North Attleboro, 51 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Canton took the lead early and played from ahead, doing just enough to shake a resilient North Attleboro squad for a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs had different players step up throughout the game with juniors Zaza Francoeur (career-high 18 points) and Jamaal McConnell (17 points in his Bulldog debut) leading the way. Francoeur and McConnell each scored seven points in the second to help the Bulldogs establish a 29-24 lead at halftime. In the third, Caden Mirliani hit a pair of threes while sophomore Anthony Diletizia also scored to keep Canton ahead by five, 40-35, going into the fourth. Senior Matt Chafin and Diletizia each had a three in the fourth, McConnell added four more, and Francoeur (5/6 from the free throw line) helped the Bulldogs close it out with seven more points in the fourth. Ayden Delaney led a balanced scoring effort from North Attleboro with 11 points while Givany Carney and Derek Maceda each had nine points.
Milford, 53 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final – Milford rallied to shrink a 23-point second half deficit down to three with under two minutes to go by Foxboro senior Alex Penders came up with a big bucket and Ryan LeClair forced a key turnover two plays later as the Warriors escaped with a win over the Hawks. Penders finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the charge while LeClair chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Ryan Kelley scored all of his career-high 10 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors build a big lead. The Warriors led 15-12 after a quarter and thanks to a pair of threes from LeClair and seven points from Penders, Foxboro increased its lead to 31-20 at halftime. Kelley’s big third, plus two threes from Penders, saw the lead balloon to as much as 49-26 midway through the third. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera scored half of his 16 points in the fourth to help rally the Scarlet Hawks, who went 13-for-18 from the free throw line, including seven of those makes in the fourth. Freshman CJ Farrell added a career-high 14 points for the Hawks.
Franklin, 55 @ Oliver Ames, 42 – Final – Franklin overcame a slow start to erase a double-digit deficit and pick up a win on the road in Easton. Oliver Ames came to play, racing out to an 18-5 lead after eight minutes with senior Chris Elias (11 points) and sophomore Cole Craffey (14 points) each hitting a three. But the Panthers flipped the switch and dominated the second quarter, holding the hosts to five points while its offense got going with 24 points. Justin Allen, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of threes in the quarter, junior Andrew O’Neill (13 points) added one, and junior Sean O’Leary went off for 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second. Allen, O’Neill, and O’Leary each connected from downtown in the third to keep the Panthers ahead (44-30) going into the fourth.
Taunton, 67 @ Sharon, 63 – Final – Taunton junior Troy Santos exploded for a career-high 44 points to lead the Tigers to a win on the road at Sharon to open the season. The Eagles led after each of the first three quarters but the Tigers continued to rally, especially in the second half, to get the win. Seniors Jack Bates and Dante James each hit a three in the second quarter, Jacob McLoughlin had eight of his 18 points in the first half, and junior Nate Katznelson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Eagles carried a 30-23 lead into the second half. Santos carried the Tigers in the first half, scoring all but four of their 23 points. Santos got some help in the third as Chris Volcy had five points and Chris Perault added eight points but a three-pointer from Bates at the buzzer put Sharon ahead, 44-42, going into the fourth. With just one three-point field goal and two free throws, Santos connected on seven two-pointers to shoulder the load in the fourth as Taunton went up by as much as 10 in the final minutes. Taunton had a 65-55 lead with a minute to go before the Eagles made it interesting as McLoughlin converted a traditional three-point play, James scored off of a steal and then hit a three off another Taunton turnover, this time with under 5 seconds to play. An errant whistle stopped the clock but Taunton used a full court heave to Santos, who finished at the buzzer, to survive.
Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – Ava McKeon scored a game-high 18 points, powering North Attleboro to a season-opening win. McKeon scored 10 points in the first quarter and 15 before halftime to help the Rocketeers jump out to a seven-point lead at the break. Canton cut it to one in the closing minute but North was able to pull out the win. North was 19-of-26 from the line as a team, which helped the Rocketeers hold on, despite having McKeon foul out late in the fourth. North coach Nikki Correia said, “I am so proud of the girls. They played as a team executed the offense and played hard D for four quarters.” Samya DaSilva nearly matched McKeon in the first half, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring nine of her team-high 13 in the first quarter. Sam Sweeney helped North hold off the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring seven of her 15 points in the fourth. Sam Faria chipped in with nine points for the hosts, including 6-of-6 from the line. Jess Wright also reached double digits for Canton, adding 11 points.
Foxboro, 67 @ Milford, 29 – Final – Sophomore center Addie Ruter scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win in the season opener. Kailey Sullivan added 17 points and Camryn Collins scored 14 for the Warriors. Foxboro scored 19 in the opening quarter but then broke the game wide open with an 18-5 second that increased the lead to 22 at the break. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and freshman Ava Baglione scored eight on her varsity basketball debut.
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Franklin was able to hold off a fourth quarter charge by OA to pull out a foul-filled season opener and continue its long win streak in league play. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first and extended the advantage to 14 heading into the final eight minutes. OA rallied, scoring 18 points in the fourth and twice cutting the lead down to as little as seven, but Franklin made enough plays to seal the victory. Katie Peterson battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished as the game’s top scorer with 13 points. Chloe Fales, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each scored 10 points for the Panthers and Bridget Leo added eight. Freshman Kamryn Derba scored a team-high 11 points on her varsity debut for OA. Maeve Horsman added nine points, including seven in the fourth, Annie Reilly had eight points and eight rebounds, and Maddie Homer had seven points and five boards in the loss.
Stoughton, 41 @ King Philip, 64 – Final – KP came alive offensively in the third quarter, outscoring Stoughton 24-7 to break the game wide open. Emily Sawyer scored 12 of her game-high 16 in the third to help the Warriors pull away and seal the season-opening win. Maddie Paschke added 13 points for KP, including seven in the first half. Kylie Watson chipped in with nine and Jordan Bennett and Jackie Bonner each scored seven points for the hosts. Stoughton was able to hang around in the first half with help from Katrina Varnum, who score 10 of her 13 points before the break and added 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, and three blocks. Freshman Kirsten McKay had a big debut for the Black Knights, scoring 10 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Alyssa Edwards added 10 points, eight boards, a block, and four steals, while Raina Tat finished with seven in the loss.
Sharon, 37 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – Cali Melo scored a team-high 17 points, nine in the first half, helping Taunton pick up a win in the season opener and give new coach Gretchen Rodrigues a win on her debut. Taunton held the Eagles to just 11 points in the first half and then held on as Sharon tried to mount a late comeback attempt. Freshman Taryn Campbell added 10 points in her first varsity game (eight in the opening half) and Jillian Doherty chipped in eight points (four in each half). Sharon picked things up offensively after the break, led by Jasmine Davis, who scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Davis added 24 rebounds and three blocks. Rachael Hager (seven rebounds and four steals) added eight of her 11 points after halftime and Eva Poulton contributed seven points and five boards for Sharon.
Oliver Ames is coming off a Div. 2 state title, but the Tigers will face a tough challenge to repeat as league champ this winter. Read our full team-by-team previews below. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2021-2022 Record: 16-7 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Brianna Bracken
Former Attleboro standout Bri Bracken took over the coaching duties late in the preseason a year ago, but she stepped right into her first varsity job and led the Bombardiers to a 16-win season and a return to the state tournament. The graduation of top scorer Meg Gordon will be tough to replace, but the Bombardiers have a versatile lineup and a focus on the defensive side of the ball that still makes them a tough challenge even for the top teams in the league.
Attleboro returns only two starters from last season. Junior Kayla Goldrick impressed in her first two years on varsity, playing on the wing or as the primary ball-handler. Her control on both sides of the ball will be critical this season. Senior Lily Routhier, who transferred from Wheelock last year, is a strong rebounder and can score in multiple ways around the paint. Sophomore Vanessa Ellis wasn’t a starter for most of last year, but she came through with some big games down the stretch, scoring in bunches around the rim and being a force on the glass.
An injury to junior Rylie Camacho will deprive the Bombardiers of one of their best perimeter shooters, but Bracken will be hoping that juniors Merry Bosh and Molly Moore and sophomore Avery James can step into bigger roles in the backcourt and add scoring punch. Senior Sarah Maher is going to have a bigger role on both ends this season, bringing the energy and intensity every game. This will be a different look from last year, as the Bombardiers will have different go-to players every night.
“We have a great mix of experience and youth,” Bracken said. “We are excited about what lies ahead. Practices have been intense and the girls have been working really hard.”
2021-2022 Record: 16-7 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Quarterfinal Coach: Jim Choquette
How do you move on from graduating not just one but three of the best players in program history? That will be the challenge for Canton coach Jim Choquette this season, as the Bulldogs are coming off a winter that included a rare home playoff game and a trip to the Div. 2 quarterfinals and return a group of players that have experience but will need to step into bigger roles this year.
There is a veteran core that the Bulldogs will be relying on. Senior forward Samya DaSilva can score in the paint and knock down shots from the perimeter, while classmate Erin Beatty has been a force on the boards and brings a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. Senior guards Emily McCabe, Marissa Staffiere, and Han Hong all can run the point and are strong defensive players who will be tasked with keeping the ball moving for Canton on offense to find the best shot.
In addition to those familiar faces, juniors Fatima Sidibay and Jess Wright will provide additional athleticism in the frontcourt. Junior Mercia Kolokithas can stretch defenses with her perimeter shooting and sophomore Sally Hoban will provide depth on the wing along with Ava McCoole. Deanna Kolokithas is another newcomer to watch this season, as she can give Canton a boost at point guard, allowing the veteran guards to move off the ball.
“Every season is different, even if you have similar players,” Choquette explained. “We have spoken about that this year and I’ve encouraged our team to write their own narrative, what they want, how they want to get it, and the sacrifices they’re willing to make to accomplish it. I’m so excited to see how we respond as coaches to help them and as players to achieve.”
2021-2022 Record: 14-8 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Sweet Sixteen Coach: Lisa Downs
While head coach Lisa Downs knew there would be some growing pains for a roster loaded with underclassmen, Foxboro was not only building for the future in 2021-22 but showing that it could already compete with the league’s top teams. This season, adding a year of experience to their talented core, the Warriors will be aiming to get back to the top of the Davenport division and make a run in the state tournament.
The backcourt was the key for Foxboro last winter. Sophomore Kailey Sullivan burst onto the scene and was the rare freshman that could lead a team in scoring and also look right at home running the point against the tough defenses in the Hock. Junior Camryn Collins finished just behind Sullivan in the scoring charts, but her handle, her athleticism, and her ability to read the game made her an impact player on both ends of the court. Add in junior Erin Foley’s tenacity on the defensive end and it is a backcourt that can cause any team problems from baseline to baseline.
Foxboro also got solid contributions in the front court from sophomore Ava Hill, who looked increasingly comfortable as the season wore on, and junior Isabelle Chamberlin. Sophomore Adie Ruter will be a new piece to the puzzle this season. The 6-foot-2 center gives a new dimension to the Warriors’ offense and her development in the off-season has her poised for a breakout year. Freshmen Kylie Sampson and Adrianna Porazzo continue the tradition of underclassmen jumping right onto varsity with an opportunity to contribute.
“I’m anxious to get started working with this team,” Downs said. “I really envision a pretty high ceiling once we get established. We will continue the Foxboro team culture of hard work on defense and team play on offense, so it will be pretty exciting to see what they are able to accomplish.”
2021-2022 Record: 22-2 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal Coach: John Leighton
Franklin has dominated the Kelley-Rex division for the past four years, which included a state title run as well, but with a lot of new faces jumping into the lineup this season, the league title race could be a lot closer this winter. The Panthers may not be able to overwhelm teams with size like they have in past few years, but an athletic core of players returns to play typically tough defense and get out and run on the break.
The focal point this season will be senior forward Katie Peterson. After a breakout junior year in which she led the team in scoring, the UMass girls lacrosse commit comes back as one of the top wings in the league. Her athleticism will be critical on both ends of the floor. Senior guard Bridget Leo is also back to run the offense and will be one of the team’s top perimeter defenders. Senior Lizzie Newman emerged last season as a solid rebounder and post defender and her outside shooting could be a major factor.
There are also several players who stepped in at times last year that will need to take on bigger roles for the Panthers this season. Junior Sasha Tracey gives Franklin good length on the wing and adds another athlete that can get out on the break and finish. Her improved outside shot will also help stretch defenses. Sophomore Chloe Fales is a newcomer to watch with her athleticism and ability to score at multiple levels.
“This team is working to find its identity and play unselfish basketball,” said Franklin coach John Leighton. “I have been very impressed with the leadership of our seniors who have stepped up and provided mentorship to our younger players to speed their integration into the team.”
2021-2022 Record: 11-11 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Jeff Miszkiewicz
Only the two division winners allowed fewer points per game than King Philip last season, as the Warriors focused on strong half court defense under first-year coach Jeff Miszkiewicz. Defense will remain key for KP this season, but there is also an effort to bring more balance to an offense that struggled to keep up with some of the top teams in the Hock. With a year of experience in the new system, the Warriors will be looking to provide a challenge to Franklin and Oliver Ames in the Kelley-Rex.
Senior center Emily Sawyer has developed into a force on both ends of the floor and her presence in the paint will be a major piece of KP’s play this year. An almost automatic double-double every night, Sawyer has improved her offense every year and remains an imposing shot blocker and disruptor on defense. Fellow senior Jackie Bonner will give KP much-needed balance on offense with her ability to shoot from distance and take defenders off the dribble. KP looked like a different team when she went down with an injury last season.
While Bonner and Sawyer get a lot of the attention, KP has solid depth in both the front and backcourt. Senior guard Leah Santoro gives the Warriors a tenacious perimeter defender and junior Jordan Bennett runs the offense well at the point and showed flashes of being a threat from three-point range. Junior forward Maddie Paschke provides energy, rebounding, and finishing in the paint, and classmate Kylie Watson continues to improve on shot-making both in the paint and from the outside.
Miszkiewicz is also counting on several new faces to add to his squad this season. “They all bring something different to the court and have a chance to really impact games this year,” he said. “We can score on all three levels consistently, so we look to attack any advantages that we can get. Last year, we prided ourselves on playing tough, gritty defense. We try to make every shot difficult and hold teams to one shot.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-11 2021-2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Round of 32 Coach: Heather McPherson
Mansfield will play in the Davenport division for the first time this winter and, with only three players graduating from last year’s playoff team and both of its leading scorers back, there are hopes that this could be a title-winning debut for the Hornets.
Senior Abby Wager is the team’s top scorer from a year ago and the athletic wing will be the focal point for most teams defensively this year. The Southern New Hampshire-commit causes problems on both ends of the floor with her length and speed and her addition of different facets to her offensive game. If teams want to extend out to the perimeter, Mansfield can also hurt them in the paint with junior forward Kara Santos, who emerged as a consistent scorer on the block.
Experience should be no problem for the Hornets, who have a host of players that gained valuable experience last season. In the backcourt, seniors Olivia Salisbury and Bridget Hanley can run the point and step up with big scoring nights when needed. Senior Natalya Gill was instant offense off the bench for the Hornets, while classmate Rose Maher can knock down big shots from the outside. Senior Brooke Butler gives the Hornets another strong rebounder and paint presence.
“Extremely excited for the season,” said McPherson. “The level of focus and pace that we have committed to this preseason makes me extremely excited for the season with these girls!”
2021-2022 Record: 5-14 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: TJ Dolliver
Milford brings back five seniors from last year’s team, including a pair of four-year varsity players at captain, which the Hawks hope can provide the leadership for a move up the Kelley-Rex standings. After winning five games a year ago, Milford continues to set its sights on getting back into the playoff picture.
Senior forward Emily Croteau is an all-energy player at forward and will be one of the players that Milford counts on at both ends of the floor. She crashes the boards, defends, and her hustle is infectious. Classmate Brooke Ferreira is more of a calming presence in the backcourt, getting the Hawks into their sets and knocking down shots on the perimeter. Fellow seniors Molly Hartman and Aliza Syed will add experience and strength in the paint.
Junior forward Khatrina Leger could be ready for a breakout year after impressing in flashes as a sophomore. Leger used her athleticism to keep possessions alive and was able to get creative with her finishing around the rim. Classmate Erin Michelson uses her length on the wing to cause problems on the defensive side and junior Maeve Driscoll can come into the game and make some big shots on the perimeter.
“We have a lot of versatile players with different skills so our offense and defense is going to rely on execution during the games,” said Milford coach TJ Dolliver. “I have a great group of girls who are ready to compete on a daily basis. We have a lot of room to grow and I am looking forward to seeing where it takes us.”
2021-2022 Record: 4-16 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Nikki Correia
North Attleboro incorporated plenty of youth into last year’s rotation and those young players will need to be ready from the start this winter because the Rocketeers are only returning four varsity players from 2021-22 and have as many underclassmen (four) as seniors on this year’s team. It is a guard-heavy rotation, which fits into head coach Nikki Correia’s preferred up-tempo style, but there will be a learning curve for a relatively inexperienced group.
Senior Ava McKeon will be the leader on the court for North this season. A four-year varsity player, McKeon gives the Rocketeers an edge with her tenacity, toughness, and athleticism. The rest of the team can feed off the energy that she provides on both ends of the court. Sophomore guards Sam Faria and Sam Sweeney both showed as rookies that they can knock down shots from the outside, but need to be more consistent to take the North offense to the next level. Classmate Maryellen Charette also impressed at times as a freshman and could be ready for a breakout year at forward. Confidence will be important for the younger players to meet the expectations that come from being regular starters.
North has added some new faces to the roster this year to contribute off the bench and give teams different looks. Senior guard Emma Hanwell and forwards Kylie James and Kayla Dominique, as well as junior forward Katie Corsetti will make the jump up from the JV team this season. Freshman guard Ella McLaughlin is another player with the potential to make instant contributions.
“I think our strengths on offense will be our quick guard play,” Correia said. “Our offense seems to be a little more organized and the guards are able to control the tempo. I am really looking forward to the season with this group of players. We are young and have so much potential to really surprise some opponents this year.”
2021-2022 Record: 22-3 (Davenport champions) 2021-2022 Finish: Won Div. 2 state title Coach: Brittany Engle
The defending Div. 2 state champions are going to have a very different look this season. Not only did Oliver Ames lose its top two scorers (Caroline Peper to graduation and Jasmyn Cooper to transfer) but also saw the retirement of legendary coach Laney Clement-Holbrook after more than four decades in charge. OA has turned to former assistant coach Brittany Engle, who is also a 1,000-point scorer and former state champ for the Tigers, who inherits a roster with only four returning players from last season.
Junior guard Kaydance Derba is the team’s top returning scorer and is one of the best long-range shooters in the league. Her length, her passing, and her ball-handling will all be critical for a team that is going to rely on a lot of relatively inexperienced players. Classmate Sarah Hilliard might be ready for a breakout season. The junior forward showed flashes of being a dominant post player last year, coming up with huge games on both ends of the floor during OA’s tournament run and her athleticism is a tough matchup for most teams.
A pair of seniors round out the returning players. Maddie Homer, who was voted volleyball MVP this fall, missed time last year due to injury but she came back to play a role in the state title game win against Norwood. She brings a lot of intensity on the defensive end and is another solid ball-handler that can get the Tigers into their sets. Classmate Grace Dupill will bring more athleticism to the forward position and leadership for a young squad that wants to challenge Franklin for the Kelley-Rex title.
“I’m excited for the season,” Engle said. “We’ve got a lot of good athletes who work hard, and are coachable and competitive. Coming off of a state title, expectations are high, but measured. This is a different team, but one with a lot of potential.”
2021-2022 Record: 4-16 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Matt DellaBarba
Coming off a four-win season, Sharon returns four starters and nine players from last year’s roster, intent on making a move up the standings in the Davenport division. There is a change on the sidelines, with former Plymouth South coach Matt DellaBarba taking over this season and he will be hoping to utilize the experience that the Eagles have to make a run at a potential playoff spot.
Most of the focus this winter will be on junior center Jasmine Davis. After a stellar first varsity season in which she introduced herself with a 30-point, 20-rebound debut against Milford, Davis was one of the most prolific post players in the league as a sophomore. Sharon can take advantage of the attention Davis will draw to create shooting space for classmate Rachael Hager, who can force defenses to stay home with her ability to knock down shots from distance. Senior Tess Letendre and junior Eva Poulton round out the returning starters and both are solid ball-handlers and defenders in the backcourt and give the Eagles balance on both ends of the floor.
There is going to be plenty of experience coming off the bench for Sharon as well. In the backcourt, senior Clara Armon and juniors Carmen Leonardi and Natalie David will give the Eagles good energy and aggressiveness. Seniors Samantha Dunham and Emily Freeman add depth, rebounding, and solid defense in the front court. DellaBarba wants to make sure all of his players are threats to score on offense and communicate well in his team defense scheme.
“Being completely new to the Hockomock League I’m not entirely sure what to expect in my first season in the league,” DellaBarba said. “I know year in and year out the Hockomock League is one of the most competitive leagues in the state, so our focus right now is making sure we’re approaching every practice and game with energy and giving maximum effort in every opportunity that we receive.”
2021-2022 Record: 1-19 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Eric Adams
Stoughton had its struggles in 2021-22, winning just one game, but the Black Knights are in the process of rebuilding through youth. With former assistant Eric Adams taking over for Charmaine Steele Jordan this winter, Stoughton will have continuity on the sidelines despite the coaching change and that should be a boost for a lineup that features only two seniors.
While young, Stoughton does have some varsity experience to call on. Senior guards Andrea Khouzami and Anna Hobbs will provide much-needed leadership in the backcourt. Junior Maiya Merritt is a quick guard who can get into the lane and sophomore Raina Tat showed that she has the ability to stretch defenses with her range, and the confidence to not pass up an open look.
In the front court, junior Alyssa Edwards is a three-sport athlete and she uses her strength and quickness to good effect on both ends of the court. Junior Katrina Varnum gives Stoughton a rim protector and a solid rebounder to protect the paint, while she also showed increasing confidence as a finisher around the rim. Sophomore Leah McCarty returns to give more depth on the block. Stoughton also has four freshmen on the roster, guards Kristen McKay, Molly Fox, Isabel Belmonte, and Cecelia Squires, who could be stepping in and getting minutes right away.
“This team is a young team; two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, and four freshmen,” Adams explained. “This year is going to be a building year and we are eager to grow as a program.”
2021-2022 Record: 4-16 2021-2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Gretchen Rodrigues
The transfer of the league’s leading scorer from last year, Kameron St. Pierre, will be a big challenge for Taunton this season. Losing more than 20 points per game, nearly half of the team’s nightly output, will obviously require more than just one or two players to step up. First-year coach Gretchen Rodrigues is counting on her team’s athleticism and focusing on the defensive end of the floor first to get the Tigers out and running this season.
Junior point guard Cali Melo will be a key player for the Tigers in this system, not only setting the pace for the team but also providing the energy on the defensive side of the floor. Melo is a tenacious defender and rebounder and will be like a coach on the floor. Junior guard Lexi Haywood provides long-distance shooting for the Tigers and is one of the players that could benefit from a few more touches on the offensive end. Sophomore Jillian Doherty gives Taunton more speed and finishing on the break and senior McMina Clermont adds more vocal leadership, defense, and rebounding.
While a lot of the focus is on the outgoing players, Taunton also got a transfer in who could be a major factor in the paint this season. Sophomore Skylar McCrohan has come from Somerset Berkley and Rodrigues will be counting on her crashing the boards and getting buckets in the post. Freshman Taryn Campbell is a quick guard and solid shooter, who will come in and contribute right away.
“We are going to push the ball, play hard all the time, play unselfish, and be in great shape,” Rodrigues said. “My style is up and down, pressure a lot, and utilize all 94 feet.“
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 69 @ King Philip, 44 – Final – A fire alarm midway through the third quarter at King Philip was a sign of things for come, but for the visiting Bombardiers. After a tight, back-and-forth first half, Attleboro’s offense caught fire in the second, opening with a 14-2 run and never looking back. The Bombardiers led by just two (17-15) after a quarter, and just three (31-28) going into halftime. Six players contributed to Attleboro’s 21-point third quarter with Evan Houle (nine points) and Jake Struminski (14 points) each chipping in with five, four from Colin Morais (eight points), and three from Alvin Harrison (five points). In his first game back, sophomore Neo Franco added 11 points while senior Joe Francois-Annevil spread out his career-high 17 points for the Bombardiers, who stretched the lead to 52-35 going into the fourth. Braeden Sottile led KP with 15 points while Will Laplante added 14 points.
Canton, 67 @ Sharon, 68 – Final (OT) – Sharon senior John Baez turned a steal into two points, junior Matt Baur hit a key three, and sophomore Jacob McLoughlin added two free throws down the stretch as the Eagles held off Canton to clinch at least a share of the Davenport division title. After neither team scored for the first two minutes of overtime, Baez (13 points) helped off his man and poked the ball free, going uncontested for a layup with 1:51 to play. Nate Mei (15 points) answered with a baseline jumper to tie the game again but the Eagles came back down and Baur (18 points) splashed in a corner three with the shot clock winding down. Sharon got a stop but Canton forced a turnover and Lanse Dorcelus (26 points) sank a free throw to cut the deficit to two with 29 seconds left. McLoughlin (10 points) tacked on two free throws to push it back to four. Matt Chafin (15 points) hit a three as time expired to cut it back to one. Canton sent the game into overtime with a 9-0 run in the final minutes, capped by a three from Conor Hunter with nine seconds to go to tie it 61-61. Sophomore Nate Katznelson added 10 points for the Eagles, who led 11-5 after the first quarter, 27-25 at halftime, and 48-41 going into the fourth.
Oliver Ames, 53 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Foxboro junior Alex Penders scored a career-high 30 points, including some key free throws in the final two minutes, to help the Warriors knock off Oliver Ames and keep their division title hopes alive. OA raced out to an 18-7 lead after a quarter of play and carried a 28-23 advantage into halftime. Senior Dylan Gordon exploded for 10 of his 14 points in the third quarter and Penders added eight as the Warriors put up 20 points to jump ahead 43-42 going into the fourth. Penders extended Foxboro’s lead with free throws to 54-51 with under a minute to go. OA’s Zach Tagliamonte (11-for-13 free throws, 25 points) battled through contact to finish down low to make it a one-point game before Foxboro added a free throw from Sam Golub. Off a miss on the second free throw with 6.5 seconds, the Warriors were able to prevent the Tigers from getting a shot off before the buzzer.
Franklin, 73 @ Milford, 53 – Final – Franklin connected on seven three pointers in the second quarter alone, blowing the game wide open in a win on the road at Milford, which was the 200th career win for FHS head coach CJ Neely. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-10 lead after eight minutes but junior Geino Scaringello and freshman Caden Sullivan each hit a pair of second quarter threes while Evan DaSilva, Will Tracey, and Sean O’Leary each had one as Franklin’s lead ballooned to 43-22 by halftime. Franklin finished with 13 three-pointers in the win and had 10 players find the score sheet, let by O’Leary’s 19 points and Sean Vinson’s 10 points.
Stoughton, 50 @ North Attleboro, 61 – Final – North Attleboro saw its first half lead vanish in the third quarter but the Rocketeers bounced back with its best quarter of the game in the fourth, pouring in 24 points to run away with the win and a season sweep of the Black Knights. North jumped out to a 16-9 lead after a quarter as senior Casey Poirier scored nine of his team-high 25 points in the opening frame. A three from Brody Rosenberg (20 points) and a pair of buckets from Givany Carney (eight points) helped the Rocketeers take a 29-23 lead into halftime. Connor Andrews (16 points) hit a pair of threes in the third for Stoughton while Rayan Sablon (11 points) and Matt Greenspoon each hit one as Stoughton surged ahead, 38-37, going into the fourth. Poirier and Rosenberg came to life in the fourth, each attributing nine points as North pulled away with the win.
Girls Basketball
King Philip, 34 @ Attleboro, 46 – Final – Attleboro outscored the Warriors by 10 in the second half to win its third straight game and sweep the season series. The score was 19-17 heading into the locker room, but the Bombardiers had a strong 14-7 third quarter to create a cushion heading to the fourth. Behind six points from Kayla Goldrick and four from Meghan Gordon, Attleboro won the final quarter 13-10 to seal the final win. Goldrick led the Bombardiers with 14 points, including a pair of threes, and Lindsey Perry added nine. Gordon, the team’s leading scorer, was held to eight points in the win. Emily Sawyer and Maddie Paschke both finished with eight points for KP, which also got six points from Liv Lafond.
Sharon, 50 @ Canton, 70 – Final – Canton coach Jim Choquette earned his 100th career win, as the Bulldogs picked up a third straight win. Jasmine Davis had a big game in the loss, scoring 25 points and pulling down 30 rebounds. Eva Poulton added 10 points for the Eagles.
Milford, 19 @ Franklin, 80 – Final – All 14 players scored for the Panthers, as they continued their unbeaten run. Milford stayed within seven after the first, but Franklin scored 24 points in each of the second and third quarters to take complete control. The Panthers held Milford to six points in the second half. Olivia Quinn was Franklin’s top scorer with 13 points (11 in the first half). Stefany Padula added 11, knocking down three from beyond the arc, and Katie Peterson and Sasha Tracey each finished with 10 points. Brooke Ferreira scored all of her team-high eight points in the first half and the Hawks also got three points from Erin Michelson.
Taunton, 46 @ Mansfield, 61 – Final – The Hornets came out firing, jumping out to a 25-6 lead that they never looked back from, despite Taunton rallying in the third (winning the quarter 16-5). After Taunton cut the lead to seven going into the fourth, Mansfield scored 19 points over the final eight minutes, including six each from Abby Wager and Olivia Salisbury, to seal the victory. Wager finished with a dozen points. Kara Santos led the Hornets with 14 points, including eight in the first, and Bridget Hanley and Salisbury each scored nine. Kameron St. Pierre scored a game-high 27 points, including all 13 of Taunton’s points in the second quarter. Cali Melo added 13 for the Tigers, all in the second half.
North Attleboro, 48 @ Stoughton, 28 – Final – Summer Doherty scored a season-high 21 points and North Attleboro held the Black Knights to just two points in the third quarter to pull out the road win. It was only a three-point game after one quarter and North built the lead to 21-15 at the half, but then took the third 14-2 to break the game open. Ava McKeon added eight points and Sam Faria had six for the Rocketeers.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames got its second win in as many days, skating to a league win over Attleboro at Asiaf. Matt Lawson, Jack Perron, and Shaun Teehan each lit the lamp once for the Tigers, who had five players record an assist. Junior Brandon Burke made 17 saves in net to get the win.
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 57 vs. Catholic Memorial, 52 – Final – Attleboro senior Alvin Harrison dropped a team-high 18 points and junior Jaiden Outland had some key plays in the final minutes to help Bombardiers secure a win over visiting Catholic Memorial. Senior Colin Morais converted a tough layup with 1:30 to go to put the Bombardiers ahead 52-49, but CM made it a two-point game with a free throw. The Knights had a chance to tie the game after an Attleboro turnover with just a minute to go both Outland raced back and combined with Harrison to steal the ball back. Outland sank a key free throw, and then leading by just one, he scored on a breakout with just under 20 seconds left to make it 55-52. Morais finished with 10 points while Outland had a career-high nine points for Attleboro, who overcame a 30-21 halftime deficit, starting with a 20-point third quarter in which seven players scored.
Milford, 78 vs. Ludlow, 21 – Final – Milford had 12 players get into the scoring column in a big win over Ludlow, its second win in a three-day span. Freshman Gustavo Coutinho hit three of the Hawks’ 11 three-pointers and finished with a career-high 18 points to lead the offense. Senior Justin Luchini scored all of his 13 points in the first three quarters while freshman Andrew Rivera had nine of his 11 points in by halftime.
Taunton, 67 vs. Durfee, 54 – Final – Taunton senior Trent Santos sank five three-pointers and finished with 12 makes from the field for a game-high 35 points as the Tigers avenged their loss to the Hilltoppers in December. Faisal Mass added 20 points and sophomore Troy Santos chilled in with eight points for Taunton, who had a 36-32 lead at halftime.
Girls Basketball
North Attleboro, 45 @ Sharon, 49 – Final – Tess Letendre led three Eagles in double digits to help them split the season series with the Rocketeers. Sharon led by two at halftime, but North came up with 17 points in the third quarter to take a five-point lead into the fourth. Sharon held the visitors to just six points in the fourth quarter to pull out the win. The Eagles scored 15 in the final quarter, including 6-for-10 at the line. North was only 5-for-12 from the free throw line for the game. Jasmine Davis added 12 points and Rachael Hager scored 11. Summer Doherty was North’s top scorer with 14 and freshman Sam Faria added 10. Ava McKeon and Sam Sweeney each scored seven points in the loss.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 4 vs. Reading, 3 – Final (OT) – Eamon Kelly scored his second goal of the game to give Canton the overtime win and seal the Walter Brinn Division championship of the Ed Burns Coffee Pot Hockey Classic. Reading twice had the lead in the game but Kelly, who was named tournament MVP, tied it at 1-1 and Patrick Drury made it 2-2. AJ Thomas put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time late in the second period, but the Rockets were able to score with 27 seconds left in the third to force the extra period. It was Canton’s 15th straight win.
Franklin, 0 vs. Natick, 2 – Final
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Maggie McCaffrey scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner with three minutes left to play, to help the Panthers pick up the road win. Molly Hurley had the first goal for the Panthers while Lindsey Dennett, Shaw Downing, Samantha Wong, and Dana Stott each had an assist. Maeve Anastasia and Kylie O’Keefe each scored for MOAF, the latter tying the game at 2-2 with nine minutes to play. Cammy Shanteler, Cierra Doherty, and O’Keefe each had an assist for the Warriors.
Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 39 vs. Wachusett, 50 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. Foxboro got off to a strong start on Wednesday against unbeaten Wachusett, leading 11-8 after one, but struggled to maintain its offensive output and the experienced Mountaineers made the plays down the stretch to pick up the win. Camryn Collins was the top scorer for Foxboro with 14 points, scoring five each in the first and the third. Hannah Blake also had a big game for the Warriors with 13 pints and 14 rebounds. Erin Foley chipped in with seven points and Kailey Sullivan added five. The Warriors had the lead down to four in the fourth quarter (36-32) before Wachusett senior Charlotte Head took over. She scored nine of her game-high 19 in the fourth and Wachusett closed the game on a 14-7 run to win by double digits.
North Attleboro, 39 @ Franklin, 60 – Final – Franklin jumped out to a 35-16 lead by halftime and never looked back, picking up its fourth win in four days and clinching the outright Kelley-Rex title in the process. Stefany Padula led the way for the Panthers, burying four three-pointers and scoring a game-high 20 points, including eight points in the first as Franklin led 17-8. Padula added another seven points in the second, helping the Panthers score another 18 points in the quarter. Olivia Quinn hit a pair of threes and scored 12 points and Katie Peterson added 11. Brigid Earley and Julia White each scored six points in the win. North’s offense got going in the second half, as the Rocketeers scored 23 points (including a 13-6 fourth quarter), but it wasn’t enough to close the gap. Sam Faria was North’s top scorer with eight points, including a pair from downtown, while Abby Camelio added seven. Summer Doherty scored six and Ava McKeon scored five in the loss.
Stoughton, 24 @ Mansfield, 51 – Final – Mansfield used its defense to pull out a win on Tuesday and was dominant again on Wednesday for a third win in the last four days. After a 13-9 first quarter, the Hornets held Stoughton to just four points in the second, seven in the third, and four in the fourth. The Hornets are now just one win away from clinching a playoff berth. Abby Wager had a game-high 13 points for the Hornets, scoring all of her points in the second and third quarters. Bridget Hanley added six in the third, on a pair of threes, and had 11 for the game. Kara Santos added 10 points and Olivia Salisbury had seven for the Hornets. For Stoughton, senior forward Vanessa Phelimond grabbed 10 boards and had eight points, Kate Bulger scored six points, and freshman Leah McCarty chipped in with seven points and seven boards.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Eight different Panthers found the back of the net as Franklin celebrated senior night with a win over visiting Attleboro. Dan Daley scored a pair of third period goals for the Panthers while Ryan Sicchio, Ben Jarosz, Aiden Linehan, Aiden Kuykendall, Ben Paterson, Tommy Balducci, and Domenic Lampasona each found the back of the net once. Nate Parker scored an unassisted second period goal for Attleboro while Nick Piazza turned away 45 shots in net.
Stoughton, 8 vs. Wareham, 0 – Final – Stoughton notched a key win in its push for a spot in the Division 3 State Tournament, knocking off visiting Wareham/Carver. Colby Strunk led the offense with four goals while Cooper Card, Josh Greenspoon and Steven Westerlund scored a goal each. Chris Andrade and Sean McGowan combined for the shutout for the Black Knights.
Girls Hockey
Stoughton/Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Mansfield/Oliver Ames exploded for six goals in the middle period in a win over visiting Stoughton/Sharon. Cataline Kipp scored a pair of goals for the Warriors while Kylie O’Keefe, Maeve Anastasia, Ava Adams, Erin DiCenzo, Madison Guilfoyle, and Samantha Ledin each lit the lamp once. Jess Widdop recorded the shutout in net for MOAF. Janelle Murphy played well in net for Stoughton/Sharon.
King Philip, 8 vs. Ursuline Academy, 0 – Final
Franklin, 2 @ Longmeadow, 4 – Final
Wrestling
Stoughton vs. Middleboro, 6:00
Taunton, 67 @ Bristol Plymouth, 6 – Final – Taunton knocked off city rival Bristol-Plymouth to claim the City of Taunton Championships and Christian Balmain became the program’s all-time wins record with his 114th career win. Balmain surpassed former team captain Keith Porazzo, who held the previous record at 113. Michael Leskoski, Ryan Jones, Brandon Mendes, Anthony Vieira, Xavier Sandoval, Ben Mandeville, John Mandeville, Elijah Prophete, Peter Ye, Logan Frank, and Robert Tran also won for the Tigers.
Summer Doherty scored a game-high 23 points, helping North Attleboro pull out a 54-43 victory over Stoughton. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – North Attleboro has been struggling with its offense all season long and that has made it difficult to close out close games in the fourth quarter. On Friday night at the Pickering Gym, the Rocketeers figured out ways to manufacture points in the final minutes and put up their best scoring night of the year.
Leading by seven after the third, North scored 17 points in the fourth quarter to pull out a 54-43 victory over Stoughton and end its three-game win streak. The teams entered the night as the league’s lowest-scorers and both set season highs in points.
“We need to play as a team,” said North coach Nikki Correia. “It’s frustrating when you’re not winning. Once we talked yesterday and said, you win as a team, you lose as team. You need to start playing together and stop making those mental mistakes and the game will come. We came out for the first time looking confident. We battled through mistakes and kept working hard and stuck to the game plan.”
Slow starts have been an issue for the Rocketeers as well, but North jumped out to an 8-0 lead that it never relinquished. Summer Doherty was the spark plug for the hosts, scoring eight of her game-high 23 points in the first. She also finished the night with three blocks, three steals, and seven rebounds.
Doherty started things with a pull-up jumper, then leaked out on the break to get a layup after Ava McKeon’s defensive rebound. She buried another jumper off an Abby Camelio assist to make it 10-2. Stoughton got off to a tough start and head coach Charmaine Steele Jordan called for more energy at the first timeout.
The Black Knights did come out with more life to close the quarter. After Raina Tat walked into a straightaway three, Makaiyah Singleton Rivera (11 points and nine rebounds) gave the visitors a much-needed lift with four points, both baskets coming off offensive boards, including one at the buzzer to send Stoughton to the bench down just 15-9 after one.
“She was a nice spark tonight for us,” said Steele Jordan of Singleton Rivera. “We started a little slow. We got good looks, shots just weren’t falling our way tonight. They’re gritty, they fight, it’s tough because I can’t ask them to go harder. They’re giving me all they’ve got.”
Singleton Rivera started the second with a jumper to cut the lead to as little as four, but Doherty answered with a three down the other end. Tat (six points) hit her second three of the night but Camelio (10 points and nine rebounds) matched it off one of McKeon’s four assists. McKeon (13 points and 12 rebounds) also started to get things going with six in the quarter, pushing the lead to 27-19. McKeon and Doherty combined for 21 of North’s 27 in the first half.
Stoughton went on a quick burst right at the end of the half, with Singleton Rivera making two at the line and then turning a steal into a layup, to send the teams into the locker room with North only up four.
Doherty didn’t slow down coming out of the break, starting the half with her second three. After Kate Bulger’s runner, Doherty added a jumper from Sam Faria’s skip pass over the top of the Stoughton zone. Evie Lam nailed a triple on the other end and then got an easy two after Singleton Rivera grabbed a rebound and managed to squeeze a pass to her while laying on her back.
North had stalled on the offensive end but got a big bucket before the end of the quarter when Camelio banked in a three to extend the lead to 37-30.
Again it was Doherty that got North going, starting the fourth with a layup. Camelio added another after McKeon’s rebound and long pass ahead to put North up by double digits. To that point, all but one of North’s points had been scored by the trio of Doherty, McKeon, and Camelio, but in the final quarter other players stepped up.
Taylor McMath (five points) went 4-of-8 from the line in the fourth and Faria got her lone basket after Camelio hit her with a long pass over the press coming out of a timeout. The Rocketeers may have put the game away sooner but shot 6-of-13 from the line in the fourth (and 15-29 for the game).
Stoughton continued to battle, despite losing Singleton Rivera and Jess Maddalena to injuries in the second half. Bulger (five points) drilled a three and assisted on one for Lam (eight points), while Vanessa Phelimond got her only points of the night with three-point play after a pass by Alyssa Edwards.
“I couldn’t be prouder of hard we’re trying,” said Steele Jordan. “We’re getting better executing, we’re getting better talking and listening on defense, which is what you want to see at this time of the year. I can’t wait for their heart and their hustle to convert into a win because they want it.”
With North running the clock down on every possession, Doherty sealed the win in the final minute by burying a three after a swing pass by McMath.
Correia said, “We have to play four quarters and a lot of time we may have two really good quarter and two quarters where they become stagnant, they stand around. We kept fighting through. We responded tonight, which we haven’t done in past games.”
North Attleboro (3-6) will try to carry that momentum into Monday night when it hosts Foxboro. Stoughton (0-9) will also be at home, on Tuesday, to face unbeaten Franklin.
Freshman Sam Sweeney hit a pair of threes in the third quarter to spark a comeback win for North Attleboro against Sharon. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It is amazing how much confidence comes from watching that first shot find the bottom of the net. Once one falls, the floodgates can open, the energy picks up on defense, and a game that was slowly slipping away can turn into a comfortable win.
After scoring 10 points through the opening 21 minutes of Friday night’s game at the Pickering Gym, North Attleboro scored 30 points in the final 11 minutes, went on a 25-2 run, and held Sharon to just two points in the third quarter to pull out a 40-29 victory.
“I told them, we have to keep shooting,” North coach Nikki Correia explained. “We have to get into a rhythm. I leaned on my freshmen, all three of them, and they answered big time. They missed a couple at the beginning, but they’re starting to get into the rhythm of the game, they’re starting to figure it out a little bit, we started moving the ball a little bit better, and we started believing in our offense.”
It was a contrast in styles, as North likes to get out and run whenever possible, while the Eagles want to use clock and keep things in the half-court. For the better part of the three quarters, the visitors won the tempo battle.
Summer Doherty (team-high 13 points) nailed a three for the first basket of the game, but North only scored two more points in the first quarter. Trinity Payne (12 rebounds) got a basket on an offensive rebound and then the Eagles started to get the ball into sophomore forward Jasmine Davis.
After a 32-point, 28-rebound performance in the opening game, Davis was the focal point of the North defense, but she scored twice in the post and had six in the first. Carmen Leonardi added a layup with a nice backdoor cut and an assist from Payne.
Things slowed down even more in the second quarter. After combining for 15 points in the first, both teams found a lid on the basket after the first break, and together managed only 10.
“They want to run and I told my kids, we don’t,” said Sharon coach Sandy Lombardi. “We want to play half-court and make them play defense against us in the half-court.”
Rachael Hager (six points) buried a three and Tess Letendre’s put-back had the Eagles up 15-5. North’s comeback started with a three by freshman Sam Faria off a pass from Mandi Hanewich. Doherty then knocked down a pull-up jumper in transition to cut the lead to five.
North had momentum at the start of the third quarter, although it didn’t really feel like it. It took 4-1/2 minutes for either team to score in the second half, and it was Davis (15 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks) scoring off a rebound to put Sharon up 17-10.
Thirty seconds later, the game flipped. After going five minutes of the third quarter without a point, North rattled off 13 points in the final 3:04 of the quarter.
Faria kicked a pass to classmate Maryellen Charette for a jumper. Then, Charette kicked out a pass to Doherty for her second three of the night. Sam Sweeney (seven points) took a kick-out pass from Taylor McMath (five points and 11 rebounds) for a corner three and North’s first lead at 18-17, then Doherty’s steal led to a Faria jumper. Sweeney hit again from downtown and suddenly North found itself up 23-17.
“Scouting reports said they want to dribble drive, so let’s see if they can hit the outside shot and they started hitting the outside shot,” Lombardi said.
Finding its scoring touch seemed to spark the effort on the defensive end as well. McMath and Charette were doing a solid job of surrounding Davis and denying the entry pass into the post. Doherty was popping up with big steals in the full-court press, and North started to play the game at the pace it prefers.
“That killed us,” Lombardi said of only scoring two points in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. “They did a great job on Jasmine inside. She still had her fair share of rebounds but they did a good job of collapsing on her and we couldn’t hit an outside shot. That was the name of the game.”
Doherty (four assists and four steals) drove baseline and dropped a pass to the opposite block to McMath for a layup plus the foul. She then grabbed a steal in the backcourt and turned it into a wide open layup that made it 30-17.
With just two points in the second half, Sharon needed a spark and finally got the ball into Davis for an easy bucket and a nice finish in the lane. Faria (11 points and four assists) answered with a pair of jumpers before Hager drilled a three to give the Eagles hope at 35-29 but with time running out.
North, which was playing without junior Ava McKeon hit its free throws in the closing minute and walked away with the win.
“Once you start making some shots they get a little bouncy,” said Correia. “I have to remind them that shots aren’t always going to fall but they still need to have that bounce or that pep in their step. I definitely think it’s because the shots started falling and they started buying into it and it took off.”
North Attleboro (1-1) will host rival Attleboro on Monday night, while Sharon (1-1) will host Taunton.
