Cooper Johnson celebrates after sliding into third. He would come home on a groundout, scoring the first run in Attleboro’s tournament win over Doherty. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – For the second time in two innings, Attleboro saw a one-run slip away. In the top of the fifth of Thursday afternoon’s Div. 1 preliminary round game at Drummond St. Field, Doherty responded to the Bombardiers going in front by scoring immediately. With two outs and the go-ahead run just 90 feet away, Attleboro’s Jonny Pagano struck out Ryan Flanagan for the second time to escape the jam.
It proved to be a momentum-shifting moment. With the game still tied, Attleboro came up in the bottom half of the inning and scored three times to take control of the game. The Bombardiers would add another in the sixth to pull out a 6-2 victory. Pagano spun a gem, going 6-1/3 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out seven.
“He pitched great, the kids fought, we got some bunts down, we did the little things that we needed to do, and just had a great game all around,” said Attleboro coach Steve Dunlea. “Jonny got us out of a couple of situations where we had the lead and then they fought back and there were guys in scoring position and he really just got tough and was able to get us out of those innings.”
Pagano came out firing for the hosts, striking out the first two batters he faced. Although he hit Cameron Early to put a runner on, Pagano induced a pop up to Cooper Johnson at short to end the first. Brody McKenna went on a long run to grab a pop up in foul territory and Andrew Gorman snared a hard-hit liner at first to make quick work of the second as well.
In the bottom of the second, the Bombardiers struck first. Johnson hit a high fly to right that wasn’t handled, turning into a three-base error and the leadoff runner at third. After a scary moment, when catcher Aiden Hochwarter was hit in the face by a pitch (Owen Parker came in as a courtesy runner but Hochwarter remained in the game), Danny Johnson hustled to beat out a double play and allow the run to score.
Jack Hale stole momentum back with a lead-off, ground-rule double to left to start the third. A sac bunt moved Hale to third and he scored on a pitch that got away and went to the backstop. With a runner in scoring position, Pagano got a fly ball to right and a grounder to third, with Gorman making sure of the final out with a nice pick at first.
After Pagano breezed through the top of the fourth with a pair of strikeouts, Attleboro regained the lead. Matt Harvie smacked one past the bag at third and, with aggressive base-running, turned it into a double. He continued his aggression by taking third on a fly ball to left-center. With two outs Hochwarter was hit by a pitch again. Parker and Harvie executed a double steal and the Bombardiers went in front 2-1.
With one out in the fifth, Hale was nearly caught stealing at second but the ball came loose before the tag. Nigel Cross followed with Doherty’s second hit, lacing a single to center that brought in the run. Boris Valdez reached on a fielder’s choice, when Cross was caught in a rundown between second and third, and stole two bases to get to third, but Pagano came up with a big pitch to end the threat.
Gorman gave Attleboro a lift at the plate, lining a single to left to start the bottom half of the inning. With the pinch runner on second, Jacob Bettencourt pushed a bunt down the first base line and was able to get to the uncovered bag to put two runners on. McKenna put the hosts back in front with a sac fly to center.
Attleboro continued to come through with two outs. First Harvie and then Cooper Johnson followed with singles to bring in two more runs and make it 5-2.
Dunlea joked, We tend to wait around a little bit and then we score later in the game. It keeps the fans interested.” He praised his team’s ability to produce with two outs (four of the six runs), “There were a lot of times early in the season where we were leaving a lot of guys on base, so to even with two outs get those guys across the plate is huge.”
Pagano made sure not to give any life back to Doherty with a clean top of the sixth, including his sixth strikeout. Hochwarter, who not only got hit by a pitch twice but was also stung by a foul ball, opened the bottom half by beating out a grounder deep in the hole at short and advancing to second on a wild pitch.
“He’s the iron man,” Dunlea said when asked about Hochwarter. “There’s only two innings he hasn’t caught this season and he’s got a bloody lip and bruises all over his leg, sweating up a storm, but he loves it. He was born to be a catcher.”
Danny Johnson got on behind Hochwarter and both moved up on a sac bunt by Gorman. With two outs, freshman Ryan Landry went to the opposite field, serving a single out to shallow left to bring in an insurance run for the Bombardiers.
Pagano came back out for the seventh and promptly got his seventh strikeout of the day before Dunlea turned to his bullpen.
“He was mad at me when I took him out at the end but it’s 100 [degrees] on the turf,” Dunlea said about Pagano. “He’s come around as a big game pitcher for us. The moment doesn’t seem to faze him, he’s just staying calm and doing what he needs to do. I’m really impressed with his learning how to pitch.”
Jackson Huntington had to pitch around a couple of defensive miscues that put two on for the visitors, but he got off the mound well on a slow roller up the line to finish off Doherty and send Attleboro to the Round of 32.
“This team really fought this season,” Dunlea said when asked about what it meant for the Bombardiers to have an opportunity to play in the state tournament, after narrowly missing out last spring. “The kids halfway through the season realized, ‘Hey, we’re a good team,’ and that’s huge. Once you have the confidence, then you can go from there.”
Attleboro (10-11) will face No. 4 Central Catholic in the next round. The game will be Sunday afternoon at Northern Essex Community College.
Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ Bishop Feehan, 12 – Final – Ryan Landry (RBI), Peter DelPozzo, Casey Victorio (RBI), and Johnny Pagano (run) each had a hit for the Bombardiers while Jackson Huntington tossed a scoreless sixth inning in relief, striking out a pair.
Canton, 6 vs. Brookline, 3 – Final – Canton rallied from two runs down and then broke open a tie game with a three-run fourth to pick up an important non-league win, as the Bulldogs fight for a playoff spot. Brookline scored a pair of runs in the top of the first, but the Bulldogs answered back with three in the second. After the Warriors tied the game with a run in the fourth, Canton put together a three-run rally in the bottom half to take control. Hayden Rose went the distance on the mound to pick up the win. He walked three and allowed five hits, striking out seven. Jack Digirolamo led Canton’s efforts at the plate with a pair of hits and four RBI. Matt Hart continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-3 with a run, Shane Kelleher and Nick Gillis each had two hits, with Gillis driving in a pair. Owen Lane and Matt Chafin each doubled and scored runs.
Foxboro, 2 vs. Oakmont, 3 – Final – Foxboro carried a 2-1 lead into the final inning but visiting Oakmont (#3 in MIAA Division 3 rankings) plated a pair in the top of the seventh to take the win. Ryan O’Leary went 2-for-3, Sean O’Leary hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and both Tyler Prescott and Mike Marcucella had a hit. Nolan Gordon had a strong start for the hosts, allowing one run on five hits and three walks, striking out four in five innings.
Mansfield, 7 @ Xaverian, 10 – Final – Mansfield had 10 hits and pushed across seven runs but couldn’t overcome an early deficit against this year’s recently crowning Catholic Conference champions. Jake Maydak continued his strong month by going 2-for-3 with three RBI, Wyatt Bolduc (two runs), Brian Butler (run), and Anthony Saraiva (two RBI, two runs) each added a pair of hits, and Conner Zukowski and Aiden Jones each had a base hit. Luke Rogan pitched well in relief for the Hornets, striking out six with seven hits and no walks resulting in three runs (two earned) in four innings.
Softball
Franklin, 12 @ Braintree, 6 – Final – Franklin had a big start with five runs in the first inning and finished strong with seven runs in the sixth to pull away from the hosts. Junior Katie Dowley and sophomore Marley Allen led the offensive charge, each going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored while sophomore Sarah Boozang had three hits and two runs scored. Carly Johnson-Pellegri (RBI, run) and Katy Liberman (double, two RBI, two runs) each added two hits in the win. Freshman Sophia Sacramone pitched well in relief, allowing just one run on four hits and one walk, striking out five in 4.1 innings of work.
Boys Lacrosse
King Philip, 14 vs. Bishop Feehan, 11 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of goals late in the third quarter to create some separation and held the Shamrocks to just one goal in the fourth quarter to land a key non-league win. The Warriors built a five-goal lead (10-5) by halftime but the visitors pulled even with a 5-0 run in the third; KP tacked on two late goals to stake a 12-10 lead going into the fourth. Offensively, Hayden Schmitz scored four goals and had two assists, Donovan DeVellis recorded seven points (three goals, four assists), Mason Thompson potted a pair along with three helpers, and Noah Minkwitz scored a hat trick. Tommy Kilroy had a trio of assists, Pat Weiblen scored once with one assist, Henry LeClair scored once, and Alex Viscusi added one assist. James Boldy had another strong game in net for KP, turning away 10 shots.
Milford, 16 @ Hudson, 0 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
King Philip, 15 vs. Bishop Feehan, 5 – Final – KP rolled to a big win over a fellow D1 playoff contender. Sarah Brown led the way offensively with four goals, while Nicole McDonald had a hat trick and Makenzie McDevitt scored twice and assisted on two others. Alyssa Legere chipped in with two goals and a helper and Abby MacDonald and Kelly Holmes each found the back of the net twice. Emily Campbell made five saves to backstop a strong defensive effort.
Mansfield, 12 @ Norwood, 8 – Final – Mansfield outscored Norwood 6-4 in each half to pick up a crucial win in is bid to get back into the D2 tournament. Ava Adams scored five times and Brooke Butler added four goals for the Hornets. Rose Maher (assist), Carys Colby, and Maeve Anastasia each scored once in the win. Lola Varricchione dished out a pair of assists and Keira Fitzpatrick set up one goal. Caitlyn Zajac made 13 saves to help the Hornets beat the Mustangs, who are ranked No. 22 in the division.
Milford, 15 vs. Hudson, 8 – Final – Milford freshman Avalina DiGiallonardo had a strong showing in net in her first career start to help the Hawks land a season sweep of Hudson. Sophomore Alexa Landry netted a game-high five goals while senior Emily Croteau moved into a tie for second place in program history at 150 points after adding three goals and three assists. TJ Downing and Kiara Ortiz each added a pair of goals while Erin Michelson, Yasmin Martinez, and Jordan Douglas each scored once. Senior Molly Hartman earned her first career point, assisting on a goal from Ortiz.
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 1 vs. Xaverian, 4 – Final
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 0 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 5 – Final
King Philip, 4 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – King Philip took two wins from singles and doubles to land a victory on the road over Foxboro. Shea Mellman (6-3, 6-0) and Caroline Freese (6-2, 6-2) took straight-set victories at second and third singles, respectively. The team of seniors Carlie Burns and Priya Riar only dropped a pair of goals in a 6-1, 6-1 verdict at first doubles, while senior Lauren Casper teamed up with Jaelyn Dang for a 6-4, 7-5 second doubles win. Foxboro’s Hailey Kornbluth picked up another impressive win at first singles (6-0, 6-0) for the Warriors.
Baseball
Canton, 0 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Sophomore Ryan O’Leary went the distance, striking out 10 and scattering six hits, to pick up his first career win and keep the Warriors even with Mansfield in the win column atop the Davenport division. The game was scoreless to the bottom of the third when Foxboro exploded for seven runs. The Warriors tacked on one more in the sixth. Ryan Leclair sparked the offense with two hits, two runs scored, two RBI, and two stolen bases. Ben Angelini also drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Sean O’Leary had a double and scored and Mike Marcucella added a hit. For Canton, Matt Hart was 2-for-2, while Owen Lane, Matt Chafin, and Hayden Rose added hits.
Franklin, 4 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final (10 Inn.) – Ben Jarosz had a leadoff single in the top of the 10th inning and eventually came around to score as the Panthers fended off an upset bid from the host Bombardiers. Pinch runner Evan Cournoyer advanced to second after an infield error and went to third on a sacrifice from Ethan DePaolo. Cournoyer beat the throw home on a grounder from Rex Cinelli for the go-ahead run. Attleboro put the tying run on twice in the bottom half, but the first was picked off and the second was stranded at first. Jake Shaughnessy (2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K), Dillon Cashin (2.2 IP, W, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K), and Alfred Mucciarone (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB) all pitched well in relief for the Panthers. Sean O’Hara (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K) and Danny Johnson (5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K) both pitched well for Attleboro. Luke Sidwell had two hits and Tyler Bellan had two RBI for Franklin while Ryan Landry went 3-for-5 and Cooper Johnson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run for the Bombardiers.
King Philip, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sophomore Cameron Hasenfus tossed a gem for King Philip, hurling a one-hitter complete game to lift the Warriors over North Attleboro. Hasenfus allowed a leadoff walk and a one-out single both in the seventh inning while striking out five in the win. KP held a 1-0 lead through the first six innings after an RBI single from Brendan Sencaj in the third inning, but pushed across two key insurance runs in the seventh. Tommy Martorano (single) scored on a squeeze bunt from Hasenfus, and Rudy Gately (single) scored on a sac fly from Max Robison. Dillon Harding was also strong on the mound, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks, striking out two in a complete game for the Rocketeers.
Mansfield, 16 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton staked a 4-1 lead through five innings but Mansfield’s offense exploded for 15 runs in the final two innings to earn a big win. Jeriel Cuello drove in Sean Farley with a single and then scored on a passed ball, and pinch runner Joey McEachern (in for Hunter Malkin, who doubled) came home to score as well to hand Stoughton a 3-1 lead. The Black Knights extended the lead to 4-1 on an RBI from Dom Belle in the fifth inning. The Hornets offense was buzzing in the final two innings, scoring six in the sixth inning and nine more in the seventh. Drew Urban went 2-for-2 with a double, four RBI, and two runs scored, Anthony Saraiva also had two hits, including a double, an RBI, and two runs scored, Jake Maydak went 2-for-5 with four RBI and a run, and Sam Martin was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Malkin pitched well for Stoughton, allowing six runs (none earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out seven in 5.1 innings.
Milford, 2 @ Taunton, 9 – Final – Milford put host Taunton on upset alert when it took the lead in the top of the fourth but the Tigers scored eight unanswered runs in the next three innings to get the win. Back-to-back two-out RBIs from Sean McGee and Joe Butler gave Milford a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Taunton bounced back with two runs in the bottom half on a two-run single from Caden Lindskog and never looked back from there. Sean Murphy had an RBI triple, AJ Lewis followed with an RBI single, and Lindskog singled in another run as Taunton extended its lead to 6-2. Brayden Cali and Ryan MacDougall each tacked on an RBI in the sixth while Jared Spencer scored on a wild pitch. Jack Cali was strong in his return to the mound, allowing one run on three hits, one walk, and three strikeouts in 3.2 innings while Brady Morin (2.1 IP) earned the win in relief, striking out two with one run allowed on four hits and no walks. Charles Rabel and David DaSilva combined for a shutout inning in relief.
Sharon, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 17 – Final (5 Inn.) – Oliver Ames pushed across seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in its second straight big win. Jack Perron had a team-high three hits along with a pair of RBI and three runs scored while Ryan Lemay (RBI, run), Patrick Finnerty (RBI, run), Drew Hall (RBI, run), and Andrew Zagami (RBI, three runs) each had two hits for the Tigers. Finnerty earned the win on the mound, scattering four hits in four innings, walking a pair with two strikeouts and two earned runs allowed. Ian Kelly tossed a scoreless inning in relief with three strikeouts and two walks. Palash Raina had a pair of hits (single, triple), an RBI, and a run for Sharon.
Softball
Attleboro, 13 @ Franklin, 8 – Final
Foxboro, 14 @ Canton, 2 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 12 – Final (5 Inn.) –
Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield scored a pair in the fourth and one more in the fifth while Dani Jameson was strong in the circle to score a win over Stoughton. Consecutive singles from Molly Kucharski, Jill Koppy, Avery Lake (RBI) and Jameson (RBI) resulted in a 2-0 lead for the Hornets, who added another run in the fifth after a fielder’s choice from Liv Madeira. Jameson allowed four hits and struck out seven in the win.
Taunton, 9 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Milford kept pace with the visiting Tigers through five innings, trailing just 4-2, but Taunton plated five runs in the final two innings to pull away for the win. Bella Bourque had another outstanding day at the dish, going 3-for-4 with a double and two triples, driving in three runs and scoring once. Kaysie DeMoura also had three hits, two RBI, and a run for the Tigers. Hayley Krockta launched a two-run homer in the seventh to help Taunton put the game away. Cae Pellegrini had a solo home run for Milford in the third to cut the deficit to 2-1 while Camille Bonina had a two-out single in the fifth to make it 4-2.
Oliver Ames, 10 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Oliver Ames clubbed out six doubles and scored nine runs in the first three innings to take a win over Sharon. Katie Melendy (two RBI) and Crystyliah Covel (RBI, three runs) each had two doubles while Devon Morris (3-for-5, three RBI, two runs) and Paige Taylor (RBI, run) each had one. Sophomore Emily Martin went 2-for-4 with two runs for the Tigers. Ally Foulsham had five strikeouts and Manasa Josyula struck out six for the Eagles. Natalie David, Kendra Kodira, and Manasa each had an RBI for Sharon.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ Taunton, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 6 vs. Boston Latin, 8 – Final – Ben Reardon scored four goals while Ryan Jaco and Alex McAndrew each found the back of the net once for the Tigers. Noah Isleib was strong in the cage, making 14 saves for OA.
Sharon, 7 @ Holliston, 6 – Final
Girls Lacrosse
Taunton, 5 @ Attleboro, 17 – Final – Eight different Bombardiers found the back of the net in a well-balanced attack and a win over visiting Taunton. Junior Molly Moore (three assists) and freshman Amelia Collins (one assist) led the charge with four goals apiece, senior Jordan Mooney, junior Addison Papagolos, and freshman Makenah Stokes each added a pair of goals, and sophomore Ryann Mooney, sophomore Isabella Cavallini, and freshman Abigail Titmas each chipped in with one. Cali Melo had four goals and one assist for Taunton while Raquel Azevedo added one goal. Mel Jesus made 19 saves in net for the Tigers.
Foxboro, 13 vs. Holliston, 7 – Final – Foxboro notched another impressive non-league win, this time rolling past visiting Holliston. Paige Curran picked up right where she left off from yesterday, potting four goals and three assists to lead the offensive charge while Val Beigel netted a hat trick. Cate Noone (two assists) and Mary Collins (two goals, one assist) both added a pair of goals, and Mya Waryas (three assists) and Grace Riley each chipped in with one goal apiece. Audrey Campbell turned away eight shots in net for the Warriors.
Oliver Ames, 14 @ Ursuline Academy, 17 – Final
Stoughton @ Hull – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Franklin, 1 – Final – The Bombardiers landed a sweep in singles action and added one more in doubles to take down host Franklin. Kyle Neuendorf prevailed from a tough battle at first singles with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win, Tyler Rocchio took a win in straight sets at second singles (6-3, 6-3), and Shashank Shridhar emerged from third singles with a 6-3, 7-6 (5) win. Attleboro’s first doubles team of Luke Hinton and Brody Rosen took a 6-3, 6-0 win. Franklin’s second doubles team of Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy picked up a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory.
Foxboro, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Foxboro’s first doubles team of Evan Paluzzi and Ryan Fossella emerged from a hard-fought match with a three-set victory to clinch the win for the Warriors. After splitting the first two sets, Paluzzi and Fossella clamped down a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win. Foxboro also got wins at second doubles and third singles (Luca Meyer, 6-1, 6-1). Canton’s Max Kupferman earned a 6-1, 6-3 win while Bharata Ramanathan came out on top in a well-played second singles match (7-5, 6-3).
North Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s second doubles team of Leo Manning and Logan Riley rallied from a one-set deficit to take a win, clinching a 3-2 victory for the Warriors. Manning and Riley overcame a loss in the first set for a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win, Arjun Kollu added a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second singles, and freshman Luke Bailer landed a 6-4, 6-3 third singles win. North’s Brody Carter picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles while the team of Brody Gaulin and Carson Dameron prevailed from first doubles with a 6-1, 5-7, 6-1 victory.
Stoughton, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield bounced back from a tough loss to Sharon by earning the season sweep of Stoughton. The Hornets swept the three singles matches, loing only two games in the process. Iniyan Karruppusami won his match at first singles 6-0, 6-0 and Nikhil Nain and Jesse Colchamiro each won 6-0, 6-1. The doubles team of Justin Lim and Liam Lasbury-Casey won their match 6-1, 6-2. Stoughton got its lone point in doubles, as the team of Hadid Khond and Anthony Maylock won 6-3, 6-4.
Taunton, 2 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Behind two singles wins and one more at doubles, Milford notched a 3-2 win over Taunton a match played in pro sets. Senior Tyler Andreotti (10-5) and sophomore Corey Rattray (10-4) had wins at first and third singles, respectively, for the Hawks while the team of sophomores Todd Ostertog and Luke Fabry (10-6) added a second doubles win. Taunton’s Martin Frankinet landed a 10-3 second singles win while Derek Desseault and Collin Lofgren rolled to a 10-0 win at first doubles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon took all five matches in straight sets to fend off visiting Oliver Ames. Jacob Slavsky lost just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 first singles win, Matthew Lally added a 6-1, 6-3 second singles win, and Alex Budovalcev completed the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-2 victory at third singles. Sava Kassev and Joey Zwicker were victorious at first doubles (6-1, 6-1) while the Eagles’ second doubles team of Henry Chen and Andrew Xin landed a 6-3, 6-4 win.
Girls Tennis
Franklin, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – The Panthers picked up wins at second singles, third singles, and first doubles to edge host Attleboro. Junior Chloe Essam had a strong showing at second singles (6-0, 6-2) while junior Brooke Taylor only dropped one game at third singles (6-1, 6-0). Sophomores Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen continued their impressive campaign at first doubles with a comeback win, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Attleboro junior Maddie Fuscaldo recorded a 6-4, 6-2 win at first singles and the second doubles tandem of Julia Leonardo and Bree Paulette notched a 6-4, 7-6 (9) victory.
Canton, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Foxboro found wins at first and second singles as well as both doubles matches to take down visiting Canton. Hailey Kornbluth (6-3, 6-0) and Makayla Peck (6-1, 6-1) won at singles for the Warriors, Analisa Tia and Audrey Paulino (6-2, 6-0) notched a first doubles win, and Emily Stow and Katelynn Dineen (6-1, 6-4) prevailed at second doubles for Foxboro. Canton’s Katherine Powers rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 10-8 win at third singles.
King Philip, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – A singles sweep, highlighted by a comeback at second singles, lifted North Attleboro to a 3-2 win over visiting King Philip. Sophomore Megan Atwood bounced back from dropping the first set to secure a 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 win at second doubles in a three-hour long match to clinch the win. Junior Lauren Hunt (6-4, 6-1) and senior Grace Noreck (6-0, 6-1) won at first and third singles, respectively, for North. KP won both doubles matches with Priya Riar and Carlie Burns taking a 6-4, 6-3 decision at first doubles, and Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang securing a second doubles win.
Mansfield, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final – Mansfield earned its second win of the season and spit the series with Stoughton. Caroline Guravage got an important point for the Hornets at third singles, winning 6-2, 6-1. Mansfield sealed the win by sweeping doubles. Jillian Hanley and Savannah Carey won 6-1, 6-3 and Rachel Goldman and Anushka Srivastava won 6-4, 6-0. Stoughton won at first and second singles. Ally Lada took her match 6-1, 6-1 and Nadia Prokopiuk won 6-3, 6-3.
Milford, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – Final – Taunton earned a clean sweep, taking all five matches in pro sets due to time constraints. Brooke Bell (8-5), Ava Alves (8-3), and Morgan Smith (8-3) all won in singles action, while the team of Janelle Garcia and Courtney Martin (8-3), and the duo of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett (9-8 (8-6)) swept doubles play.
Sharon, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Behind a pair of wins from both singles and doubles action, Sharon returned from Easton with a 4-1 win over Oliver Ames. Navya Shukla (6-1, 6-1) and Ale Aguilar (6-1, 6-0) had impressive wins at second and third singles, respectively for the Eagles. The team of Jenny Sand and Olivia Landstein earned a straight set win (6-1, 6-2) at first doubles, while the team of Grace Zhang and Zeina Cheima prevailed in a super tiebreaker (4-6, 6-2, 10-8) at second doubles. OA’s Hannah Farber played well in a 7-5, 6-3 win at first singles.
Baseball
Attleboro, 4 @ King Philip, 5 – Final (8 inn.) – King Philip tied the game with a three-run fifth inning and earned a walk off win in extras, taking down visiting Attleboro. The Bombardiers had a 2-1 lead after trading runs with KP in the first and scoring once in the second, and then pushed a pair across in the top of the fifth to make it 4-1. Tommy Martorano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Cam Hasenfus had a sacrifice fly, and Nate Pennini brought on a run home on a fielder’s choice to get KP back level, 4-4. In the bottom of the eighth, Brendan Sencaj was hit by a pitch and proceeded to steal both second and third before coming home for the winning run on an infield single from Matt Kelley. Hasenfus was strong on the mound in the start for KP, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk, striking out 10 in 6.2 innings. TJ Ahern earned the win, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk, striking out one in 1.1 innings of relief. Brody McKenna (run, stolen base), Matt Harvie (three RBI), and Danny Johnson (run) each had two hits for Attleboro. Freshman Ryan Landry had an impressive start for the visitors, allowing only one run on five hits and four walks, recording four strikeouts in four innings.
Sharon, 3 @ Foxboro, 12 – Final – Foxboro senior Mat Sullivan had a day to remember, pacing the Warriors’ big offensive outburst and getting the win on the mound against Sharon. Sullivan went 4-for-4 with four RBI, highlighting an 18-hit performance from Foxboro. On the mound, Sullivan allowed just one run on four hits and two walks, striking out win in three winnings for the win. Ben Angelini also had a great day offensively with a single, a double, and a triple along with an RBI and three runs scored. Ryan LeClair (run), Sean O’Leary (run), and Ryan O’Leary (RBI) each added two hits for Foxboro. Ryan O’Leary tossed three shutout innings in relief with a pair of strikeouts. Sharon’s Luke Meixel (run), Harry Librot (RBI), and Liam Conway (run) each had two hits for the Eagles.
Boys Lacrosse
Foxboro, 7 vs. Bishop Feehan, 13 – Final – Foxboro cut the deficit down to two with just under 10 minutes to play but visiting Bishop Feehan closed out the game with four unanswered goals to get the win. Conor Noone led the offense with four goals and one assist while Tony Sulham scored twice for the Warriors.
Franklin, 18 vs. St. John’s Shrewsbury, 7 – Final – Franklin senior Jayden Consigli scored in every quarter to help the Panthers pull away from visiting St. John’s Shrewsbury. Consigli scored a team-high six goals and had two assists, helping Franklin turn a one-goal lead at the end of the first quarter (5-4) into a four-goal lead (9-5) at half and a seven-goal advantage (13-6) going into the fourth. Luke Davis added five goals and one helper, Tyler Sacchetti (three assists) and Drew Hansen each scored twice in the win, and Eddie O’Brien notched three assists.
Oliver Ames, 19 @ Middleboro, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames and Middleboro were deadlocked at 4-4 at halftime but the Tigers dominated the third quarter, outscoring the hosts 11-0, to pull away for a big win. Ben Reardon potted six goals, Ryan Jaco found the back of the net four times, Shaun Teehan netted a hat trick, and Victor Romeiro, Owen Bourne, and Alex McAndrew each scored twice for OA. Jake Manthous dominated at the face-off X, winning 22-of-24 attempts while Noah Isleib made 10 saves and pitched a second half shutout.
Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 10 @ Marshfield, 9 – Final – Canton bounced back from a tough loss to Natick on Wednesday with a thrilling one-goal victory on the road over Marshfield on Thursday. Emily McCabe and Devan Spinale led the charge offensively with three goals apiece, and Ashley Balunas had a big game with nine saves in net for the Bulldogs.
Milford, 14 @ Blackstone Valley, 2 – Final – Milford wrapped up its five-game road trip with a convincing 14-2 verdict over host Blackstone Valley. The Hawk had eight players find the back of the net, led by a career-high four goals from Jordan Douglas (one assist) and TJ Downing’s six points (two goals, four assists). Erin Michelson and Yasmin Martinez both had a pair of goals and one assist, Emily Croteau scored once and added two helpers, and Alexa Landry scored once. Kaitlin Landry and Rhea Mathew each scored their first career goals and added an assist apiece in the win. Caitlyn Bangert had a strong showing in net with eight saves.
Oliver Ames, 15 vs. Middleboro, 10 – Final
Boys Tennis
King Philip, 1 @ Attleboro, 4 – Final – A doubles sweep and two more wins from singles boosted the Bombardiers to a win at home over King Philip. Kyle Neuendorf took care of business at first singles (6-4, 6-2) and Tyler Rocchio dropped just two games total in a second singles victory (6-1, 6-1) for Attleboro. The team of Brady Rosen and Luke Hinton split the first two sets but won in a super tiebreaker at first doubles (6-4, 3-6, 10-3) while the Bombardiers’ second doubles tandem of Clay Tyler and Noam Cook rolled to a 6-1, 6-4 win. KP’s Arjun Kollu notched another win at third singles, landing a 6-0, 6-4 decision.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip’s second doubles pairing of Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang prevailed in a three-set thrilling to complete the sweep, handing the Warriors a decisive victory entering the final stretch of league play. Casper and Dang landed a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win in a competitive second doubles contest while KP’s all-senior tandem of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first doubles. KP senior Ahunna James had another stellar showing in a 6-0, 6-1 win at first singles, junior Shea Mellman added an equally impressive 6-0, 6-1 verdict at second singles, and senior Caroline Freese prevailed 6-3, 6-3 at third singles.
Taunton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North Attleboro swept all three singles matches in impressive fashion and took one more win from doubles to play to take down Taunton and keep pace with KP at the top of the Kelley-Rex table. Lauren Hunt (6-0,6-0), Megan Atwood, (6-1, 6-1) and Grace Norweck (6-0, 6-1) all won in singles action; Liv Silva and Audrey Noreck overcame a one-set setback for a 6-7 (4), 6-1, 10-3 first doubles win. Taunton’s second doubles team of Caroline Pietnik and Chrisa Charis-Marc prevailed 7-5, 3-6, 10-6.
Boys Volleyball
Taunton, 1 vs. Greater New Bedford, 3 – Final
Baseball
Sharon, 1 @ Attleboro, 11 – Final – Attleboro earned its second win in as many days, plating four runs in each the third and fourth innings to pull away from Sharon. Senior Sean O’Hara was masterful on the mound, delivering four strong innings with just one run allowed on five hits and no walks while striking out three. Jackson Huntington added two strikeouts in a scoreless inning of relief. Offensively, freshman Ryan Landry had a big outing as he smacked an inside-the-park home for his first career hit; he finished the day going 3-for-3 with five RBI and a run scored. Cooper Johnson also had a big day with two hits, including a triple, and two RBI and three runs scored, and Aiden Hochwarter, Danny Johnson, and Jacob Bettencourt each added one RBI. Harry Librot (RBI), Drew Yaffe, Cole Arundale, and Seth Bonner each had a hit for the Eagles.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Taunton, 15 – Final (5 inn.) – Taunton exploded out of the gate with six first-inning runs and never looked back to beat Oliver Ames, who was the home team on the Taunton High turf. Dawson Bryce started the scoring with a two-run single, Dwayne Burgo brought in another run with a bae hit, and Sean Murphy cleared the bases with a three-run triple to hand Taunton a 6-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Taunton added another run in the second, five more in the third, and three in the fifth. Burgo finished 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs, Murphy (three RBI, one run) and Brayden Cali (two runs) each had two hits, and senior Ryan MacDougall added a double and three RBI. Peter Moor allowed only two hits and one walk, striking out four in four scoreless innings and Brady Morin tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
King Philip @ Canton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Foxboro –Postponed to 5/5 at 4:45.
Franklin @ Mansfield –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 4:30.
Softball
Sharon, 3 @ Attleboro, 16 – Final (5 inn.) – For Sharon, Ally Foulsham had two RBI and Natalie David stole home, and Manasa Josyula had five strikeouts.
Canton @ King Philip –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/17 at 3:45.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro –Postponed to Thursday, 5/25 at 4:00.
Mansfield @ Franklin –Postponed to TBD.
Stoughton @ Milford –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/9 at 7:00.
Boys Tennis
Sharon @ Attleboro –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Canton @ King Philip –Postponed to 5/5 at 3:45.
Foxboro @ North Attleboro –Postponed to TBD.
Mansfield @ Franklin –Postponed to Monday, 5/15 at 3:45.
Stoughton @ Milford –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton –Postponed to Thursday, 5/11 at 3:45.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro @ Sharon –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
King Philip @ Canton –Postponed to 5/5 at 3:45.
North Attleboro @ Foxboro –Postponed to TBD.
Franklin @ Mansfield –Postponed to Monday, 5/15 at 3:45.
Milford @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 4:00.
Taunton @ Oliver Ames –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/9 at 3:45.
Boys Outdoor Track
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 89 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Dan Krasylnykov, Mo Arugollu, and Ruairi Ritson all contributed key points for Canton in a loss to Sharon. Krasylnykov was a double-winner, taking first in both the 400M (52.9) and the 200M (23.7), Arugollo won the 400M hurdles (65.3) and was third in the triple jump, and Ritson added points by winning the shot put (37’4″), finishing second in the discus, and taking third in the 400M hurdles. Sam Vail added a win in the 110M hurdles (18.9) and Mark McDonough had a winning throw of 114’11” in the javelin. Christian Hanlon had a strong showing with second place finishes in both the 100M (11.6) and the long jump (18’4″), and Kareem Porter recorded his varsity points with a third place finish in the shot put.
Mansfield, 63 @ Oliver Ames, 73 – Final
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Foxboro @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Franklin @ Milford –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/16 at 4:15.
Girls Outdoor Track
King Philip @ Attleboro, 3:45
Sharon, 54 @ Canton, 82 – Final – Canton dominated the throwing events to score a win over visiting Sharon. The Bulldogs swept the shot put (Emma Massih, Jess Brathwaite, Jocanda Cabral), the javelin (Luran Slotnick, Cabral, Rose Giglio), and the discus (massih, Slotnick, Bridget Feeney) in the win. Katie Oliver was a double-winner for the Bulldogs, taking first in both the long jump (16’10.5″) and the triple jump (33’6″).
Mansfield, 82 @ Oliver Ames, 53 – Final
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Foxboro @ Stoughton –Postponed to Wednesday, 5/3 at 3:45.
Franklin @ Milford –Postponed to Tuesday, 5/16 at 4:15.
Baseball
Attleboro, 11 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Attleboro scored all of its runs in the final three innings, including a seven-run outburst in the sixth inning, to complete a comeback win on the road at Frothingham Park. The Tigers built their lead in the early innings as Jack Perron and Nick Ferrini scored in the second inning, Ian Kelly drove in Jack Morley (three hits) with an RBI single in the third, and Thomas Whiteside came home to score in the fourth for a 4-1 lead. Aiden Hochwarter’s second RBI of the game cut the deficit to two and Casey Victorio drew a bases loaded walk to get the visitors within a run after five innings. In the top of the sixth, Brody McKenna roped an RBI single to right to tie the game, Jackson Huntington continued his strong week with a two-run double, Matt Harvie singled in another Attleboro run, Danny Johnson brought in a run with a bases loaded walk, Harvie scored on a wild pitch, and Victorio scored when Cooper Johnson grounded into a fielder’s choice to push Attleboro’s lead to 10-4. Harvie scored Hochwarter (triple) in the top of the sixth to get Attleboro’s 11th. Patrick Finnerty had an RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh and scored on an RBI from Kelly, but the Tigers couldn’t cut into the deficit any further. Owen Lombardo and Ryan Landry each pitched a scoreless inning in relief for Attleboro with the latter earning the win.
Softball
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – Attleboro managed just one hit but it was enough as Lily Routhier tossed a complete game shutout and the Bombardiers held on against OA. The lone run of the game came in the bottom of the first inning as Sarah Maher reached on an error to lead off the inning. After stealing second, Maher took third after a fly ball was caught in right field. Routhier grounded out to second but it was enough to bring Maher home to make it 1-0. Routhier scattered five hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings, striking out six, and had just one runner reach third, but she induced a grounder back to the circle for the final out in the fifth inning. Katie Melendy pitched well for OA, giving up just the one hit and three walks, one unearned run, and struck out a pair.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 23 vs. Norton, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 5 vs. Cohasset, 14 – Final
Oliver Ames, 10 vs. Middleboro, 0 – Final – Behind a strong defensive performance, Oliver Ames pitched a shutout of visiting Middleboro. Noah Isleib made eight saves in net to earn the shutout while Jack Corey, Landon Grothe, Liam Dunlap, Lawrence Dear, and Bryce Deibel all played well defensively for the Tigers. Sophomore Shaun Teehan paced the offense with four goals while Ben Reardon and Ryan Jaco each scored twice in the win. Victor Romeiro and Grothe each added one goal for OA.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 18 @ Norton, 5 – Final
Foxboro, 9 @ Cohasset, 8 – Final (OT) – Foxboro’s Val Beigel capped a big performance with the game-winning goal with just under two minutes left in overtime to hand the Warriors a key early season win over perennial state power Cohasset. The Warriors had to climb out of an early 3-0 hole, cutting the deficit down to just one goal (4-3) at halftime. The Skippers stayed ahead for most of the second half but Foxboro continually came back to pull even. After the Warriors hit the post with just over a minute left, Cohasset did the same at the buzzer of regulation. In the extra period, Beigel cut in front of goal, took a nice pass and deposited her fifth goal of the game to give Foxboro the win. Paige Curran finished with two goals and two assists, Mary Collins (assist) and Addie Riley reach scored once, and Mya Waryas notched one helper. Sophomore Audrey Campbell made six saves in the win.
Milford, 10 vs. Norwood, 17 – Final – Milford rallied from an early five-goal deficit to get within one but the Hawks couldn’t get any closer in a non-league loss to Norwood. The Mustangs’ 5-0 lead dwindled to 8-7 but a quick three-goal spurt gave the visitors an 11-7 edge at halftime. Emily Croteau crossed the 100-point threshold with five goals and an assist to pace the Hawks’ offense. Carly Haley added two goals and three assists, TJ Downing scored twice, and Erin Michelson chipped in with a goal and an assist. Alexa Landry, Jordan Douglas, and Caitlyn Banger each had an assist for Milford.
Oliver Ames @ Middleboro – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Behind a sweep of singles action, Oliver Ames returned home with a close win over Attleboro. Nick Westerbeke overcome a one-set deficit to win two straight, clinching the victory with an 0-6, 6-2, 6-3 win at first singles. Alex Efremidas added a 6-0, 6-2 win at second singles and Patrick Dolan secured a 6-3, 6-1 verdict at third singles for OA. Attleboro’s Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen notched a 6-0, 6-4 win at first doubles while the team of Clay Tyler and Noem Cook continued to play well with a hard-fought 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 win at second doubles.
Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – Oliver Ames notched its second straight win and fourth overall on the season, taking down a shorthanded Attleboro squad at home. Hannah Farber continued her strong start to the year with a 6-2, 6-2 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli took a 6-1, 6-1 decision at second singles, and Stella Zacho emerged from her third singles match with a 7-5, 6-2 win. The Tigers added one more win from doubles action as Marina Mierzwinski and Ella Mierzwinski secured a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles. Attleboro’s Caroline Lynch-Bartek and Jenny Morin made their varsity debuts with a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win at second doubles.
Baseball
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 15 – Final (5 Inn.) – Attleboro’s offense exploded for 16 hits and 15 runs to secure its first win of the season against visiting Stoughton. Peter DelPozzo had an RBI single in the second at-bat of the game, scoring Brody McKenna (double) and the Bombardiers never looked back from there. Both DelPozzo (three RBI, three runs) and McKenna (four RBI, two runs) each finished with three hits while Aiden Hochwarter (two RBI), Ran Martin (two RBI, run), and Jackson Huntington (two runs) each had two hits apiece. Matt Harvie earned the win for the Bombardiers, allowing one hit and four walks in 3.1 innings of work, stirking out seven. Ryan Landry (0.2 IP) and Braxton Levin (1.0 IP) both pitched well in relief.
Canton, 0 @ Taunton, 11 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the first inning and Peter Moor had a strong performance on the mound to lead the Tigers past Canton. AJ Lewis had a bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the first inning to give the host an early lead. Dawson Bryce led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run and Dwayne Burgo roped a two-run double to left field as Taunton doubled its lead to 6-0 after three innings. Brayden Cali led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple and both him and Bryce scored on a one-out single from Shawn Cali. Brady Boucher reached on an error and three runs scored to cap the scoring. Moor allowed just two hits in four scoreless innings on the mound, striking out four in the win. Brady Morin tossed a scoreless inning in relief for Taunton. Jack Digirolamo and Matt Lesser each had a hit for Canton.
Foxboro, 0 @ Franklin, 8 – Final – Franklin senior Alfred Mucciarone had his second straight stellar start on the mound for the Panthers with a complete game shutout in a win over visiting Foxboro. Mucciarone a strong Warrior offense to just two hits (both singles) and one walk, striking out double-digit (10) batters for the second straight game. Offensively, Franklin built its lead over the course of the game with single runs in the first (two-out infield RBI single from Henry Digiorgio to score Jase lyons), third (Lyons RBI single to score Luke Sidwell), and fourth (Sidwell bases-loaded walk), before extended its lead with three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth (Eisgi Chin RBI double, Lyons sac fly). Louis Carangelo and Mike Marcucella each had a hit for Foxboro.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ King Philip, 10 – Final (5 inn.) – After a scoreless first inning, King Philip plated at least a run in four straight including a big five-run fifth inning to end the game. Seven different Warriors recorded a hit, including two apiece from Max Robison (three RBI, run, walk) and Rudy Gately (two RBI, run, walk). Matt Kelley had a two-run single in the bottom of the second inning to push KP’s lead to 3-0, while Tommy McLeish (third inning) and Gately (fourth inning) each drove in a run. S D’Arcy had a two-run single to right field in the bottom of the fifth to cap the win. Nick Pennini had his second straight strong outing for the Warriors, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out three in five scoreless innings.
Mansfield, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final (8 Inn.) – Down to its final out in the bottom of the seventh, North Attleboro tied the game to stay alive and then walked off with the victory in the bottom of the eighth to knock off Mansfield. Reed Collins reached on an error to start the bottom of the seventh, stole second, and advanced to third on an error. Sophomore Gio Martello delivered the big hit, sending a single to right to bring the tying run in. After Dillon Harding pitching a 1-2-3 top half in the eighth inning, Jack Munley had a one-out single, Ayden Delaney followed with a single to move Munley to third, Collins was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Munley came racing home on a wild pitch for the winning run. Harding earned the win, allowing two unearned runs on five hits and two walks, pitching all eight innings with five strikeouts. North took a 1-0 lead after Nate Kelly singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored on an error in the bottom of the second but the Hornets jumped ahead with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Matt DeShiro walked and scored when Jake Maydak reached on an error, and then Maydak scored on a single from Brian Butler (two hits). Connor Curtis pitched well for the Hornets, allowing two unearned runs on fit hits and one walk, striking out eight in seven innings.
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 14 – Final (5 inn.) – Milford plated five runs in each of the first two innings on its way to a big win at home at Fino Field over Sharon. Evan Cornelius had a big day both offensively and on the mound, going 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, one RBI, and three runs scored while also tossing four shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven in four innings of work. Louis Consigli had a three-run triple to clear the bases in the bottom of the fourth while Ian Carter went 1-for-2 with a walk, a run, and two RBI.
Softball
Attleboro, 13 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final (5 inn.) – Attleboro plated nine runs between the second and third innings to secure a win on the road at Stoughton. Freshman pitcher Jenna Callahan and freshman catcher Nina Sullivan both had big days at the dish as they each recorded two hits and scored two runs for the Bombardiers. Sarah Maher added three hits and three RBI while Paige Quaglia had a big showing with four RBI on three hits.
Taunton, 21 @ Canton, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Taunton belted out 20 hits as a team and used a big first inning to set the tone in a win on the road at Canton. Bella Bourque (RBI, three runs), Ava Venturelli (five RBI, three runs, double, triple), Kaysie DeMoura (three RBI, run, double), and Brooke Aldrich (RBI, two runs, triple) each had three hits for the Tigers, who pushed across 11 runs in the first inning. Sophomore Cate Larson had a strong all-around game with a pair of hits, three RBI and a run scored offensively while allowing one unearned run on one hit and one walk, striking out 12 in five innings.
Franklin, 11 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Franklin clubbed out 21 hits and scored in five straight innings, including a five-run sixth inning, to get a win on the road over Foxboro. Franklin scored twice in the top of the third on an RBI single from Sarah Boozang and a sac fly from Katy Liberman but the Warriors cut the deficit in half in the bottom half on a single from Emma Callahan. The Panthers tacked on a run in the fourth (bases-laded walk from Katie Dowley) and fifth (Marley Allen home run) before exploding for five runs in the sixth. Carly Pellegri and Liberman had back-to-back RBI singles, Allen roped a two-run double to left, and Caitlin Hickey brought in a run with a single. Avery Chalk (run), Boozang, and Allen all finished with four hits for Franklin. Kiera Kotwicki allowed one unearned run on four hits and a walk in three innings while Sophia Sacramone didn’t allow a run in four innings, striking out six with four hits and one walk. Callahan and Natalia Leach each had two hits for the Warriors.
King Philip, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – King Philip sophomore Liv Petrillo drilled her third home run of the young season and senior Libby Walsh hit her second home run in as many games to lead the Warriors to a win over Oliver Ames on the road. The Tigers jumped out to a 3-2 lead after two innings off a couple of early walks but KP rallied for six runs in the top of the sixth, five runs between the next two innings, and four more in the seventh. Charlotte Raymond was hit by a pitch and Taylor Regan draw a walk before Petrillo sent a bomb over the fence in center field. KP tacked on two more on a sac fly from Ali Gill and Walsh followed with a solo shot to left field. Petrillo (three runs), Walsh (two RBI, two runs), Regan (four runs), and Sarah Cullen (RBI, run) each finished with three hits while Raymond clubbed two doubles. Freshman McCoy Walsh earned the win in relief, tossing six shutout innings with three hits, one walk, and 11 strikeouts. Emily Martin and Maddie Homer each had a hit and a run scored for OA.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final (11 Inn.) – North Attleboro senior Kelly Colleran struck out 28 batters as the Rocketeers were able to outlast Mansfield in an 11-inning thriller. North took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before Mansfield knotted the score in the bottom of the second as Reilley Slaney’s bunt single scored Molly Kucharski (triple). North threatened but Mansfield’s defense kept the game tied at 1-1 as Jill Koppy and Kucharski combined to pick off a runner at third, and another great play from Liv Medeira and Slaney to catch a runner between second and third. With the international tiebreaker in effect, North pushed across four runs in the 11th as Julia Forman drove in Grace Forman to give North the lead. Arianna McDavitt, Molley Willey (three hits), Maryellen Charette (four hits) and Emma Hanwell each followed with singles to extend North’s lead. Mansfield brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the inning with runners on second and third but Colleran closed it out. Freshman Dani Jameson pitched all 11 innings for Mansfield, scattering eight hits with 11 strikeouts.
Milford, 18 @ Sharon, 1 – Final (5 Inn.) – Milford got off to a strong start with six runs between the first two innings and the offense stayed hot throughout to earn its first win of the season over Sharon. Olivia Baglione set the table from the leadoff spot, going 5-for-5 (two doubles) with an RBI and four runs scored for the Hawks, who had 22 hits as a team. Cae Pellegrini added three hits, including a home run, and two RBI and four runs while Maeve Driscoll and (two RBI, run), Jianna Fernandes (RBI, run) also had three hits on the day. Driscoll earned the win in the circle, striking out five in five innings of work. Natalie Kessler had a hit for the Eagles with Ally Foulsham scoring the run.
Foxboro, 9 @ King Philip, 12 – Final – King Philip created some separation in the second quarter and stayed ahead the rest of the way in a key crossover win over Foxboro. James Boldy had another big game in the cage for the hosts, coming up with 17 saves to keep KP ahead. Donovan DeVellis paced the offense with a team-high four goals and added one assist while Mason Thompson scored a hat trick and added three helpers. Cullen McCarthy (assist) and Hayden Schmitz each added two goals, Tommy Kilroy recorded three assists, and Noah Minkwitz scored once. Tyler Douglas had a strong defensive game for KP with six ground balls. Adam Addeche also had a big game in net, making 17 saves for Foxboro to keep his Warriors in it. Conor Noone led the charge for Foxboro with five goals and one assist, Jon Sachetti added a hat trick, and Aidan Waller scored once.
Mansfield, 11 @ Sharon, 7 – Final
North Attleboro, 13 @ Milford, 7 – Final – North Attleboro turned a one-goal lead at halftime in a 13-7 win on the road at Milford. The Rocketeers led 5-4 at the break. For Milford, Eric Farrell scored a hat trick while both Jacob Ligor and Jayden Martins scored two goals apiece.
Girls Lacrosse
Attleboro, 18 @ Taunton, 4 – Final – Buoyed by a big first half, Attleboro ran away with a win on the road at Taunton. The Bombardiers erupted for 11 goals in the opening half to build a big lead. Isabella Cavallini (six draws) paced Attleboro’s offense with five goals and two assists, Amelia Collins added four goals and one assist and Molly Moore chipped in with three goals and three assists in the win. Addison Papagolos (six draws), Jordan Mooney, and Kristin Vasquez-Trudeau each scored twice in the win. AHS head coach Shane Collins praised the defensive effort of Vasquez-Trudeau and Ella Stromfors. Cali Mello led Taunton with a pair of goals while Maddie Szala and Raquel Azevedo each had a goal and an assist. Mel Jesus turned away 13 shots in net for the Tigers.
Canton, 3 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – Franklin had 10 different players record a point as they earned a big win over visiting Canton. Lindsay Atkinson led the charge offensively with four goals while Kaitlyn Carney (five draws) had a hat trick and three assists. Katie Peterson (seven draws) and Jamie Tanner each added a pair of goals and three assists in the win while Ella Mahoney made three saves. Emily McCabe scored all three goals for the Bulldogs.
King Philip, 8 @ Foxboro, 10 – Final – Locked in a one-goal battle, Foxboro sophomore goalie Audrey Campbell came up with a huge point-blank save off of a free position bid from King Philip and the Warriors held on for a key crossover win. The teams were level at 5-5 at halftime and traded goals early on in the second half before Foxboro finally built a two-goal cushion at 9-7. KP got one back and had a chance to tie it with just over two minutes to go but Campbell made the save. Foxboro was able to kill some clock and Val Beigel clinched the win, cleaning up a rebound off her own shot to make it 10-8 with 1:21 to play. Mary Collins had a team-high three goals and one assist, Mya Waryas and Beigel each had two goals, while Paige Curran (two assists), Cate Noone, and Grace Riley each scored once. Makenzie McDevitt led KP with three goals while Kelly Holmes (two assists), Sammy Cloutier, Emily Heslin, Nikki McDonald, and Abby MacDonald each scored once. Emily Campbell played well in net for the visitors with 10 saves.
Sharon, 6 @ Mansfield, 19 – Final – Ava Adams scored eight goals, including the 100th of her career, to power the Hornets to a big league win. Lola Varricchione added four goals in the win, while Cammy Shanteler and Carys Colby each found the back of the net twice. Mansfield also got goals from Tessa Johnson, Rose Maher (two assists), and Ella Palanza. Keira Fitzgerald dished out a pair of helpers and Caitlyn Zajac made five saves in the victory.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Sunday, 5/21 at 5:00.
Stoughton, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Amanda Reid scored four times for the Black Knights, while chipping in with an assist and three draw controls. Stoughton also got two goals and seven draw controls from Morgan Groppi, an assist and draw control from Nicole Reid, and 12 saves in goal from Jordan Coleman.
Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Behind a pair of wins in both singles and doubles action, Attleboro returned from Stoughton with a 4-1 verdict over the Black Knights. Kyle Neuendorf battled his way to a close 7-5, 6-4 win at first singles while Tyler Rocchio dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second singles. The team of Luke Hinton and Brady Rosen earned a 6-3, 6-0 win at first doubles, and the Bombardiers’ second doubles pair of Clay Tyler and Noem Cook prevailed 6-4, 4-7, 7-5. Stoughton’s Paul Medeiros earned a 6-4, 6-4 win at third singles.
Taunton, 2 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton’s second doubles team of senior Drew Garrett and freshman Matt Wright prevailed from a hard-fought match with a win to clinch a 3-2 for the Bulldogs against visiting Taunton. Garrett and Wright battled for a 6-4, 6-4 win while Max Kupferman (first singles, 6-4, 6-0) and Bharat Ramanathan (second singles, 6-1, 6-0) also won for the Bulldogs. Taunton’s Heitor Sens secured a 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles while Collin Lofgren and Derek Desseault grabbed a 6-2, 6-2 win at first doubles.
Franklin, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro took first and second singles but Franklin swept both doubles matches and had a third win at third singles to edge out Foxboro in a tight match. Both doubles matches came down to the wire but it was Franklin’s Ahan Shetty and Eric Tomaino that prevailed 6-4, 7-6 (5) at first doubles and the team of Andrew Amante and Aaron Ramaswamy that emerged with a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) win at second doubles to clinch the win. Will Forrest added a 6-1, 6-1 third singles win for the Panthers. Foxboro’s Raj Jetty grabbed a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles and Luca Meyer earned a 6-1, 6-3 win at second singles.
King Philip, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Mansfield’s doubles team were pushed in the second set but both pairs were able to finish it off and complete a sweep of the Rocketeers, all five matches in straight sets. Neema Khosravani (first singles, 6-0, 6-1), Nikhil Nain (second singles, 7-5, 6-3), and Iniyan Karruppusami (third singles, 6-1, 6-1) each won for the Hornets in singles action. The team of Josh Weiner and Jacob Weiner prevailed 6-3, 7-5 at first doubles while the pairing of Jesse Colchamiro and Dhruv Jain took a 6-2, 7-5 decision at second doubles.
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 5 – Final – Sharon defended home court with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets over visiting Milford. Jacob Slavsky took a hard-fought 6-1, 7-5 verdict at first singles, Matthew Lally added a 6-3, 6-0 win at second singles, and Hyojae Park dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 third singles victory. The team of Rithvik Neti and Sava Kassev rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 first doubles win, and Sharon’s second doubles team of Michael Wang and Mihir Basil won 6-2, 6-1.
Girls Tennis
Stoughton, 2 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro’s Bree Paulette had another thrilling win, taking her match in three sets to clinch a victory for the Bombardiers over visiting Stoughton. After splitting the first two sets, Paulette emerged victorious in the third set for a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win. Attleboro also got wins from the first doubles team of Zoe Stanley and Kyra Johnson (6-0, 6-0) and the second doubles team of Julia Leonardo and Katie Lortos (6-1, 6-1). Stoughton’s Ally Lada battled to a hard-fought 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win at first singles, and Nadia Prokopiuktook a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory at second singles for the Black Knights.
Canton, 2 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton took a pair of wins from singles play and one more in doubles action to pick up a close win over visiting Canton. Junior Ava Alves grabbed a 6-2, 6-4 win at second singles while Morgan Smith secured a 6-1, 7-5 win at third singles for the Tigers. The team of juniors Courtney Martin and Caroline Pietnik helped secure the win, taking a 6-2, 6-3 verdict at second doubles. Canton’s Camila Cutter won 6-2, 1-6, 10-5 at first singles, and the team of Grace Powers and Kelli Woodworth prevailed 7-5, 6-2 at first doubles.
Foxboro, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – Franklin swept both doubles matches and took two more wins from singles play for a 4-1 verdict at home against visiting Foxboro. Sophomores Brooke Daniels and Sydney Tolonen earned a 6-4, 6-1 win at first doubles while seniors Allison Bagley and Shriya Rajesh secured a 6-3, 6-3 second doubles victory for the Panthers. In singles action, junior Brooke Taylor was victorious with a 6-1, 6-2 verdict at second singles, and freshman Isabelle Simino rallied from a one-set deficit to grab a 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 win at third singles. Foxboro’s Hailey Kornbluth dropped just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 win at first singles.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip’s Shea Mellman and Caroline Freese both earned tight wins in singles matches to help the Warriors secure a win over Oliver Ames in a match that was closer than the score might indicate. Mellman ended up with a 6-3, 6-2 win but most of the games reached deuce; the win gave KP the match-clinching third win. Freese split the first two sets but gained some momentum late in the second set that she carried into the third for a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 win at second singles. The team of Carlie Burns and Priya Riar added a 6-3, 6-4 victory at first doubles for KP, and the team of Lauren Casper and Jaelyn Dang rallied from a three-game deficit in the second set to secure a 6-2, 6-4 win at second doubles. OA’s Hannah Farber prevailed from a three-hour marathon of a match to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 at first singles.
Mansfield, 1 @ North Attleboro, 4 – Final – North swept singles and won at first doubles to stay unbeaten through three matches. Lauren Hunt won at first singles without dropping a game, Megan Atwood won 6-1, 6-2 at second singles, and Grace Noreck won by the same score at third singles. The Rocketeers also got a point at first doubles with sophomores Audrey Noreck and Liz Silva winning in straight sets (6-4, 6-2). At second doubles, North’s Kaeleigh Folan and Lizzy Fang and Mansfield’s Caroline Guravage and Rachel Goldman split the first two sets with the Hornets’ duo winning the tiebreak to take a point.
Sharon, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Sharon went on the road and returned home from a long trip to Milford with a clean sweep, winning all five matches in straight sets. Judy Song lost just two games in a 6-2, 6-0 first singles win, Navya Shukla rolled to a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sophia Oh earned a 6-3, 6-1 third singles victory. Sharon also picked up wins from the first doubles team of Zayna Cheema and Grace Zhong (6-2, 6-2) and the second doubles team of freshmen Sydney Wiener and Lila Hogan (6-0, 6-4).
Boys Volleyball
King Philip vs. Norwood, 5:45
Milford, 1 @ Agawam, 3 – Final
Taunton, 1 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final
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
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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!”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
