Boys Soccer
King Philip, 1 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – King Philip junior Will Bowen scored the winner in the final minutes of the match to give the Warriors two points on the road over Foxboro. Moments after having his one-on-one bid with the keeper denied, Bowen ran onto a service over the top from senior Matt Crago and smashed a shot from in close that Foxboro keeper Ryan Cotter (12 saves) got a piece of but found its way under the bar and in. King Philip’s back line of Thomas Meader, Patrick Sullivan, Ethan Jack Hancock, and Tommy Lomuscio denied the hosts of creating many scoring chances, while Foxboro’s back four of Jack Sullivan, Marco Pacini, Andrew Linnehan, and Alex Penders, as well as defensive center mid John Hollis, all played well. Cotter was strong in net, including a key double save in the 21st minute — diving to his right to save a blast from Meader off a corner, and leaping the opposite way seconds later to deny Crago.
Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored a pair of second half goals to secure a key two points against Attleboro in a battle of the top two ranked teams in the Hockomock League. After a scoreless opening 40 minutes, a pair of sophomores linked up to open the scoring for the hosts. Casey Milliken notched his team-leading seventh assist with a through ball to classmate Andrew Martins to give OA a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the second half. Senior Diego Rivera set up OA’s next goal with a long ball that was deflected in behind the defense with junior Ryan Linhares running onto it. Linhares smashed a terrific one-time shot from just inside the area to double the hosts’ lead. Sophomore Drew Hall recorded his second career shutout while OA head coach John Barata praised senior Hector Bucio and Jake Williams for anchoring the back line. Barata also noted the strong play of sophomores Jackson Mercieri, Luke Churchill, Craig Churchill, and senior Jason Zalis.
Franklin, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – After staking a one-goal lead at halftime, Franklin put away two more in the second to earn an impressive 3-0 decision on the road at Sharon. Sophomore Garrett Scagliarini put the visitors ahead with a goal in the opening half, finishing off an assist from Hansy Jacques. Jacques then got one of his own in the second half to double the Panthers’ advantage, linking up with Andrew O’Neill to make it 2-0. Will Kryzak then recorded an assist for the third straight game, setting up Wyatt Herndon for his first career goal.
Taunton, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – After earning points in back-to-back games with a pair of draws, Taunton broke into the win column with a 3-2 decision on the road at Mansfield. Junior Javonte Fernandes had a hand in all three goals for the Tigers, assisting on the opening goal and the game-winner, sandwiched around a goal of his own. Senior Az-Anael St. Marc opened Taunton’s scoring off an assist from Fernandes, who then scored himself off an assist from Conal Scully for the Tigers’ second goal. Fernandes returned the favor, hooking up with Scully for the game-winner. Riley Rebello, Ian Robicheau, Quincy Jones-Sylvia, Xavier Mercardo, and Aidden Fitting all had solid play the entire game for the Tigers while goalie Sebastian Darosa had some key saves throughout the match.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – North Attleboro scored a pair of second half goals and held off a late push from the hosts to grab two points with a 2-1 win against the Black Knights. Carson Dameron orchestrated the attack with two assists on the day, first setting up Kaden Burns for the opener. Burns took a pass from Dameron and found the far corner to put the Rocketeers ahead 1-0 in the 46th minute. Just over 15 minutes later, a long free kick from Brody Carter was headed by Dameron onto Zach Smahi and he finished for a 2-0 lead. Stoughton scored with just under 10 minutes to go on a free kick goal from Matheus Groberio.
Milford, 3 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton came back from a two-goal deficit two pull level with a half hour left in the game, but Milford regained the lead and held on for an important two points on the road at Canton. Andre Baiano smashed a thunderous volley off a pass from Eduardo Santana to give the Hawks the lead, and Nick Ribeiro doubled the advantage with his second free kick goal in as many games. The free kick was earned after some great work from freshman Danny Da Silva. Canton came back and leveled the match with two goals in a seven-minute span. First, freshman Vlad Francoeur squeezed one in past the keeper to cut the deficit in half and Carson Eagles buried a rebound chance from in close to make it 2-2. Milford found the winner with 10 minutes to go as Ribeiro played Santana through and he finished past the keeper to make it 3-2.
Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – For the second straight game, Oliver Ames scored once in each half and earned a shutout win. Jolie Diaz opened the scoring for the visitors, intercepting a ball at midfield and going on to convert a breakaway chance, beating the keeper on the near side for a 1-0 lead. OA doubled its lead late in the second half as Emma Gavin volleyed a second chance off a restart with 12 minutes left with the assist going to Sophia Byron. Mary Cross had a great game in the midfield for the Tigers while Janiya Matier made four saves for the shutout.
Canton, 6 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Canton scored three times in the opening 25 minutes of the game to take control and keep its unbeaten start to the season alive. Lauren Shatkin, Emma Cahill, and Emily McCabe each scored in the first half. For McCabe, it was her league-leading 10th goal of the season. Caira McKinney, Gisella Berardi, and Mekhala Costello added second half goals for the Bulldogs, who tried not to let the tempo slip despite being in a busy stretch of the season. Georgia Campbell, Cahill, McCabe, Costello, and Shatkin each had an assist. Dani Atherton scored Milford’s lone goal.
Foxboro, 1 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – The game was scoreless at the half, but Ella Pisani scored four times after the break to lead King Philip to a big win. Pisani opened the scoring off a corner just a minute into the second half, assisted by an Addisyn Lamothe-Vaughn corner. Four minutes later, Pisani again finished off a corner, this time with Danielle Gresham picking up the assist. She completed her hat trick by finishing off a pass from Ailish McGowen. With 13 minutes to play, Pisani got behind the defense and capped off her night by lifting a shot over the keeper. Makayla Thompson had the assist on the final goal. Erin Foley had the Foxboro goal that cut the lead to 3-1.
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Olivia Costa scored a pair of goals to lift Franklin to a home win that moves the Panthers a half-game ahead in the division. Kelly O’Connor and Tori Carmignani each scored once and each assisted on another goal. Norah Anderson’s header capped the scoring for the Panthers, who also got a pair of assists from Anya Zub and an assist from Katie Ewald. Sharon faced the Kelley-Rex leaders without a pair of starters and struggled to get the attack going against Franklin’s defense. Jordanna Morris and Sally Brouhard both had strong games in defense for the Eagles.
Mansfield, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield scored four times in the opening half to take home an away win against the Tigers. Freshmen Alexandra and Maddie Fernandes each scored their first varsity goals. Bridget Hanley and Meghan McCann also found the back of the net for Mansfield. Alexis O’Keefe had a pair of assists, while freshmen Lauren Signoriello and Olivia Dunham each had one helper. Olivia Salisbury picked up the clean sheet. Eighth-grader Ashlyn Herbert had another good performance in net for the Tigers, making nine saves. Mia Torres, Jenna Pereira, and Christina Da Costa also played well in the loss.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Sydney O’Connor headed in a Kaitlyn Joyce cross with five minutes to go before halftime and that was enough for North to pull out its first league win of the season.
Volleyball
Sharon, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin continued to roll against league opponents, this time with an impressive 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-14, 25-11) of visiting Sharon. Juniors Grace Lacerda and Taylor Lacerda (five aces) paced the offense with 12 kills apiece.
Golf
Attleboro, 156 @ North Attleboro, 143 – Final – North Attleboro’s Jake Gaskin had a great day on the links, carding a two-under-par round of 33 that included an eagle, to lead the Rocketeers to a win over rival Attleboro on the middle course at Heather Hill. Gaskin finished with a 33, sinking an eagle putt on the third hole. Tyson Laviano came in one-over at 36 while Dillon Harding, Ishan Kohli, and Zach Corsetti all shot a 37 on the day. Leo Lombardo fired an even par round of 35 to lead the Bombardiers, Ryan hill added a 38, Bradley Lehtonen finished at 41, and Bradley Martin rounded out Attleboro’s scoring with a 42.
Milford, 165 @ Foxboro, 175 – Final – Milford junior Anthony LaPierre continued his strong week, shooting a match medalist round to lead the Scarlet Hawks to victory over the Warriors at Foxboro Country Club. LaPierre was the lone golfer to break 40 on the day, recording a medalist round of 37. Nate Lawrence added a 40 in the win while both Zach Hipolito and Jacob Hipolito shot 44 for the day. Louis Carangelo, who had a birdie, led Foxboro with a 42, Patrick Callahan (three pars) added a 43, and both Zac Georgantas and Reese Curreri came into the clubhouse with a 45.
Franklin, 149 @ Sharon, 172 – Final
Stoughton, 186 @ Canton, 156 – Final – Canton sophomore Huck McCready fired a medalist round of 35 to help the Bulldogs bring down Stoughton at Blue Hill Country Club, snapping a four-match skid. Brendan Tourgee added a 38 in the win, Joey Ryan shot a 41, and both Charlie Vaughan and Teddy Shuman finished at 42 for the day. For Stoughton, Mason Page had a team-low round of 42.
Football
Attleboro, 35 @ Durfee, 6 – Final 1Q: (A) Matt Harvie 41-yard pass to Adrian Rivera, Ethan Lako 2pt rush good; (A) M. Harvie 5-yard pass to Malachi Jefferson, Josue Salguero XP good.
2Q: (A) M. Harvie 25-yard pass to Ayden Ramirez, J. Salguero XP good; (A) Brody McKenna 30-yard interception return, XP failed.
3Q: (A) M. Harvie 59-yard pass to Andre Turner, J. Salguero XP good.
4Q: (D) Durfee 4-yard rush, XP failed.
Canton, 30 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 7 – Final
Foxboro, 7 vs. Holliston, 33 – Final
Franklin, 32 @ Wachusett, 22 – Final 1Q: (W) McGeary 3-yard rush, XP good; (F) Jase Lyons 65-yard pass to Luke Davis, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2Q: (W) Wachusett touchdown, XP good; (F) G. Portesi 30-yard field goal. (F) J. Lyons 60-yard pass to L. Davis, XP failed.
3Q: (F) J. Lyons 35-yard pass to L. Davis, XP failed; (F) G. Portesi field goal.
4Q: (W) McDonald rush, McGeary 2pt rush; (F) Mike Davide 4-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good.
BC High, 0 @ King Philip, 35 – Final 1Q: (KP) Rudy Gately 10-yard rush, Matt Kelley XP good; (KP) R. Gately 19-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good,
2Q: (KP) Tom McLeish 6-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Aiden Astorino 4-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
3Q: No scoring.
4Q: (KP) Kyle Abbott 1-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
Mansfield, 35 vs. St. John’s Shrewsbury, 6 – Final 1Q: (M) CJ Bell 32-yard pass to Trevor Foley, Travis Hennessey XP good; (M) Rocco Scarpellini 1-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good; (M) Conner Zukowski 9-yard pass to Ryan DeGirolamo, T. Hennessey XP good.
2Q: No scoring.
3Q: (M) R. Scarpellini 4-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
4Q: (M) T. Hennessey 15-yard rush, T. Hennessey XP good.
Milford, 42 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (M) Nate Scudo 5-yard rush, Nicholas Araujo XP good; (M) Evan Cornelius 13-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
2Q: (M) E. Cornelius 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
3Q: (M) N. Araujo 12-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
4Q: (M) E. Cornelius 9-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) Owen Callahan 17-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
North Attleboro, 28 @ Bishop Feehan, 6 – Final 1Q: (NA) Nathan Shultz 27-yard rush, Austin Clemente XP good; (NA) N. Shultz 41-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
2Q: (BF) Nick Yanchuk 82-yard rush, XP no good.
3Q: (NA) Greg Berthiaume 22-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
4Q: (NA) Chase Frisoli 1-yard rush, A. Clemente XP good.
Oliver Ames, 41 vs. Brookline, 12 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1Q: (OA) Chad Silva 8-yard rush, Nick Ferrini XP good.
2Q: (OA) C. Silva 24-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good; (OA) Wayne Casey 56-yard pass to Andrew Whiteside, XP blocked.
3Q: (OA) W. Casey 12-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good; (B) Joshua Karp 53-yard pass to Andrew Bamberg, XP failed; (OA) Harold Smith 18-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
4Q: (B) J. Karp 4-yard pass to Caetano Drinkwater, 2pt pass failed; (OA) CJ Crocker 19-yard rush, N. Ferrini XP good.
Stoughton, 28 vs. Norwood, 13 – Final 1Q: (S) Jarred Daughtry 14-yard pass to James Currier, XP good; (S) Alex Huynh 45-yard interception return, XP failed.
2Q: (S) Liam Pearl 3-yard rush, Alex Huynh 2pt rush good.
3Q: (N) Jack Dwyer 4-yard rush, XP good; (N) J. Dwyer 13-yard rush, XP failed.
4Q: (S) L. Pearl 1-yard rush, XP failed.
Taunton, 33 @ New Bedford, 7 – Final 1Q: (T) Jacob Leonard 34-yard pass to Dmitrius Shearrion, Elias Foreman XP good; (T) Elijah Prophete 62-yard fumble return, XP failed.
2Q: (T) J. Leonard 61-yard pass to Jose Touron, Abby Doherty XP good; (NB) Amari Harris 5-yard pass to Darrin Godine, Brent Sharples XP good; (T) Malachi Johnson 86-yard kickoff return, A. Doherty XP good.
3Q: (T) Anthony Petijohn 48-yard interception return, XP failed.
4Q: Not played.
Sharon, 27 @ Weston, 14 – Final
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Attleboro scored the first and last goals of the game, the latter coming with less than 10 minutes to play to help the Bombardiers secure a tie and a point on the road. Luke Hagopian bagged a brace on his birthday, finishing off an assist from Esvin Morales in the 74th minute to bring the Bombardiers back level. Hagopian opened the scoring in the 16th minute off an assist from Steve Etienne. Mansfield leveled the game less than 10 minutes later on a blast from distance from Aiden Steele. Mansfield took the lead in the 34th minute as Grady Sullivan buried a rebound off a shot from Steele. For Mansfield, Matty Sullivan, Derek McGrath, Aiden Jones, Brendan Flynn, and Kyle Johnson all played well defensively.
Milford, 4 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Milford scored a pair of goals in each half to pick up a pair of points on the road at Foxboro. The Hawks converted a pair of crosses to establish the lead, starting with a finish from Eduardo Santana on a service from Saverio Fulgitini. Milford double its lead when Kaua Pereira scored off a cross from Nick Ribero. In the second half, Pereira set up Arthur Tome to make it 3-0 and then Santana fed John Borges for a finish to make it 4-0.
Franklin 1, @ Oliver Ames, 5 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Oliver Ames raced out to a three-goal lead by halftime and then tacked on two goals inside the final 15 minutes to secure a 5-1 win over Franklin in its season opener. Five different players scored for the Tigers, starting with a goal just over five minutes into the game. Sophomore Luke Churchill lifted a ball over the top of the defense and junior Ryan Linhares ran onto it and calmly chipped the oncoming keeper on the bounce. Less than 10 minutes later, sophomore Casey Milliken played in a through ball to junior Ryan Carney and he finished low to the far post. OA made it 3-0 in the 35th minute as Hector Bucio was first to a corner from Linhares, hitting a low one-timer into the back of the net from inside the area. Franklin had a strong start to the second half and played equal to the hosts. The Panthers pulled one back in the 47th minute after good pressure from juniors Andrew O’Neill and Hansy Jacques ended up in a combination between the two and the latter smashed a low left-footed shot off the far post and in. After some more even play, OA cashed in on a Franklin turnover. Andrew Martins took down a failed clearance connected with Milliken, who fired a cross/shot that was spilled in the area and Mirray Dasilva was first to the loose ball and fired it in. Michael MacAdam came up with a turnover at midfield and quickly hit a counter pass up to Milliken that drew Franklin goalie Griffin Tolonen well off his line. Tolonen got the ball but it deflected right to Martins, who passed one into the back of the net.
King Philip, 1 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield opened league play with a solid road win. Kara Santos put the Hornets in front, finishing a corner by freshman Olivia Dunham, who recorded her first varsity point. Meghan McCann doubled the lead when she ran onto a through ball from Lauren Signoriello and finished the breakaway. Olivia Salisbury made three saves to get the clean sheet.
Canton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton scored a pair of second half goals to break things open and secure a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs opened the scoring midway through the first half on a goal by Emily McCabe. North started the second half on the front foot, but Canton regrouped and in the 60th minute freshman Georgia Campbell got her first varsity goal to make it 2-0. Emma Cahill sealed the win with a goal in the final minute. Mekahala Costello, freshman Alyssa Wong, and Tess Giglio recorded assists. Canton coach Idris Senyonjo praised Wong and Campbell for giving Canton a needed energy boost in the second half. Maddie Ferrin made six saves for the Rocketeers.
Foxboro, 2 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Neve Taylor scored a pair of unassisted goals and Allie Sougaris made a huge save in the closing minute to secure a hard-fought win for the Warriors. The game was scoreless at halftime and it was the home team that broke the deadlock when Paige Caldon finished off a pass from Dani Atherton. Foxboro responded almost immediately, as Taylor equalized. With about 18 minutes to play, Taylor struck again for what turned out to be the game-winner. Atherton had a chance to steal a point with nearly the final kick of the game, but Sougaris made a brilliant save on the breakaway to keep the Warriors in front. Freshman Kaliegh Tourtellot had a strong game in goal for the Hawks, filling in for injured Chloe Murdock.
Stoughton, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – KP took 32 shots on Friday but only managed a pair of goals, pulling out a tough home win in its league opener. Ella Pisani’s through ball set up Dani Lomuscio for a goal early in the first half. In the second half, Dani Gresham’s corner kick went off a defender to double the lead.
Field Hockey
North Attleboro, 4 @ Canton, 5 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the third quarter and then held off a fourth quarter comeback bid from North Attleboro to secure a 5-4 win. The Bulldogs built a 2-0 lead in the second quarter but Julia Puccio scored a pair of goals, including one off a Kelsey Thompson corner with 31 seconds left in the half to bring the Big Red level. Canton extended its lead to 5-2 with a big third quarter but Puccio scored two more times in the fourth to make it a one-goal game. Puccio netted a deflected shot with 9:05 left in the game and then scored off a pass from Madison Folan with 3:54 left to make it 5-4. Canton had five different goal scorers, including one goal and two assists from freshman Carolyn Schiavo.
Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final – King Philip continued its strong start to the season with a dominating 3-0 (25-12, 25-12, 25-8) sweep over Walpole. Sami Shore led the offense with seven kills, Ahunna James added six kills and a pair of aces, Emily Sawyer registered four kills, two aces, and two blocks, and sophomore Madison Asprelli landed four aces in the win.
Canton, 1 vs. North Quincy, 3 – Final – Canton jumped ahead in the match with a win in the first set but North Quincy bounced back with three straight to claim victory, 3-1. For Canton, Jess Wright had an outstanding performance with 14 kills and a pair of aces.
Boys Soccer
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro turned three services into the area into three goals to pick up a win over visiting Taunton. The Bombardiers opened the scoring just over the midway point of the first half and doubled the advantage just seconds before the break. Sophomore Luke Hagopian’s cross from the right side popped free in the area and classmate Alex Vecchioli was first to it, smashing in a volley from in close. In the 40th minute, Esvin Morales whipped in a free kick from near the corner flag and senior Connor Adema one-timed a shot past the keeper. In the 52nd minute, a free kick from Cashel Stuger was not cleared and senior Liam Bischoff buried the loose ball into the open net to make it 3-0.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 4 – Final – Canton exploded for three goals in the second half to pull away North Attleboro, snapping the Rocketeers’ three-game win streak while extending their own unbeaten run to seven games. Jacob Crugnale put the hosts ahead in the first half and Jake McCabe scored twice and had an assist in the second half for the Bulldogs. Dylan Baird capped the scoring for Canton.
Sharon, 0 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Foxboro scored on a penalty kick midway through the second half to get a win over Sharon. The Warriors built out of the back to earn their chance from the spot. Cam Barreira played Alex Penders near midfield, and the junior played senior Jacob Tessier into space on the right side. Tessier carried the ball forward before sending a service to Matt Angelini, who was taken down right near the spot after taking his first touch. Angelini buried the penalty kick just under the crossbar for the lone goal of the game. Derek Axon recorded the shutout in net for Foxboro.
Franklin, 1 @ Xaverian, 0 – Final – A pair of seniors linked up for the game-winning goal as Franklin swept the season series with Xaverian, pushing their win streak to four straight. Senior Jacob Crisileo set up classmate Jack Moran for the lone goal in the 59th minute.
King Philip, 0 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Milford finally solved King Philip, pumping in a pair of goals inside the final 10 minutes to get two points at home. After over an hour of scoreless play, the Hawks struck on a free kick in the 70th minute. Bill Silva set up Chris Tocci as the Hawks finally broke through for a 1-0 lead. With under two minutes to go, Arthur Tome assisted Eduardo Santana on a goal that made it 2-0. Milford head coach Antonio Pinto praised the effort of his defense, which posted its third straight shutout.
Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 10 – Final – After being shutout for the first two times this season, Oliver Ames’ offense exploded for its best output of the season in a win over visiting Stoughton. Senior Hector Bucio recorded a hat trick to pace the offense while freshmen Andrew Martins and Casey Milliken (two assists) each had a brace.Ryan Linhares, Raphael Vache, and John Dobbin each scored once in the win while senior Mathias Taylor had four assists.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Bethany Alves scored with nine minutes to play to lift Attleboro to a big road win that moves the Bombardiers within two points of clinching a playoff spot with three games to go. Kacey Parker opened the scoring for Attleboro inside the first minute. Jamie Davies added a second on an assist by Emily Dunlea. Taunton hung around, battling back into the game, but with nine minutes on the clock Dunlea played a great through ball to Alves for the game-winner.
Canton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton and North played to a scoreless draw, leaving both teams chasing points in the final week of the season to clinch a playoff spot. North’s defensive unit of Meghan Dowd, Carli Guertin, Summer Doherty, and Charlotte Moynihan played well in front of keeper Maddie Ferrin to earn the clean sheet. Brayden Rice, Autumn Hewitt, and Sophia Capriotti also had good games in midfield, while Caroline Ferrin had a goal taken off the board late in the first half.
Foxboro, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Jordan Carman scored twice and assisted on two others, powering Foxboro to 13th straight game unbeaten. Neve Taylor also had a brace, while Erin Foley and and Rebecca Foley each scored once. Erin Foley also assisted on three goals and Lindsey Resnick added one helper. Sharon was missing a couple of its starters, but a strong game from Amber Marcus-Blank, who was tasked with marking Kailee McCabe.
Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – KP scored one early in the first half and one late in the second half to secure a win that keeps the Warriors within two points of league-leading Franklin. Ella Pisani got the opener after 11 minutes when she took a pass from Sarah Harper 25 yards from goal and put it into the top right corner. Harper sealed the win in the second half off a pass from Kylie Anderson. Dani Gresham and Eilish McGowen played well in the KP midfield.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Kyla Melton, Lauren Sellmayer and Mary Cross each scored once as Oliver Ames improved to 12-1-1 on the season. Lucinda Li Cotter recorded a pair of assists while Emily Meyers had the shutout for the Tigers. Shayla Ford played well again for the Black Knights in multiple roles, while Bianca Casna gave Stoughton a good outlet up top and Sophia Lally was strong at the back in her one-on-one battles.
Today’s games are listed below. This post will be updated with any changes as they are submitted.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro @ Sharon – Postponed to TBA.
Mansfield @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/7 at 6:00.
Milford, 2 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Milford senior Chris Tocci converted a pair of penalty kicks to give the Hawks an important win on the road at Foxboro. The visitors took the lead in the first half after David Desa was taken down in the box and Tocci stepped up and buried his chance. Foxboro knotted the score at 1-1 when Matt Angelini scored in the second half but minutes later, John Borges was fouled by the keeper and Tocci scored from the spot once again.
Franklin, 5 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Five different players found the back of the net as Franklin had its best offensive showing of the season in a win at Stoughton. Jack Moran opened the scoring on a goal from Nelson Martinez while Will Krysak scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal on an assist from Terry O’Neill. Noah Cain, Gavin Scagliarini (from Connor Brown), and Andrew O’Neill (from Trey Lovell) also scored for the Panthers.
King Philip, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final – Oliver Ames came out of the games flying, scoring less than two minutes into the game, tacking on two more within the first 10 minutes, and riding a total of five first half goals to a win at home over King Philip. Hector Bucio headed in the opening goal in the 2nd minute, finishing off a cross from Ryan Linhares. OA doubled the lead two minutes later when freshman Casey Milliken got his first of the game on a pass from Clide Neau. Milliken then returned the favor in the 7th minute, connecting with Neau, who made it 3-0. Mathias Taylor (from Milliken) scored on a great shot from distance and Milliekn (from Neau) grabbed his second shortly before halftime. Milliken completed his hat trick on a feed from Linhares.
Taunton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – North Attleboro scored with just over 10 minutes to play and senior Brody Rosenberg made a pair of key defensive plays as the Rocketeers topped Taunton. Carson Dameron sprayed the ball wide to the right wing and Griffin Rhodes tracked down the loose ball. Rhodes’ looping cross was met at the near post by Givany Carney, who beat the keeper to the ball and his header went inside the near post in the 69th minute. Rosenberg had a goal line stop in the second half and then came up with a big clearance on a loose ball inside the six yard box in the final minute after Taunton’s Riley Rebello hit the underside of the crossbar with a shot from 25 yards out.
Girls Soccer
Sharon, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro was able to pull out a win in the rain, holding off Sharon with a one-goal advantage and then adding a second goal in the final minute to secure the points. Jamie Davies put Attleboro in front in the 24th minute and then assisted on the second goal in the 79th. Allison Rebelo hit a one-touch shot into the top corner to make it 2-0. Alexis Campbell played well in goal to keep the clean sheet for Attleboro. Sharon coach Cat Sullivan praised defender Jordanna Morris and midfielders Sofia Goclowski and Amber Marcus-Blank for their performances in the tough conditions.
Canton, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Tarynn Smith continued to be in torrid form in front of goal, scoring what turned out to be the game-winner against Canton. It was the fifth straight win for the Hornets, who are in a three-way tie atop the Kelley-Rex. Alexi O’Keefe added the second goal for Mansfield.
Foxboro, 10 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Three different Warriors scored hat tricks, as Foxboro continued its unbeaten run, extending it to nine games. Kailee McCabe scored three times and had three assists, Erin Foley had three goals and two assists, and Jordan Carman added one assist to her three goals. Neve Taylor also found the back of the net for Foxboro. Brooke Barreira and Lauren Miley both had assists in the win. Alexis Sougaris earned the clean sheet with three saves.
Stoughton, 1 @ Franklin, 4 – Final – The rain didn’t slow down sophomore striker Anya Zub, who recorded a hat trick to power Franklin to a win that moves them into a tie at the top of the Kelley-Rex. Kelly O’Connor added a goal and an assist and Stella Regan had a pair of helpers for the Panthers. Haylie Aniki had a good second half in goal for the hosts and Chloe Barca stood out in the Franklin midfield. Sivannah Marcy scored Stoughton’s lone goal, running onto a ball over the top by Morgan Cook. Katrina Varnum had a good game in net for Stoughton, helping keep Franklin to four, and Sabrina Rodrigues had a strong game at the back.
Oliver Ames, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – Lauren Sellmayer and Camryn O’Connor scored second half goals to lift OA to a come-from-behind road win at Kelley-Rex leader KP, handing the Warriors their first league loss of the season. After a scoreless first half, Rihanna Mason scored for the hosts to put them in front, but OA tallied twice in the final 20 minutes to secure the victory and stay in a first-place tie with Foxboro in the Davenport division. Sellmayer headed in a corner kick from Katie Gibson in the 73rd to bring the Tigers level. A minute later, O’Connor won a foot race on a breakaway and tucked away the game-winner. Allison Evin, Emily Meyers and Mary Cross all had great games for the visitors.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Six different players scored for North Attleboro to pick up the win and move the Rocketeers back to .500 in the league. It took almost the entire first half for the opening goal. Following a timeout inside the final minute, Haley Sinacola scored with a 35-yard free kick, her fourth of the season, to put the hosts in front. Steph McKenna doubled the lead in the second half off an Autumn Hewitt assist. Charlotte Moynihan hit an Emma Pratt pass first-time for the third goal and then Jessica Hennessey followed with her first varsity goal (on an assist from Brooke Sullivan). Hennessey added an assist, setting up Pratt for North’s fifth, and Lily Adams rounded out the scoring off a pass from Casey Butanowicz. North coach Bill Wallace added that Morgan Eaton, Sophia Capriotti and Lauren Peckham played well in the win.
Field Hockey
Franklin @ Algonquin – Postponed to Monday, 10/18 at 4:00.
Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 vs. Walpole, 2 – Final
Taunton, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Taunton stayed alive with a win in the third set and pushed the Eagles in the fourth set but Sharon was able to close it out for a 3-1 (23-25, 15-25, 25-23, 20-25). For Taunton, Jessica Foley had a strong game at the service line with nine aces. The Tigers also had a balanced attack led by Aislinn Campbell (six kills), Angie Lynch (five kills), Mikayla Cleary (five kills), Hayley Krockta (three kills), and Kylie Burgo (three kills).
Golf
Sharon @ King Philip – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/5 at 3:15.
Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:30
North Attleboro @ Mansfield – Postponed to TBA.
Oliver Ames @ Milford – Postponed to TBA.
Oliver Ames senior Clide Neau heads in the opening goal in the 4th minute against Canton. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
CANTON, Mass. – Oliver Ames boys soccer has been the class of the Hockomock League for the past decade and last year’s large senior class added to that tradition with another division title.
After graduating over a dozen players and nearly the entire starting lineup, it looked like the Tigers’ grasp of division supremacy might be at risk.
But as Oliver Ames showed in its season opener on the road at Canton, the Tigers aren’t quite ready to give up their spot at the top.
The Tigers jumped all over the Bulldogs from the opening whistle, scoring less than five minutes in and adding two more in the second half to secure an impressive 3-0 result.
“I think the guys were really ready to play on Thursday and then we got canceled so there was definitely some anticipation, some build up going into tonight,” said Oliver Ames head coach John Barata. “It’s no longer about the previous teams, these are the guys are taking it pretty seriously. I thought we caught Canton early, maybe a little bit surprised at how we played. I don’t think we’ll surprise them next time but I’ll take any points this year anywhere we can get them.”
OA took the opening kickoff and dumped a long ball into the attacking third, getting bodies forward to pin Canton back. It worked as the Bulldogs were unable to build out of the back and OA took control of the possession and the game.
Sophomores Ryan Linhares and Joey Carney combined to get forward before the latter sent a low cross into the area but senior Clide Neau’s cheeky chip went just over the bar in the 2nd minute.
A minute later, Linhares drove a corner to the far post where freshman Casey Milliken was located but his header hit off the top of the crossbar and stayed out.
The Tigers finally broke through in the fourth minute when Linhares carried down the right sideline before sliding a low cross into the area. The ball was deflected up and Neau was in the right spot, looping a header over the keeper and into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
“We had that conversation about the butterflies and the nerves yesterday,” Barata said, noting the Tigers had five underclassmen in the starting lineup. “They were almost overexcited yesterday in training, our shots were off, our passes weren’t crisp. As you saw, we’re going to try and play a little bit whereas people probably thought we’d be a bit more direct and back it in with a new team. But we can’t hide it anymore.”
Canton worked its way into the attacking third in the 11th minute and a blocked shot fell to senior Jacob Crugnale at the far post but a difficult shot on the bounce was turned aside by OA keeper Sasha Priajinski.
Oliver Ames boys soccer
OA came back down the other way and had a pair of chances just off the mark. First, Milliken set up Linhares on the right side for a bid that was off, and four minutes later, Milliken combined with Neau before taking a shot from distance that went over the bar.
The Bulldogs had their best chance of the opening half came in the 30th minute as senior Erik Valdovinos used his speed to get down the right sideline before getting a cross into the middle where Jake McCabe nodded a header down but Priajinski was well-positioned to make the stop. Canton had another crack at it in the 36th minute of a free kick just outside the box but McCabe’s curling shot was over the bar.
Just before half, Canton utilized its timeout to save time on a dangerous set-piece. McCabe was the first to it at the near post, getting a piece before the rebound fell to junior Carson Eagles, who had his half volley bid go high.
After some early back-and-forth action to start the second half, OA won a corner and cashed in. Milliken played a ball right to the penalty spot where senior Mathias Taylor rose up to meet it, smashing a header into the corner for a 2-0 advantage.
Seven minutes later, OA earned a free kick just over midfield. It was played into the box but Milliken was taken down off the ball to give the Tigers a penalty. Taylor stepped up and used power to get his shot past the keeper for a 3-0 lead in the 60th minute.
“What I really liked, once we got a couple of minutes into the game it felt like we were back, we were comfortable, we were knocking the ball around,” Barata said. “The senior leadership has been great. I know it’s early but Mathias is obviously one of the premier players in the region, Michael Haikal is coming back from an injury, [Collin] Lozano has great senior leadership, Sasha jumping into goal…all the way down, the seniors helped us calm down. And then the underclassman looked comfortable out there too. But this job just got started, there’s a lot of soccer to play but hopefully we keep getting better. They’ve set a high bar for themselves.”
Canton’s best chance of the second half came just a minute later on a free kick from distance but McCabe’s bit on target was parried aside by Priajinski.
“We had to be very conscious about conceding to them in the second half,” Barata said. “At halftime, we talked quickly about how I thought they did well in the first half and I was impressed with the level of intensity but we had to keep it up, I told them we can’t let them in. Canton came out strong in the second but we settled again and once we got the second goal, we felt more comfortable.”
Oliver Ames boys soccer (1-0 Hockomock, 1-0 overall) is on the road again on Friday when they travel to take on Franklin. Canton (1-1-0, 1-1-1) will have its first road league game of the season when it heads to Milford.
2019 Record: 6-9-3 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Peter Pereira
One more goal scored or one goal less allowed could have changed the entire outcome of the 2019 season for the Bombardiers, who suffered six one-goal losses and three draws. Now with more varsity experience under their belts, Attleboro is aiming to surprise some teams in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division title this season.
Longtime head coach Peter Pereira is counting on that experience to translate into leadership on and off the field. Senior goalie Zackary Brown is back in net for the Bombardiers and is showing more confidence inside the area. Senior Joey Soucy is making the transition to defense and will play alongside classmates Jayden Lockhart and Andrew Fasoldt. Junior Cashel Stuger is also back in the mix defensively while seniors Henry Marini and Alejandro Jimenez could factor into the defensive unit as well.
Jackson Singer emerged as a strong option in the midfield in his first season with the Bombardiers and should be a big piece again this year. Singer will pair up with Hugo Henriquez to give Attleboro an experienced duo in the heart of the pitch. Seniors Ben Fasoldt, Emilio Amaya, and Tyler Sar will all be apart of the midfield while juniors Tom Russo and Emilio Ticas should see valuable minutes for the Bombardiers. Freshman Alex Vecchioli has shown a lot of versatility so far and could play in a variety of roles.
Up front, Attleboro will be relying on a combination of speed, tough, and work effort as they challenge opposing defenses. Depending on the pairing, Attleboro will be able to attack in a variety of ways. Seniors Justin Lurssen and Connor Paquin as well as juniors Liam Bischoff and Yianni Skordas will all see time in the attack. Sophomore Esvin Morales emerged as one of the top attacking threats a year ago and will be among the top finishers in the league.
“We have a good group of seniors and hope that this experience will pay off,” Pereira said. “We believe we will have a more competitive, more mature, and more balanced team.”
2019 Record: 4-12-2 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Danny Erickson
The Bulldogs were very young during the 2019 season with just a half dozen seniors on the squad, but that meant plenty of young players were able to gain valuable on-field experience at the varsity level. Now the Bulldogs will be looking to contend in a very competitive Davenport division in the shortened 2020 season.
The defense will be the backbone of the team this season as the Bulldogs have a lot of experience at the centerback position. Senior captain Matt Giglio is back for his third year with the squad after being a key piece in each of the previous two years. He will be joined in the middle of the defense by Will Keefe, who anchored the Dogs’ backline last year and earned All-Hockomock honors.
Junior Dylan Baird had a breakout sophomore season and will be one of the main pieces in the midfield. After a down season for Canton on the offensive end as a whole last year, Baird’s presence in the midfield will help create opportunities going forward. Up front, the Bulldogs are counting on senior Colton Marliani to be a go-to scoring threat.
Canton already suffered a big blow as senior captain TJ McCabe, who has been with the squad since he was a freshman, will miss the season due to injury. On the flip side, the Bulldogs are getting a boost with the addition of Abdul Barrie. Barrie played in the youth leagues in Canton but will make his CHS debut this fall and could make a big impact for the Dogs.
“I think the rule modifications will challenge us all equally,” said longtime Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “But after a week or so of training, to me, it’s still soccer.”
2019 Record: 7-8-3 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Dan Ambrosio
The Warriors had a sour taste in their mouth at the end of last season, losing the last game of the year to miss out on the playoffs. While Foxboro won’t have the chance to get back to the postseason this year, the Davenport division title is certainly in reach.
Foxboro graduated a couple of stalwarts (Joe Cusack, Dylan Barreira, Will Morrison) that were important pieces of the squad in each of the last couple of seasons, but there are plenty of experienced players back from last year’s seven-win squad plus a handful of new faces anxious to make their mark. Seniors Max Beigel and PJ Frost will give the Warriors plenty of leadership and experience, especially in the midfield and attacking third. Foxboro will look to play quick, using the counterattack to hit on the break.
After giving up nearly two goals a game a season ago, the Warriors are aiming to tighten up the back as they navigate through a very competitive Davenport division. First-year head coach Dan Ambrosio is also counting on new players like John Hollis and Ryan Flaherty to make an impact during the shortened season.
“We are a tight-knit group who like to have fun playing the game and look forward to representing our school and town,” Ambrosio said.
2019 Record: 9-7-4 2019 Finish: Reached D1 South Quarterfinal Coach: Fran Bositis
With returning players in most areas of the pitch and a trio of top midfielders in the Hockomock League, the Panthers should be in the mix for the Kelley-Rex title, although it could be one of the most competitive seasons since the league split into two.
With just 10 games and all six teams in the Kelley-Rex possible contenders, there is little margin for error. The Panthers will be put to the test right away as they take on Milford, who won the Davenport two years in a row and went to the D2 State Final last season, in the opening week. But longtime head coach Fran Bositis has plenty of talent on his roster to try and make a push for the division title. It all starts in the midfield with a trio of returning starters in Ethan Cain, Tyler Powderly, and last year’s HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Terry O’Neill.
All three bring something different to the table which will make Franklin’s midfield among the most dynamic in the league. Powderly’s speed on the wings will give defenses fits while Cain will bring plenty of creativity as the Panthers push forward. O’Neill won’t be able to dominate in the air like he did a season ago thanks to the new modifications that ban headers, but the junior is also such a calming presence with the ball at his feet and will help Franklin keep possession. Ben Moccia, who started in the midfield a season ago, is moving up top to the number 9 spot, while Charlie Amante, Ryan Witt, Jack Moran, and Kevin Proenca will also see time in the attack.
The Panthers have some new faces in the defensive unit. Will Fox is the lone returning starter and has impressed in the early stages of the season. Sam George, Robbin Tappin, and Karl Gruseck will all factor into the Panthers’ defense while Aidan Griffith, Nelson Martinez, and Connor Scagliarini will be options for Bositis to play either defense or in the midfield. Newcomers Trey Lovell and Rex Cinelli could see valuable minutes right away. Former Panther standout goalie Freddie Backmann, who is without a season at Regis College, is mentoring Luc Boudreau, this year’s starting keeper for Franklin.
“I think that we have a very good group of athletes (soccer players) who have worked real hard in preparation for this season,” Bositis said. “I know that they are all excited to be playing and that they are looking forward to competing against the other Kelley-Rex teams and putting themselves in a position to challenge for a league championship.”
2019 Record: 8-5-6 2019 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round Coach: Mike O’Neill
King Philip was the surprise team of the 2019 season, overcoming a large amount of inexperience to take third in the Kelley-Rex and qualify for the state tournament. While the Warriors won’t sneak up on anyone this season, the skill and experience they return should put them in the mix for the division title.
Second-year head coach Mike O’Neill has strong players in all areas of the pitch, starting with senior captain Evan McEvoy. A four-year player with the program, McEvoy is coming off a breakout season in 2019 and will be among the top midfielders in the league. He will control the pace for the Warriors from the center of the pitch, working with fellow captain Alex Leon, who will use his speed to patrol the wings and get in behind the defense. Both Caleb Waxman and Stephen Griffin made an impact last season and should see expanded roles in the shortened 2020 season. Sophomore Matt Crago is a new face that could make a splash in his first year.
The Warriors should have one of the top defenses in the league again this season. Senior captain Aidan Lindmark is back in goal and his distribution skills will factor in heavily to how KP plays out of the back. Jeremy White had a strong 2019 season at center back and will bolster the Warriors’ backline when he returns from injury. In the meantime, four-year player Ajae Olsen, who is normally patrolling the wing or up top, will have his versatility on display as he slides into the centerback spot.
“Our players and coaches are thankful that we are at the point where we can have a season,” O’Neill said. “So much work and sacrifice have gone into getting the Hockomock League schools to this moment. I’m looking forward to some excellent and competitive soccer. I expect every game to be extremely competitive – there are no easy games in the Hock. Five wins may win the division.”
2019 Record: 6-7-5 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Steve Sheridan
With just 10 games scheduled for the season, every game – from the first to the last – is going to be important. No one understands that more than the 2020 Hornets, who came up just short of the state tournament last year. After a slow start, Mansfield became one of the toughest teams to beat down the stretch, finishing on an eight-game unbeaten streak that featured an upset of division champion Oliver Ames but came just one point shy of postseason play.
With the postseason not in the picture for this year, the focus shifts on the division title. The Hornets are hoping to carry the momentum from the end of last season into this year. Mansfield will have a mix of veterans and inexperience in its defensive unit. Senior captain Evan Eames will be the centerpiece of the group alongside classmate Michael Jeans, who missed all of last season due to injury. Sophomores Grady Sullivan and Nate Kablik round out the Hornets’ back four while senior captain Eric Sullivan will take over starting in goal.
Senior captain Tommy Lanzillo will run the show from the center of the pitch, helping the Hornets transition from defense to offense. Lanzillo is strong with the ball at his feet and will help distribute as the Hornets hit on the counter. Senior Colin True and juniors Matt Hyland and Dan Rowe will join Lanzillo in the Hornets’ midfield. Junior Dylan Buchanan is back for his third year with the squad and will play up top alongside Aiden Steele.
2019 Record: 18-1-2 2019 Finish: D2 State Finalists Coach: Antonio Pinta
Milford arrives in the Kelley-Rex division with a huge target on its back. Coming off back-to-back Davenport division titles and a trip to the D2 State Final a season ago, the Hawks enter their new division as the favorite. But game in and game out, Milford can expect to get everyone’s best.
First-year head coach Antonio Pinto might be new to the varsity position but has been with the program during this successful run as an assistant and JV coach. It will all start with the reigning HockomockSports Player of the Year and Hockomock League MVP Leo Coelho, who can play just about any position on the pitch at a high level. If there is a need to shut down a high-powered offense, you might see Coelho playing defense. Or if the Hawks need a boost offensively, he can just as easily move up front and provide creativity in the final third.
The Hawks are far from a one-trick pony with both Lucas Da Silva (eight goals, seven assists) and Joao Pedro Da Silva (six goals, three assists) back in the mix this season. Replacing the Hockomock’s leading scorer in Pedro Araujo (25 goals, 11 assists) will be tough but we saw the Hawks do just that when Araujo took over for former HockomockSports Player of the Year Wallison de Oliveira.
Defensively, the Hawks will be strong up the middle. Junior Kevin Gomes returns to start in goal for the Hawks after getting valuable experience there during last year’s season and deep playoff run. And junior Chris Tocci is back in the heart of the defense at centerback after a breakout sophomore campaign. While the new regulations will certainly challenge the Hawks defensively with heading and slide tackling banned, Milford should have a big advantage offensively because of their strong possession skills.
“I’m very excited to be out there with the guys this season,” Pinto said. “We are ready to play no matter what the rules and conditions are! We’re ecstatic to have a season.”
2019 Record: 9-7-4 2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal Coach: Geoff Burgess
The Rocketeers and head coach Geoff Burgess have found a recipe for success over the past couple of seasons and will be looking to replicate that again this year. Defense always comes first for the Rocketeers, who allowed just 0.68 goals per game last year. While every team is being forced to make changes because of the new modifications due to COVID-19, the Rocketeers might be affected more than most with heading, slide tackles, and shoulder-to-shoulder challenges banned.
But the Rocketeers have adjusted during the preseason and will be relying on defense and goalkeeping once again this season. Replacing two-time HockomockSports Best XI selection Kyle Briere in net won’t be easy but the North Attleboro is turning to junior David Floyd, who is one of the most athletic players on the team this season according to Burgess. The Rocketeers also boast one of the best centerback combinations in the league with seniors Justin Silva and Donovan Carter back in the fold this year. With a season of experience playing together, it will be tough for teams to find ways to get by the defense anchored by that duo.
While defense remains a top priority for the Big Red, that doesn’t mean North isn’t a dangerous team in the attacking third. As they’ve shown over the past two seasons, speed can kill. Relying on the counterattack and set pieces for the majority of their offensive chances, North brings back senior forward Matt Conley (one goal, five assists) to try and beat defenses with his speed and skill. Junior Connor Ward will have a lot to say about the pace the Rocketeers play at as he orchestrates the team from the center of the pitch.
“With an abbreviated season and a large senior class, we hope to challenge OA for the league title,” Burgess said. “This will obviously be a huge challenge but our defense will be tough to breakdown and you can’t lose if the other team does not score.”
2019 Record: 15-4-0 2019 Finish: Reached D2 South Semifinal Coach: John Barata
Oliver Ames has reached the D2 State Final three times since 2014 and with a large group of experienced and skilled players back from last year’s team that went 15-4, another trip to the finals might have been in the cards for 2020. But with postseason canceled due to COVID-19, the Tigers are looking to make as big of an impact as they can.
After a four-year stint in the Kelley-Rex, one that included a pair of division titles (2017 and 2019), the Tigers are back in the Davenport division where they won five titles in the first six years after the Hockomock split. OA brings back nine players that either started or saw a good amount of minutes on the pitch last year, highlighted by HockomockSports Best XI selections Colin Milliken, Brady deVos, and Kevin Louhis. Milliken will help the Tigers transition from defense to offense from his center mid spot, Louhis will be a go-to option on the offensive end, and deVos is back to anchor the defense for the second straight season.
The Tigers will have plenty of options to go along with Milliken (10 goals, 14 assists) and Louhis (4 goals, 9 assists) in the attacking third. Jimmy Keane (six goals, one assist) bolsters the midfield while Anthony DaCosta (six goals, one assist) has improved each of the past two seasons and will be a handful for opposing defenses. Senior Matthew Nikiciuk really emerged as a force in the middle of the pitch last season and will be a big part of the offense, especially through set pieces. Both Mathias Taylor and Dillon Cupples burst onto the scene a year ago and will be in the mix as the Tigers push forward.
Senior goalie Drew Nickla returns in net after a strong year in 2019. The Tigers graduated the most from the defensive unit so the early challenge will be developing chemistry quickly in the backline. Head coach John Barata is also looking for Ben Cohen, Michael Haikal, and Hector Bucio as viable options for the Tigers while sophomore Jake Williams and freshmen Ryan Linhares, Joey Carney, and Diego Rivera are new faces to keep an eye out for.
“We are looking forward to competing this fall and enjoying the opportunity to grow as people and players,” Barata said. “This is a unique situation for a very unique group of players and we are going to make the best of it and play the best soccer we can. These young men are fantastic and we are going to have a great time this season regardless of the on field results…but we hope to have a few of those too!”
2019 Record: 6-7-5 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Scott Nathan
The Eagles enter the 2020 campaign with a chip on their shoulder, coming up just one point shy of the state tournament a year ago. While Sharon can’t make up for that with a tournament appearance this year with the playoffs canceled due to COVID-19, the Eagles can certainly make some noise while challenging for the Davenport division title.
Sharon said goodbye to a handful of experienced veterans including Michael Baur, Brian Higgins, and Isaiah Stessman, but first-year head coach Scott Nathan has a group of proven players plus a bunch of news faces eager to make their mark. Senior captain Bryce Nathan and junior captain James Zhang will lead the way both on and off the pitch this year as the Eagles compete for the Davenport crown.
Bryce Nathan is one of the most versatile players in the league, playing anywhere from defense to striker during his tenure with the Eagles. Zhang, fresh off an impressive sophomore campaign, is very confident with the ball at his feet and does a nice job distributing from the center of the pitch. Sophomore Matthew Baur is back in goal after getting a varsity season under his belt. Rhys Davis and Brandon Mauricio highlight a list of returners defensively while Coby Jacobson, Samid Khandaker, Adam Landstein, Aaron Livshin, and Daniel Zagoren are all back with varsity experience as well.
The Eagles will focus on a sound defense first before transitioning into offense. Patience will be key this year as Sharon looks to make the most of each opportunity as they push forward. Brady Daylor, Malachi Diaz, Adam Eastman, Daniel Fishman, Amjad Kordab, Jack Landstein, Rohan Prakash, Elliot Pototsky Nicholas Rincon, Aaron Tamkin, Jeffrey Xiang, and Tony Yang are new to the varsity level and will be looking to make an impact on the pitch for the Eagles in 2020.
“The game will be different…for players, coaches, referees, and fans,” Scott Nathan said. “I am just happy for the boys that they have the opportunity to play the game they love!”
2019 Record: 3-13-2 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Jon Grant
With a year of experience under coach Jon Grant, the Black Knights are aiming to have a bounce back year and compete with the top teams in the Davenport division.
There were plenty of bumps in the road during the 2019 season but Stoughton certainly showed some bright spots, including wins over Mansfield and Canton. Now the Black Knights will try to compete in each game and string some results together. Captain Nolan Gerome returns in goal for Stoughton and is among the best keepers in the league. Opposing head coaches have raved about saves Gerome has made over the past couple of seasons and he will be the anchor of the Black Knights’ defensive unit.
Playing in front of Gerome will be senior captain Ryan Sears and junior Owen Roddy, who both played valuable minutes last year. With a good amount of experience and skill in the back, Stoughton is hoping defense will be a cornerstone for the 2020 season. Grant is looking for Rhuan Carvalho to be a top playmaker for the Black Knights, distributing from the center of the pitch to create some offensive chances.
“Our goal for this year to improve on last season,” Grant said. “This year the players came in to the short season fairly well conditioned and with a great attitude. All the players are so grateful to have this opportunity to be back out on the field. This will definitely help us in this short season.”
2019 Record: 2-9-7 2019 Finish: Missed playoffs Coach: Taylor Whitters
It’s easy to look at Taunton’s record from a season ago and make assumptions, but upon further review, the Tigers were in just about every game they played. Five of the nine losses were decided by just one goal and the Tigers had a league-high seven draws; one goal either way and the Tigers were that close to a spot in the tournament. It goes to show how competitive the league was and how important each goal is.
With a strong nucleus of players back from last year’s squad, the playoffs wouldn’t have been such a far reach for Taunton this season. But with the postseason not in play, the Tigers will shift focus on being a darkhorse in the Kelley-Rex division title hunt. The new modifications will make it tough for all teams when it comes to defending, but it will also benefit something that Taunton has plenty of: speed. The Tigers plan on utilizing their pace on both ends of the pitch, getting behind the defense on one end while using their speed defensively to fend off opposing offenses.
Taunton will be strong up the middle with senior Travis Nunes back in the heart of the pitch and sophomore Riley Rebello back to anchor the defense. Senior Hunter Cabral will give the Tigers flexibility by playing in both the midfield and up front. Head coach Taylor Whitters is looking for sophomores Joseph Renquinha Jr., Aidden Fitting, Quincy Jones-Sylvia, Jonathan Trinh, and Nathan Keenan to all be in the mix this season.
“Despite everything that has occurred in recent months, we have one of the most versatile and technically sound teams that Taunton High School Boys Soccer has seen in a long time,” Whitters said. “This group of young men have the number one factor in the success of any team: chemistry. They have the willingness to play for the team, not for themselves. I feel with their talents, abilities, and desire to work together as a unit, we will be a team to watch in our division this season.”
