, Jacob McLoughlin, and Tyler Goodman (10 points) also hit from deep to give the Eagles a double-digit lead after eight minutes. Jack Bates added two more threes in the second as Sharon staked a 35-17 lead at halftime. Junior Nate Katznelson finished with a team-high 13 points for the Eagles.

Girls Basketball
Canton, 41 vs. Falmouth, 40 – Final (OT) – Erin Beatty hit a layup as time expired in overtime to send Canton to the final of the Riley Classic at Westwood High. Falmouth stormed back at the end of regulation, hitting three straight triples to tie the game. After the Bulldogs missed a chance at winning the game, Falmouth got to the line with two seconds remaining but couldn’t hit the front end of a one-on-one, so the game went to overtime. Canton was down a point with eight seconds left. After a timeout, Beatty cut to the basket and scored as time expired. Marissa Staffiere knocked down three shots from beyond the arc and finished with 10 points. Beatty added seven and Han Hong had six points in the win.

Girls Hockey
Franklin, 4 @ Westwood, 2 – Final

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/14/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Franklin, 41 @ Attleboro, 36 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Canton, 56 @ Foxboro, 58 – Final – Canton’s Caden Mirliani drained a go-ahead three with 30 seconds to go but Foxboro senior Ryan LeClair answered with a triple of his own 10 seconds later as the Warriors secured a season sweep of the Bulldogs with another thrilling win. The Bulldogs came out of a timeout with 35 seconds left down by two (55-53) before quickly finding Mirliani in the corner for three and the lead. Foxboro’s Alex Penders penetrated to draw extra in the lane before kicking it out to LeClair for three. Canton had a pair of looks but came up short as Foxboro took the win. Canton had a dream start as they raced out to a 18-3 lead in the first quarter. Sophomore Ryan Kelley provided a big boost with eight of his nine points in the second and Penders scored six of his 14 as the Warriors battled back to cut the deficit to 30-23 at halftime. The momentum stuck with the hosts as they outscored Canton 16-7 in the third to surge ahead 39-37 going into the fourth. Ryan Cotter scored had 9 of his 11 points in the second half for Foxboro and senior Andrew Finn had a pair of threes in the third to help put the hosts ahead. Canton’s Jamaal McConnell had a game-high 15 points while Zaza Francoeur and Mirliani each had 11 points.

King Philip, 63 @ North Attleboro, 35 – Final – King Philip erupted for 23 points in the second quarter to turn a tie-game into a big win on the road over North Attleboro. The Warriors and Rocketeers each had 10 points in the opening eight minutes before KP caught fire in the second. Senior Will Laplante scored 10 of his game-high 22 points in the second, senior Tommy Martorano added six of his 17 points, and sophomores Tommy Kilroy, Brandon Nicastro, and Jack Assini each added to the scoring as King Philip surged ahead 33-14 at halftime. After an even third quarter, the Warriors held the hosts to four points in the fourth to secure the win.

Mansfield, 72 @ Stoughton, 37 – Final – Mansfield built a double-digit lead in the opening quarter, doubled it by halftime, and never looked back in a bounce back win on the road over Stoughton. A strong start saw the Hornets stake a 19-9 lead after eight minutes, and that 10-point lead turned to 20 as a balanced offensive effort led to a 34-14 halftime lead. Eddie McCoy scored a team-high 18 points, Trevor Foley added 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals, and Davon Sanders added 13 points and 6 assists for the Hornets, who finished with 11 three-pointers.

Milford, 56 @ Taunton, 69 – Final – After a close back-and-forth opening quarter, Taunton dominated the second to build a lead that it never surrendered to earn a season sweep of the visiting Scarlet Hawks. Milford Andrew Rivera continued his strong stretch as he came out on fire with 11 of his game-high 24 points in the opening quarter, helping the Hawks stake an 18-16 edge after a quarter. Freshman Jakari Innocent drained a three with six minutes to go, sparking a 20-4 run to close out the half. Troy Santos hit one of his four three-pointers, Chris Volcy had a pair of layups, Tyson Carter added six of his 10 points, and Gerry Cardoso chipped in with two free throws to put Taunton up 36-23 at half. Innocent finished with a career-high 19 points, Santos had 10 points, and both Volcy and Carter chipped in with 10 points apiece. Rivera added seven rebounds to go along with his 24 points while freshman CJ Farrell chipped in with nine points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

Sharon, 79 @ Oliver Ames, 51 – Final – Sharon couldn’t have scripted a better start, opening with a 24-0 run that gave the Eagles all of the separation they needed the rest of the way. Sharon sank four threes in the opening eight minutes and had five players register points to stake a big lead that it never surrendered. Nate Katznelson scored seven of his team-high 19 points in the first, Matt Baur added six of his 17 points, both Ryan Brown and Jack Bates hit a three and had five points in the first, and Tyler Goodman tossed in a triple of his own for the Eagles, who led 41-24 at halftime. Sophomore Cole Craffey led OA with 13 points, senior Chris Elias added 12 points, and freshman Soren Lolonga chipped in with 11 points.








Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 51 @ Franklin, 61 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Foxboro, 65 @ Canton, 30 – Final – Foxboro extended its win streak to 12 games and stayed unbeaten in league play heading into the Hock finale on Friday. Addie Ruter continued her impressive sophomore season with a game-high 20 points. Camryn Collins scored 15, Erin Foley had 14, and Kailey Sullivan finished with a dozen points for the Davenport division champs.

North Attleboro, 38 @ King Philip, 37 – Final – North Attleboro was able to hold off KP down the stretch to pull off the road win. North’s 2-3 zone helped limit the Warriors offensively, with Katie Corsetti and Maryellen Charette doing their best to try and slow down the league’s leading scorer Emily Sawyer in the paint. The game was tied at halftime and heading into the fourth quarter. North outscored KP by one over the final eight minutes to earn the win. Sawyer got KP off to a good start with six points in the first, but Ava McKeon’s six-point second quarter helped the Rocketeers even the score at 17 apeice going into the locker room. Sawyer had four points in the third, but Sam Faria scored six for North and it was 27-27 going into the fourth. McKeon added another four points and Faria added three more to help North do enough to get the win. Jackie Bonner drilled a three with 30 seconds left that got the Warriors back within one but they weren’t able overcome the deficit. McKeon and Faria led North with 10 points apiece, while Corsetti aded eight. Sawyer finished with a game-high 15 and Bonner added eight points on a pair of threes.

Stoughton, 33 @ Mansfield, 57 – Final – Abby Wager scored 34 points, powering Mansfield to a third straight win. Wager was dominant from the opening tip, scoring 12 of Mansfield’s 14 in the first quarter and then adding 10 more in the second and another nine in the third. The Hornets led by only one after the first and extended the advantage to 35-21 at halftime. In the third, Wager had nine of the Hornets’ 11 points, but it was Mansfield’s defense that stood out, holding Stoughton to just two points to break the game wide open. Ella Palanza added seven points and Natalya Gill had six in the win. Raina Tat was Stoughton’s top scorer with 11, including seven in the second half, while Katrina Varnum had eight and Kirsten McKay hit a pair of threes for seven points.

Taunton, 40 @ Milford, 45 – Final – Brooke Ferreira celebrated senior night by scoring a career-high 16 points and helping the Hawks rally from an early deficit to pull out the win. Taunton grabbed the lead in the first, as Cali Melo, who hit four three-pointers and finished with a game-high 21, scored seven points in the opening quarter. Milford only managed five points and one made FG in the first, but rallied with a 13-7 second quarter to tie the game at halftime. Ferreira and Emily Croteau each scored four in the quarter. Ferreira got going in the third, scoring seven of Milford’s 13 to help the Hawks open up a six-point lead. Taunton outscored the Hawks by one in the fourth, but couldn’t overcome the deficit on the road. Croteau helped Milford out with 10 points and Erin Michelson added seven. Skylar McCrohan added eight points and Chelsea Bousquet had six for the Tigers.

Oliver Ames, 65 @ Sharon, 58 – Final – Despite allowing a combined 51 points from Jasmine Davis and Rachael Hager, OA was able to sweep the season series with the Eagles and move above .500 for the first time this season. Sharon jumped out to the lead in the first, as Hager buried three from beyond the arc and sparked Sharon to a 14-11 edge. OA would come back in the second to grab a two-point edge going into the locker roon. Sara Hilliard scored six in the second and Avery Gamble added four. Davis started to heat up with seven of Sharon’s 11 in the second. Kamryn Derba caught fire for the Tigers in the second half. The freshman had nine points in the third, helping OA take the quarter 17-13 and extend the lead to six. Hager, who had her best game since her return from injury, nailed another pair of threes to keep Sharon in the game. The fourth quarter was a shootout. Derba added another six points and the Tigers went 13-of-15 from the free throw line to score 21 points. Davis was proving unstoppable on the other end, scoring 13 of her game-high 32 in the fourth, as the Eagles scored 20 as a team. Davis knocked down a pair of threes and was 9-of-11 from the line on the night, while also grabbing 24 rebounds. Derba scored 19 to lead OA. Hilliard added 15 points and six steals and Gamble had 12 points and seven boards. Hager scored 19 for the Eagles, grabbed five boards, and dished out three assists.

Sharon Survives Mansfield Rally For A Season Sweep

Sharon boys basketball Jacob McLoughlin
Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin goes up for a layup in the second quarter against Mansfield on Friday night. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
 SHARON, Mass. — Over the past decade-plus, countless teams in the Hockomock League and beyond have fallen prey to Mansfield’s signature fourth quarter runs.

This year’s Sharon boys basketball team isn’t one of them.

The Eagles survived a one of those runs inside a furious fourth quarter comeback bid from the visiting Hornets to hold on for a 66-61 win to complete an impressive season sweep.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Sharon’s once comfortable 17-point lead to start the final frame turned into anything but as Mansfield came out with a renewed energy to the tune of a 12-0 run to make it 55-50. Sharon senior Dante James answered with a triple to stem the tide, but it was only momentarily as the Hornets kept clawing back.

Chris Hill drilled a three and Trevor Foley’s monster block led to a steal from Davon Sanders but the Eagles’ defense got back-to-back-to-back stops and on a night where he was the best player on the floor, Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin (career-high 27 points) delivered one of the biggest shots of the game with a corner three for a 61-53 lead with 2:20 to go.

Caden Colby wrestled his way to a putback and two free throws from Sanders (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals) cut the lead back to four before Nate Katznelson hit one from the line himself to make it 62-57 with just over a minute left. Foley (15 points, 10 rebounds, 4 steals) had a strong take to the rim at the end of the shot clock to cut the deficit to three and Mansfield got the ball back down just three. The Hornets got off a three from the corner but it was off the mark.

McLoughlin went 4-for-4 from the line in the final 15 seconds to seal the win.

“We preach mental toughness all the time,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We said in the locker room that in the second half they would come out with all they’ve got, especially after what happened last time. We knew we’d be getting their best effort. We had to just get guys in the right position and just having really good players that can execute the plan.”

Mansfield put up more points in the fourth quarter than it had in the second and third quarters combined but fell just short of completing the comeback.

“We had a lot more fight in that fourth quarter,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan of what was different in the last eight minutes. “We had our backs against the wall and we are a team that doesn’t lose a lot so the kids responded. I think if we were able to limit it more in the third, it kind of cost us and it ended up being too big of a hole to climb out of.”

Sharon had its big lead going into the fourth because of its offensive execution in the first and third periods. McLoughlin set the tone right out of the gate by hitting his first six shots from the floor, including a trio of three-pointers. He finished with 15 points in the first eight minutes and his only miss from the floor was a desperation three before the buzzer. James (18 points, 7 rebounds), Tyler Goodman, and Matt Baur added baskets and the Eagles landed the first punch in the form of a 24-point first quarter.

“In previous years, we’ve been down double digits before we wake up,” Ferguson said. “To be able to attack them early in our gym, get the crowd into it…our crowd has been fantastic all year. We were able to get them involved early with that big first quarter.

“I don’t think there are any better point guards in this league than Jacob McLoughlin. When he has the scoring opportunities, he will have nights like tonight. He’s had double-digit assist games, his defense is so good, and his on-ball stuff forces teams out of things they want to do. He’s been struggling shooting the ball the last couple of games so seeing that first one go in certainly built some confidence in him.”

Mansfield tightened up defensive in the second as the Eagles only had half of the production in the second quarter, but their physical defense prevented the visitors from finding a rhythm on the offensive end.

The Hornets tried to exploit Sharon’s aggressive, physical defense and ended up with 19 first half free throw attempts (12 in the second quarter) but they weren’t able to cut into the deficit and trailed 36-29 at halftime.

“McLoughlin shot the ball really well tonight and that was a big difference,” Vaughan said. “He’s an elite level player in our league and obviously those players make big plays in big games. It doesn’t get much better than this for a high school game, it was an old-fashioned fight. I can’t be more proud of my guys to respond and come back at the level they did. We had a shot in the corner that would have tied it. We have to take some lessons about how we played in the fourth and apply that going forward.

“We were trying to move more than we did the first game but it’s hard with two styles of play. We’re a finesse team that wants to run our action. It’s no secret teams try to be physical with us. When you don’t get a consistent whistle, you have to adjust and I thought we did that in the fourth. And I thought throughout the game we got some shots in the scheme we were running, they just didn’t fall. You have to play through the physical play and when you have a shot, you have to knock it down.”

Sharon’s defense held Mansfield to just three points in the first three minutes of the third, a free throw from Eddie McCoy and a putback from Hill (17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks). Katznelson drilled a three and Ryan Brown sank one of his own on a quick catch and release from the corner. Two more from James gave Sharon its biggest lead to that point at 46-32.

“We mixed between our man and our 1-3-1 zone defense, and I think we’re still pretty physical when we play in the zone,” Ferguson said. “They hurt us rebounding when we were in that zone so we had to play a little more man-to-man. We want to play aggressive defense, aggressive man-to-man defense, and our help and our secondary help was excellent tonight. That allowed us to be more physical too.”

Defense was the catalyst for Mansfield’s rally in the fourth quarter. Colby dove onto a loose ball for a steal that led to two points from Foley, and then Foley had an incredible stretch with three consecutive steals, all leading to points on the other end. Hill converted his own miss to make it 55-50 with just under five minutes left.

“I was talking to one of their assistants before the game and I asked, ‘how do you guys prepare knowing you’re getting everyone’s best every single night?’ He said it’s better than the alternative,” Ferguson said of playing Mansfield. “Mike does such a good job, from freshman right through varsity, they are so efficient in how they run things. It’s a program we’re emulating and we’re trying to be like them because they’ve been the standard.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

While the Eagles became just the third team since the Hock split into two divisions to earn a two-game season sweep of the Hornets (Franklin in 2012, Taunton in 2022), the Hornets still have control of the Davenport division. If the Hornets win out, they’ll win their first Davenport title in their first season in the division.

“This is a good learning lesson for us,” Vaughan said. “We don’t set goals to beat individual teams, we don’t circle specific teams, we never have. We want to win the league and we still control our own destiny. When you put it in perspective, our goals are still intact. Winning the league is a big goal of ours, and no matter how we got here, it doesn’t matter to us, we want to win the league.”

Sharon boys basketball (11-3 Hockomock, 13-3) will look to stay in contention for the division crown with a trip to rival Oliver Ames on Tuesday. Mansfield (12-2, 17-2) is also on the road with a trip to Stoughton on tap.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/27/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 63 @ North Attleboro, 51 – Final – Attleboro built a double-digit advantage by halftime and kept the host Rocketeers at bay throughout the second half to score a rivalry win on the road. The Bombardiers limited North to single-digit scoring in each of the first two quarters and a 16-point second quarter, highlighted by eight points from Hayden Crowley (14 points total), helped extend the lead to 30-16 after two quarters of action. The Rocketeers got their offense going with 19 points in the third as sophomore Austin Clemente caught fire from downtown, hitting four triples in the frame while classmate Jonnie Obuchowski hit another had had five in the frame to help the hosts close the gap to just seven, 42-35, going into the fourth. Crowley, Jaiden Outland (12 points), and Michael Beverly (seven of his 10 points in the fourth) each hit a triple in the final frame to keep Attleboro ahead. Junior Neo Franco had a team-high 16 points for the Bombardiers while senior Givany Carney led North with 15 points apiece.

Mansfield, 69 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Mansfield senior Chris Hill set the tone early by scoring all 12 of his points in the first eight minutes, helping the Hornets establish a big lead that they kept the rest of the way. Hill sank a trio of three-pointers in the first for a 19-6 lead after just a period of play. Davon Sanders added seven of his career-high 18 points in the second while the Hornets got baskets from Trevor Foley (13 points), Eddie McCoy, and JT Veiking to stake a 34-22 lead at halftime. Mansfield continued to outscore the Bulldogs as Foley had seven more in the third and Caden Colby added a three. Sanders, Colby, Foley, McCoy, Veiking, and senior Michael Creedon all scored in the fourth to add to the lead. Matt Chafin had a trio of threes in the second and finished with a team-high 13 points while Jamaal McConnell added 12 points for the Bulldogs.

Oliver Ames, 51 @ Foxboro, 56 – Final – Foxboro took the lead in the first quarter and never surrendered it, grinding out a hard-fought win against Oliver Ames. After a slow start from both sides saw the Warriors stake an 11-6 lead after a quarter, the Warriors had their best offensive stretch with 19 points in the second quarter. Sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon each hit a three, Ryan LeClair and Ryan Cotter each added a bucket, and senior Alex Penders had half of his team-high 14 points in the frame to give Foxboro a 30-22 advantage at the break. OA’s Nick Asiaf hit two of his six threes in the third quarter and had eight of his career-high 22 points in the game while sophomore Zach Ivanoski had five points to help the Tigers claw back into it and cut the deficit to 41-37 going into the fourth. Penders had an early three-point play to start the fourth and LeClair drained a corner three to push Foxboro’s lead to 10. Chris Elias answered for OA with four straight points but Gordon sank his second triple of the game to keep the Warriors ahead.

Milford, 46 @ Franklin, 66 – Final – Franklin played well on both sides of the ball, pouring in 36 points in the first half while limiting the visitors to just 16, and the Panthers never looked back from there. After taking a 15-6 lead through one quarter of action, Franklin really extended its advantage with 21 points in the second quarter. Andrew O’Neill had half of his 10 points in the second, Caden Sullivan added a triple, and Sean O’Leary had seven of his team-high 17 points in the game to build a 36-16 halftime lead. Geino Scaringello had two threes and finished with 10 points for Franklin, which had 11 players register points. Sophomore Andrew Rivera (five rebounds) and freshman CJ Farrell (eight rebounds) paced the Hawks with 16 points apiece.

Taunton, 51 @ King Philip, 70 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Stoughton, 61 @ Sharon, 77 – Final – Sharon had six players contribute to a massive first quarter and the Eagles never looked back after that in a win at home over Stoughton. Matt Baur had two threes and eight of his 13 points in the first quarter, Ryan Brown and Tyler Goodman each added a triple, and Jack Bates, Jacob McLoughlin, and Nate Katznelson each had field goals as the Eagles blitzed the visiting Black Knights to stake a 25-6 lead after a quarter. Katznelson finished with a team-high 21 points and hauled in 10 boards and McLoughlin added 14 points and seven assists in the win. Obi Dike and Nathan Figaro each had career-highs, finishing with 14 points apiece while Elijah Connor chipped in with 11 points for the Black Knights.








Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 32 @ Attleboro, 56 – Final – Attleboro carried over the momentum from its strong second half on Tuesday, jumping out to a 32-13 lead in the first half on Friday. Kayla Goldrick scored a career-high 21 points for the Bombardiers, 15 of them coming in the first half. Vanessa Ellis added 18, splitting her points between the two halves. Molly Moore hit a pair of threes for her six points. Katie Corsetti was North’s top scorer with seven points, all of them coming in the first half. Ella McLaughlin and Sam Sweeney each scored six in the loss. With the win, Attleboro stays just a game back of league-leading Franklin.

Canton, 34 @ Mansfield, 54 – Final – Mansfield led by four points at halftime, but broke the game wide open with a 20-5 third quarter, sealing its seventh win in the past eight games. Abby Wager sparked the rally in the third, scoring 12 of her game-high 19 points in the quarter. Kara Santos added 10 points, Bridget Hanley had eight points (all in the first half), and Rose Maher finished with seven for the Hornets. Canton was tied after one and trailed just 26-22 at the break. Samya DaSilva buried three triples and scored a team-high 17, including 10 points in the first half to keep the Bulldogs close. Freshman Deanna Kolokithas scored seven and her sister Mercia hit a first quarter three for Canton.

Foxboro, 72 @ Oliver Ames, 32 – Final – Foxboro stayed perfect in league play and moved a game closer to a Davenport title with a convincing win over the defending champs. The Warriors, who knocked down nine threes as a team, got off to a big start and never let up. Foxboro led 21-5 after one quarter and went into the break up 37-12. The Warriors kept it up in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 35-20 for its second straight win by 40-plus points. Kailey Sullivan was the game’s top scorer, burying five triples and finishing with 19 points. Camryn Collins added 17 (12 in the first half), Addie Ruter scored 14, and Erin Foley had 10 in the win. Isabelle Chamberlin gave Foxboro a lift on the boards with a game-high 14 rebounds. Freshman Avery Gamble led OA with 15, 10 coming in the second half. Fellow rookies Maeve Horsman and Kamryn Derba each scored five for the Tigers.

King Philip, 62 @ Taunton, 41 – Final – KP had nine different scorers and secured its fifth straight victory, remaining two back of Franklin in the Kelley-Rex standings. The Warriors jumped out to a 15-2 lead after one and 34-14 heading to the locker room. Jordan Bennett and Emily Sawyer combined for 23 of KP’s points in the first half to take control of the game. Sawyer finished with a game-high 21 and Bennett added 15. Jessi Persky chipped in with six in the win. Taunton got 11 points from Tarynn Campbell, seven of them in the second half as the Tigers put 27 on the board. Cali Melo scored eight (six after the break) and Lexi Haywood hit a pair from beyond the arc in the second half. Skylar McCrohan also had six for the Tigers.

Franklin, 57 @ Milford, 28 – Final – Franklin locked down on defense, holding Milford to just 10 points in the first half, and exploded for 28 second quarter points to pick up a seventh straight win, clinch a playoff berth, and hold onto its one-game lead in the division. Leading 9-4 after one, Franklin found another gear in the second. Katie Peterson had a dozen, Chloe Fales added eight, and Caelyn Leonard scored six in the second quarter. Fales (trio of three-pointers) and Peterson each finished with 16 points and Leonard had eight. Milford scored 14 in the third, cutting two points off the lead. Brooke Ferreira had five of her six points in the frame and Emily Croteau (six points) knocked down one of her two threes in the quarter. TJ Downing had four for the Hawks.

Sharon, 51 @ Stoughton, 47 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Hockey
Franklin, 0 vs. Catholic Memorial, 3 – Final

Boys Swimming
Attleboro @ Milford, 4:00
Canton, 94 @ Stoughton, 55 – Final
North Attleboro @ Taunton, 3:30

Girls Swimming
Attleboro @ Milford, 4:00
Canton, 85 @ Stoughton, 16 – Final
North Attleboro @ Taunton, 3:30

Gymnastics
Attleboro, 129.50 @ Franklin, 132.60 – Final
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 7:30

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/24/23

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 47 @ Sharon, 57 – Final – Attleboro rallied to get within two possessions with just under a minute to go but the Eagles got a big stop and hit enough free throws to hold on for the win. Senior Matt Baur had his best game of the season as he poured in a game-high 24 points along with six rebounds while junior Nate Katznelson added 12 points and eight boards for the Eagles. Sharon took a seven-point lead into halftime (26-17) but a 19-point third quarter pushed the Eagles’ advantage to 45-32 going into the fourth quarter. Baur had eight points in the third while Katznelson, Ryan Brown, Jacob McLoughlin, Dante James, and Tyler Goodman (10 points, including two threes in the fourth quarter) each added a bucket to give Sharon a double-digit lead. Attleboro made it interesting int he final three minutes with a 9-0 run. Jaiden Outland (14 points) hit two free throws, Hayden Crowley got a floater to fall and followed with a three-pointer off an offensive rebound, and Outland added a tough reverse finish with 46 seconds left to make it 53-47.

King Philip, 51 @ Canton, 55 – Final – Canton had a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter but had to hold off a late push from visiting King Philip before securing the win. Senior Matt Chafin (team-high 16 points) dropped in three three-pointers in the first half while Zaza Francoeur and Caden Mirliani each added one in the third to give the Bulldogs a 38-27 lead going into the fourth. Julius Hicks had five points in the fourth while Chafin, Jeremiah Predin (11 points), Jamaal McConnell, and Ashton Cetoute all contributed to the scoring column in the final quarter to keep Canton ahead. Tommy Martorano and Will Laplante each had 15 points to lead the way for the Warriors, who had 24 points in the fourth quarter after scoring just 27 points through the first three.

North Attleboro, 47 @ Foxboro, 63 – Final – Foxboro doubled its lead in the third quarter and then pulled away for good with its best offensive stretch in the fourth quarter. Ryan Kelley hit a pair of threes in the first half and Nolan Gordon, Andrew Finn, and Alex Penders each had one — plus eight points from Ryan Cotter — as the Warriors staked a 31-27 lead at halftime. Ryan LeClair added a triple in the third while Foxboro’s defense held North in check in the third with just eight points allowed to make it 43-35 going into the fourth. Penders finished with 14 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, Sam Golub had seven of his 11, and Gordon added two more buckets on his way to a career-high 12 points. Givany Carney had five of his team-high 15 points in the second, Derek Maceda (15 points) added two buckets, and both Austin Clemente and Chase Frisoli hit threes in the second to kept North close at half.

Franklin, 46 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Milford, 63 @ Stoughton, 73 – Final – Buoyed by a big third quarter, Stoughton snapped a three-game skid with a win over Milford. Sophomore Matt Greenspoon hit three of his five three-pointers in the first half and freshman Anthony Alessi dropped in two more as the Black Knights staked a 32-28 lead at half time. Greenspoon added two more threes in the third, Liam Pearl had four of his 12 points, Tagh Swierzewski sank a triple, and senior Jayden Costa-Haywood got going offensively with nine of his team-high 24 points in the third as the Black Knights won the quarter 25-12. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera hit four threes and finished with a team-high 19 points, sophomore Luca Testa added 14 points, and freshman CJ Farrell also had four threes and finished with 12 points.

Taunton, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 43 – Final – Oliver Ames put up 30 points between the second and third quarters to take a lead into the final frame but the visiting shorthanded Tigers from Taunton limited the hosts to just seven points in the fourth and held on for the win. Junior Troy Santos scored 11 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, helping his side cut a seven-point halftime deficit (24-17) down to just three (36-33) going into the fourth. Tyson Carter (nine points) and Al Morisseau each had four points in the fourth quarter to help Taunton close it out. Jakari Innocent and Chris Volcy had six points apiece for Taunton. OA freshman Soren Lolonga tied a career-high with 21 points, including 16 in the first half. Sophomore Cole Craffey added 10 points while Nick Asiaf and Chris Elias each had a three in the third to keep OA ahead. OA had a couple of looks at the tying three in the last minute but couldn’t get a shot to fall.








Girls Basketball
Sharon, 51 @ Attleboro, 73 – Final – Lily Routhier scored a career-high in points and recorded a triple-double to power the Bombardiers to a bounce back win over Sharon. Routhier finished with 26 points, 10 steals, and 11 rebounds, allowing the Bombardiers to overcome a 35-point, 21-rebound performance from Sharon forward Jasmine Davis and stay within a game of league-leading Franklin. Davis dominated the first half, scoring 20 points and Tess Letendre (five rebounds) added seven of her nine before the break to send the Eagles into the locker room ahead 32-29. Attleboro held Sharon to 11 points in the third, nine of them from Davis, to take the lead and the hosts carried that momentum into the fourth quarter, outscoring Sharon 26-8 to earn the big win. Routhier sparked the big final quarter, knocking down a trio of three-pointers and scoring 11 points. Avery James added a pair from beyond the arc and eight points in the fourth for Attleboro. James finished with 17 points and Kayla Goldrick added 12. Vanessa Ellis and Sarah Maher also chipped in with six points apiece in the win.

Canton, 43 @ King Philip, 47 – Final – Jackie Bonner scored 13 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter, allowing KP to hold off a late charge by the Bulldogs and secure a fourth straight win. Emily Sawyer also scored 18 for the Warriors, eight of them coming in the first quarter as KP took an early 9-6 lead. She added five more in the second and Bonner had three to open a 23-16 advantage at the break. The deficit stayed the same through three quarters, but Samya DaSilva sparked a Canton comeback in the fourth. She scored 10 of her game-high 21 in the final eight minutes and Mercia Kolokithas (six points) knocked down a three to chip away at the KP lead. Bonner kept the Bulldogs at bay, burying three shots from beyond the arc. Sawyer added another three points in the quarter as well and KP hung on. Maddie Paschke provided six points for the Warriors, while Canton got five points apiece from Han Hong and Erin Beatty.

Foxboro, 71 @ North Attleboro, 30 – Final – North Attleboro ran a triangle-and-two to try and limit Foxboro’s backcourt scoring, but sophomore center Addie Ruter continued her strong season and scored a game-high 17 points to help the Warriors secure their 10th win. Foxboro is the first of the league’s girls basketball teams to clinch a postseason berth. The Warriors continued to play their league-best defense, holding North to 11 points in the first half to build a 20-point lead going into the locker room. Despite the attentions of North’s defense, Camryn Collins finished with 16 points and Kailey Sullivan added 15. Erin Foley also got to double digits, scoring 10 for the visitors. Freshman Ella McLaughlin was North’s top scorer, knocking down four threes to finish with a dozen points.

Mansfield, 55 @ Franklin, 63 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Stoughton, 45 @ Milford, 47 – Final – Milford rallied in the fourth quarter, overturning a three-point deficit and pulling out a second league win of the season. Emily Croteau sparked the rally by scoring seven of her 11 points over the final eight minutes, with freshman Katelyn Kearnan chipping in with three more and Aliza Syed adding her lone basket of the night. Kearnan scored a career-high 14 to lead the Hawks, knocking down a trio of three-pointers. Brooke Ferreira scored a dozen points, six of them in the third. Katrina Varnum was Stoughton’s top scorer with 14 points and added 16 rebounds and four blocks, Kirsten McKay added 12 points in the loss, and Leah McCarty had eight points, 12 rebounds, and a pair of blocks. Varnum and McCarty combined for 10 in the second quarter, as the Black Knights outscored Milford 18-12 to take a 26-21 lead into the locker room. Kearnan and Ferreira would help the Hawks chip away at the deficit, combining for 11 points in the third to bring Milford back within three.

Oliver Ames, 63 @ Taunton, 32 – Final – OA continued its strong recent form, winning its fourth straight game. The visitors turned the game on its head right from the start, outscoring Taunton 19-3 in the first to build a big lead that it would carry to the final whistle. Kamryn Derba, Kaydance Derba, and Sarah Hilliard combined for 17 of those 19 in the first. Taunton rallied in the second to cut the deficit to 11, as Chelsea Bousquet and Lexi Haywood scored 11 points together in the quarter. OA put the game out of reach with a 17-6 third. The same trio again stepped up for the visitors, combining for 13 in the frame. Kamryn Derba finished with a game-high 16 points, while her older sister added 13 points, including a trio of triples. Hilliard also finished in double digits with 10 points. Bousquet led Taunton with eight, Haywood scored seven, and Tarynn Campbell added six.

Swimming
Franklin @ King Philip, 7:00
Sharon @ Mansfield, 7:00

Eagles Land Comeback Overtime Win Over Foxboro

Sharon boys basketball Matt Baur
Sharon senior Matt Baur pulls up for a shot in the second half against Foxboro. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. — Sharon knew its offense could keep them in the game, but if they wanted to complete the comeback it had to be done on the defensive end.

The Eagles got all the stops they needed, holding Foxboro scoreless for the final four minutes of regulation and forced a huge turnover with 30 seconds to go in the extra period that led to the go-ahead basket, and Sharon earned a hard-fought 74-71 overtime win over the Warriors.

Foxboro junior Ryan Cotter (15 points, six rebounds, five assists) converted his own miss to take a 71-70 lead with just under 1:30 to play and despite the Warriors getting a stop, Sharon was able to get the ball back after forcing a turnover.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The Eagles tossed it out of bounds themselves but head coach Andrew Ferguson quickly entered his defensive subs, and the move paid off.

Sophomore Sam Letendre deflected the inbounds pass and it went right to the hands of junior Ryan Brown — two players that just came in for defensive purposes — and Brown quickly laid it in for two and the lead.

Sharon kept its full-court pressure and as Foxboro tried to break it, Tyler Goodman came soaring in from his own half and intercepted a lob pass. He was fouled and sank two from the line with 22.3 seconds to go to give the Eagles a 74-71 lead.

Foxboro had one look at a three that was off the mark and out on Sharon. On the ensuing inbounds, Sharon quickly fouled to prevent another and held on for the win.

“We knew we’d have to get stops to get back into that game,” Ferguson said. “We focus so much on our core values and two of them are physical rebounding and aggressive defense. I think that’s what got us back into the game. Relentless pressure from our guards, I thought Nate Katznelson did a fantastic job down low. We felt like in the first half, bad offense bled into bad defense. We turned up the defense in the second half and I think that really helped our offense too.”

Foxboro’s Ryan LeClair (15 points, five assists) hit three and Ian Foley made a nice cut to the basket for a layup to hand the Warriors an eight-point edge at 67-59 with just over four minutes to go. The Warriors held a 10-point lead at halftime and kept the Eagles at arm’s length for the majority of the second half.

From there, the Eagles grinded out an 8-0 run over the final minutes to force the extra period.

Jack Bates split a pair of defenders for a layup, Matt Baur (13 points, three rebounds) hit a jumper, and after a two-minute scoreless stretch from both sides, the Eagles turned a steal from Baur into a layup from junior Nate Katznelson (24 points, six rebounds) on a nice feed from Jacob McLoughlin (10 points, six assists) to cut the deficit to just 67-65 with 1:30 to go in regulation.

Sharon’s defense got a stop, surviving a turnaround three in the corner and a putback bid at the shot clock. On the offensive end, McLoughlin got around his man, drew the help, and dropped one off to Goodman (12 points, five rebounds, five assists) for an easy two to make it 67-67.

Each team had a chance inside the final 20 seconds but Foxboro had a turnover and the Eagles’ three-point attempt at the buzzer was off.

“We scored 67 points in regulation, I just told the guys that has to be enough to win,” said Foxboro head coach Jon Gibbs. “We have to be able to get big stops down the stretch and close games out with our defense. With the lead at the half, the eight-point lead going into the fourth, and being at home…we just have to get a little more consistent with our execution defensively so we can close those games out.

“The effort was there, there’s no doubt we competed hard and gave everything we had for the entire game, we just have to execute a little better on the defensive end.”

Entering the game, both teams were among the top five scoring teams in the Hockomock League and combined to feature five of the top 16 scorers in the league. Add in Sharon’s Matt Baur, a HockomockSports First Team selection from a year ago, that was playing in his first league game of the year.

So it wasn’t a big surprise when the offense was the story early on. Baur, Cotter, Sharon’s Dante James, LeClair, and Goodman all traded threes for the first five field goals of the game. There was little separation in the first eight minutes and the Eagles and Warriors finished level at 17-17.

The back-and-forth continued in the second with Alex Penders (19 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Katznelson trading buckets, followed by Foxboro’s Sam Golub and Katznelson trading shots. It wasn’t until the final three minutes of the half that Foxboro found some separation.

Golub hit a jumper and then found Penders for two more. Foley found Penders with a difficult baseline feed, and Cotter capped the 8-0 run with a layup to give the Warriors a 36-26 halftime lead.

Foxboro’s lead fluctuate for the third quarter but never went away. Any time the Warriors threatened to pull away, the Eagles answered. Cotter found LeClair for two to push the lead to a dozen midway through the third only for Katznelson to answer with a triple, and then a steal and score from James. A putback from Katznelson closed the gap down to five.

The Warriors answered with an 8-0 burst capped by a three from Penders as the lead peaked at 13 points (52-39) but over the final two minutes, Sharon stayed in it by closing the quarter with a 7-2 run.

“We have a tough stretch with Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield in a row and we had some time off so we were able to mix some things in defensively,” Ferguson said. The Eagles deployed a zone at times on top of some full-court pressure. “What a job by Sam Letendre and Ryan Brown at the end, coming in and forcing that turnover and getting the bucket. Those guys know what their roles are, coming in and playing defense. I’m super proud of them for their effort.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Sharon’s increased pressure defensively resulted in an increase in Foxboro turnovers. The Warriors had seven total at halftime but the Eagles forced seven more in each of the third and fourth quarters, and four more in overtime.

“We’ve been very good taking care of the ball but Sharon makes an effort to pressure the ball, reach and gamble for steals, and deny passing lanes,” Gibbs said. “They really look to create offense off of their defense. Certainly give credit to their defense for putting us under pressure.”

Sharon boys basketball (3-1 Hockomock, 5-1 overall) returns home to take on Kelley-Rex division-leading Franklin on Tuesday. Foxboro (1-3, 4-3) is back at home against King Philip.