Girls Basketball
King Philip, 73 @ Taunton, 38 – Final – Five players scored in double digits and KP made 10 three-pointers as a team, as the Warriors bounced back from a tough weekend with a big win. Liv Lafond was the top scorer with 12 points. Emily Sawyer scored 11 points and Emma Glaser, Caroline Aaron, and Jackie Bonner all scored 10 points apiece.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin erased a pair of one-goal deficits in the first half and then pulled away from Attleboro for the win. The Bombardiers struck first but Franklin’s Dom Lampasona (from Dylan Marchand and Nolan Norton) equalized for the hosts. After Attleboro scored again, Declan Lovett tied the game with assists coming from Joe LeBlanc and Sean Connelly. Justin Abely added two more goals while Will Sheehan and Sean Connelly each scored once.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Stoughton, 4 – Final – Stoughton sophomore Charlie Caputo scored a pair of goals for the second straight game, helping the Black Knights knock off Oliver Ames. Steve Westerlund and Kyle Cruickshank also scored for the Knight-Boxers. Ryan Spano played well in net and earned the win for Stoughton. Kevin Tremblay scored for OA.
King Philip, 9 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of power play goals and adde two more shorthanded tallies in a win over Taunton. Seniors Conor Cooke (from Aidan Boulger and John Campbell) and Justin Yatsuhashi (from Ian Hill and Campbell) scored on the man advantage while Boulger (from Max Robison) and Brad Guden (from Kevin Birenbaum and Robison) scored shorthanded. Sean Crowther scored a pair of goals for KP.
Girls Hockey
King Philip, 4 vs. St. Joseph’s, 0 – Final
Canton, 7 vs. Boston Latin, 1 – Final – Canton junior Payton McDonough scored a pair of goals for the Bulldogs, who pushed their unbeaten streak to 18 games.
Boys Basketball
King Philip, 56 @ Attleboro, 73 – Final – King Philip had a strong push in the second quarter to make it a five-point game at halftime but Attleboro never surrendered its lead and picked up a win over the visiting Warriors. Attleboro jumped out to a 25-12 lead after a quarter but KP responded with an 18-point second quarter to cut the deficit to 35-30 at halftime. Attleboro had another big offensive quarter with 23 points in the third to pull away for the win. Sophomore Trevor White had a team-high 18 points for the Bombardiers while Evan Houle added 13 points and Justin Daniels finished with 10 points. King Philip sophomore Will Laplante scored a game-high 21 points.
Girls Basketball
King Philip, 60 @ Attleboro, 78 – Final – After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, Attleboro exploded for 26 in the second, turning an eight-point deficit into an eight-point halftime lead. The Bombardiers didn’t slow down from there, scoring 42 points in the second half to run out to a big division win. Meghan Gordon led the way with 21 points and 11 rebounds, but Attleboro had a balanced attack in the win. Ryan Johnson had 16 points and eight boards and freshman Narissa Smith had 16 points (14 in the second half) and 10 assists. Emma Reilly added eight points during the second quarter comeback. Caroline Aaron had 17 points and Elizabeth Molla added 11 for the Warriors. Attleboro coach Marty Crowley called it a “good win against a very good team – total team victory.”
Boys Hockey
Franklin, 6 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Franklin scored three unanswered goals in the second period to pull away from the Hornets for a season sweep. The Panthers built a 2-1 lead after a period, getting a pair of goals from Justin Magazu (with Dylan Marchand assisting on both). In the second, Conor O’Neill (from Sean Connelly and Declan Lovett) made it 3-1 and Ryan Sicchio scored back-to-back goals for a 5-1 edge. In the third, Lovett found the back of the net with O’Neill and Connelly earning assists. Gary Mandia made 15 saves in net for the win.
Stoughton, 4 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Stoughton/Brockton skated to its first win of the season with a 4-1 decision over Taunton. Sophomore Charlie Caputo paced the Knights’ offense with a pair of goals while senior Kyle Cruickshank and freshman Colby Strunk each scored once. Sophomore Chris Andrade made 24 saves in net for Stoughton/Brockton to earn the win.
Gymnastics
Attleboro, 134.5 @ Franklin, 141.5 – Final – Franklin added another win to its total this season after the results were examined from their virtual meet against Attleboro. The Panthers competed last week while the Bombardiers were in action on Friday night. Emma White took first in three of four events (vault, bars, floor) while Kate Heun had the top score on the beam (8.95) for the Panthers.
Franklin senior defenseman Justin Abely looks for an opening to shoot during a 4-0 road win against North Attleboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Two days after suffering its first loss to King Philip in more than 20 years, and giving up five goals in the process, Franklin coach Anthony Sarno asked for a reaction from his team when they traveled to the New England Sports Village for a non-league matchup with North Attleboro.
Sarno got his wish, as the Panthers scored inside a minute, doubled the lead in the final minute of the second period, and tacked on two more in the third, while also keeping the Rocketeers off the board, skating away with a 4-0 victory.
“We told them on the bus ride home from that KP loss, you guys got outworked and it’s never going to happen again,” Sarno said. “I give them credit, they stepped up. They played the body, they moved the puck pretty well…all-in-all I thought we bounced back in a positive way.”
The Rocketeers were happy to be back on the ice for something other than a practice. North had a nine-day break between its season-opening win against Oliver Ames and Friday night’s game.
“Our start, you could see that we really haven’t played many games and there was a lot of rust in that first 10 minutes,” said North coach Ben McManama. “Unfortunately, we were in the right position but we kept fumbling pucks and not being sure on our sticks.”
Franklin needed only 55 seconds before breaking the deadlock with what turned out to be the game-winner. Pat Dolan took a shot from the left point that slipped under the pad of North goalie Jimmy Burtchh. As the puck trickled behind Burtch, Ben Jarosz was in the right place to slam the puck across the line.
It was a quick start for the Panthers and they tried to add to the lead. Conor O’Neil had a shot from between the circles saved and then Burtch (27 saves) recovered to stop Domenic Lampasona’s rebound effort. Dylan Marchand flew down the far boards and cut a pass back to Jarosz in front, but his backhander was stopped.
North had a few chances in the first, mostly from stepping up at the blue line and causing turnovers as Franklin tried to exit its zone. The best chance came with nine minutes left in the first, when Nik Kojoian picked off an outlet pass to give Tyler Sarro a good look at goal, but Franklin goalie Gary Mandia (17 saves) got his blocker to it.
Although Franklin would hold a significant edge in shots on goal (31-17 for the game), the Panthers didn’t feel like they had the game totally in control. Burtch came up with a pad stop on a Declan Lovett one-timer early in the second, but North had a couple chances to try and even things up.
Kojoian forced another turnover and this time set up Brady Sarro for a chance, but Mandia stopped the slap shot. A minute later, Gavin Arabian had a shot from the point that knuckled on its way to goal, but was casually blockered aside by Mandia.
O’Neil had a snap shot on the turn gloved and then Justin Abely broke up a North shorthanded rush and quickly turned it into a break the other way. Justin Magazu picked out Jarosz, but again Burtch showed a quick glove to keep the deficit at one.
“He did a good job,” McManama said of Burtch. “We didn’t do the little things to help him out. I thought our ‘D’ zone was okay, but we were giving too many odd-man rushes and the neutral zone we didn’t do a very good job with.”
With less than a minute remaining in the second, North was unable to clear its zone and Franklin turned it into a second goal. Sean Connelly with a perfect cross-ice pass to Lovett, who took a touch to settle the puck before sniping the far corner.
The momentum appeared to carry over into the third period because the Panthers came out flying and looking to put the game away. Jarosz nearly turned provider, setting up Ryan Sicchio right in front but the goalie was able to cover.
Sarno said, “When we’re at our best, we’re focused, we’re locked in, and our forecheck is working and we’re forcing teams back into their own net. We need to learn how to control our shots and our shot selection and location needs to be better.”
The Panthers dominated the opening four minutes of the period until a major penalty gave North life.
Anthony Westcott had North’s first shot of the third after more than five minutes and it sparked the Rocketeers into a little flurry that nearly produced a goal. Mandia came up with a couple big stops as North tried to cram the puck in at the post and then Charlie Connolly got free in the right circle and smashed a shot off the post and out.
A penalty against North would cut the power play short by two minutes and the hosts missed a golden opportunity to get back into the game.
“It was a good opportunity for us,” explained McManama. “I think they came with a lot of pressure and we weren’t used to it. We do it, but we’re not used to teams pressuring us in-zone as we’re breaking out. We’ve just got to practice that and be sure that we’re ready to go against an aggressive penalty kill.”
Franklin turned on the pressure again and put the game out of reach. Connelly was positioned perfectly to redirect Lovett’s shot from the point to make it 3-0 with 5:14 to play. Three minutes later, the Panthers nearly had a highlight-reel goal after a nice passing sequence between Jarosz, Siccio, and JT Dwyer only for Burtch to somehow get his heel on the backhand shot.
The Panthers only needed to wait 30 seconds longer to tack on a fourth. Magazu drove into the zone and flicked a pass to Marchand, who opened his body up and went high to the blocker side and into the side of the net.
Sarno said, “I think that kill gave us a lot of confidence and more momentum and from there it was just, okay we got this and let’s play good hockey now.”
Franklin (4-1) will host Taunton, in the season opener for the Tigers, on Wednesday. North Attleboro (1-1) will be back in action on Monday with a trip to division rival Canton.
King Philip junior Ian Hill scores on a second period breakaway against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FOXBORO, Mass. – Just 48 hours removed from another loss to Franklin, King Philip boys hockey coach Paul Carlow challenged each player on his roster.
Carlow challenged his squad to work harder, play with structure, and play at the level he knew they were capable of doing — something he believes they failed to do in Monday night’s 6-1 setback in Franklin.
The Warriors answered their coach’s challenge and were rewarded in the form of a 5-4 win over the Panthers.
It marks KP’s first win over Franklin in over 20 years according to research by HockomockSports.com and local high school hockey guru Jim Clark. The last win found by either came in 2000 when the Warriors won 4-3.
“We didn’t play with enough structure and we didn’t play with enough determination in that second half…they outplayed us,” Carlow said of Monday’s game. “I just didn’t think we competed in the first game the way that we can compete. I felt if we competed hard tonight and played with some structure and discipline that we could play with them. Obviously, it was a back and forth game, we had to go on the kill a couple of times. I just thought we outworked them tonight.”
King Philip’s improved work ethic was a direct result in two goals, and its willingness to play to the final buzzer led to another. Despite giving up the first goal of the game, KP took the lead in the second period and never trailed the rest of the way.
Franklin opened the scoring late in the first period with just under five minutes to go. Dylan Marchand took a pass from the defensive end and found Conor O’Neil streaking into the attacking zone. O’Neil latched onto the pass and unleashed a wrist shot just under the bar for a 1-0 lead.
A prolonged trip in the offensive zone from KP’s third line resulted in a face-off and eventually the equalizer before the end of the first. Nolan Jackson passed to his defensive partner Rocco Bianculli, who rifled a shot wide off the end boards. The puck bounced behind the goal and to the other side of the net where senior Paul McDonald buried his bid into the open net.
King Philip struck first in the second period just over five minutes into the frame. Max Robison won a foot race in the defensive zone to gain possession and hit Aidan Boulger in the neutral zone. Boulger lifted a pass forward and the bouncing puck eluded a Franklin defenseman and rested on the stick of a streaking Ian Hilll. Hill deked in front of goal before sliding a backhand shot five-hole for a 2-1 answer.
But similar to how KP had an answer in the first, Franklin had a response in the second. Just two minutes later, the Panthers capitalized on a power play chance. SSean Connelly found Justin Abely entering the attacking zone on the right boards, and Abely patiently waited for O’Neil, who came streaking to the far post. Abely delivered a perfect pass and O’Neil redirected it in past KP sophomore goalie Kyle Abbott (29 saves) to make it 2-2 with 7:24 left in the period.
Just when it looked like the teams would head to the final period knotted at 2-2, King Philip’s hard work was rewarded with a goal that just beat the buzzer. Bianculli linked up with Boulger as he skated out of the defensive zone. Boulger fired a shot wide but Jackson tracked down the loose puck and tossed it right back in front. With a scrum in front, senior Conor Cooke was able to get his stick on it and the puck found the back of the net just as time expired for a 3-2 lead.
Despite a zamboni break, King Philip’s momentum carried into the third period. Freshman Brad Guden hopped onto a loose puck in the neutral zone and found junior Sean Crowther at the blue line. Crowther connected with Shaun Fitzpatrick, who deked between two defensemen and tucked his shot past Franklin senior Jack Paterson (24 saves) into the back of the net for a 4-2 lead just under a minute into the third.
“Those are huge goals for us,” Carlow said of scoring on either side of the second intermission. “Coming off a one-goal performance the other night…it just didn’t look like us the other night. I knew we were better than that. I challenged our guys and hats off to them, they responded. We’re led by an awesome senior group, we have eight of them, and eight juniors so it’s a veteran group. I knew they’d answer and I felt like they outworked them tonight.”
Franklin kept things interesting with a goal five minutes later to cut the deficit to just one. Franklin couldn’t take advantage of a 3-on-2 but the Warriors were unable to clear it. After a brief scramble in front, the puck popped free to senior defenseman Pat Dolan who stepped into a blast, beating a pair of KP players and Abbott to make it 4-3 with 9:18 to play.
“We knew they were going to push at the start of the third,” Carlow said “They are well-coached, they have a lot of talented kids over there, they always do. They got us twice on penalties, we have to do a better job there and limit those mistakes. But just trying to keep them to one goal and get the momentum back, try to answer quickly. I think we answered just about every time, we played three lines almost the entire game. The depth of this program has improved over the past couple of years and to be able to play more guys, that helps a lot against a team like Franklin.”
KP’s hard work was rewarded once again, this time proving to be the game-winning goal. Bianculli cleared a puck off the glass and Boulger turned on the jets, flying down the ice to beat out an icing call and take possession. Franklin nearly cleared it but David Lawler quickly pinched and kept the puck in the attacking zone. Lawler carried the puck behind the net, drawing the attention of three Panthers. He circled back around and found Cooke wide open in front for a one-timer and a 5-3 lead.
“Plain and simple, we got outworked,” said Franklin head coach Anthony Sarno. “When you come to the rink and think you don’t have to work so hard because you just beat them 6-1, that’s not going to work. We knew…they are well-coached, disciplined, all it’s going to take is put two guys on the puck and they are going to outwork you. That’s exactly what happened. We lost 50-50 puck battles, we lost foot races to the puck in our own zone…a lot of self-inflicted stuff with turnovers in our own zone. Before you know it, you’re two goals behind and the clock is running out.
“They didn’t lose their composure. They didn’t stop, they didn’t quit and that’s what good teams do. Hopefully, we’re humbled by this and they come back and work harder. We got outworked from start to finish, plain and simple, for all 45 minutes.”
Franklin went back on the power play just moments after KP’s goal and needed just nine seconds to make it a one-goal game again. Declan Lovett won a battle at the blue line, kept possession, and then skated to the middle of the ice before blasting a slap shot through traffic and in to make it 5-4.
Franklin had a pair of faceoffs in the attacking zone in the final minute but KP’s defense prevented the Panthers from getting a good look off on Abbott.
King Philip (3-1-0 Kelley-Rex, 3-1-0 overall) sits in first place with half of its division games played. The Warriors are scheduled to take on Oliver Ames in a pair of non-league crossovers next. Franklin (1-1, 3-1) has a non-league crossover title against North Attleboro on Friday.
Girls Basketball
North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to TBD.
Boys Hockey
King Philip, 3 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game.King Philip trailed 2-0 after the first period but rallied with three goals to earn the win and season sweep of Mansfield. The Hornets jumped out to a big lead in the first after a pair of breakaways for Mark DeGirolamo. The first was put away by the junior forward and the second he turned into an assist for classmate Kyle Oakley. After having a goal disallowed late in the first, KP came out for the second period fired up and cut the lead in half on an early goal by James Boldy. Four minutes later, freshman Brad Guden continued his hot start to the season with a wrister from the slot to tie it. The Warriors dominated the third period, outshooting the Hornets 15-3, but Mansfield goalie Chris Hormann (31 saves) kept the game tied until, with 4:39 left, Shaun Fitzpatrick stuffed in a rebound for what proved to be the game-winner. Having faced only one shot in the third period to that point, KP goalie Kyle Abbott (16 saves) made two huge stops in the final minute to preserve the win.
Foxboro, 2 @ Franklin, 7 – Final – Franklin’s JT Dwyer scored a hat trick to pace the Panthers to a win over visiting Foxboro. Dwyer scored three of Franklin’s first five goals with Sean Connelly assisting on all three tallies. Conor O’Neill also scored twice in the win with Justin Abely recording assists on each goal.
Boys Basketball
King Philip, 56 @ Mansfield, 75 – Final – Mansfield senior Matt Boen poured in 30 points to lead the Hornets to a season-opening win over King Philip. The Hornets raced out to a 22-13 lead after one quarter, extended it to 40-24 by halftime, and put the game away with 26 points in the third quarter. Boen added six assists, five rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in a stellar all-around performance. Freshman Trevor Foley added 10 points and five rebounds in his debut and senior TJ Guy finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. King Philip sophomore Will Laplante impressed in his debut, hitting five three-pointers for 18 points.
Girls Basketball
Canton, 48 @ North Attleboro, 32 – Final – Fay Gallery and Kiara Cerruti combined for 40 of Canton’s 48 points, as the Bulldogs rolled to a big road win in the season opener for both teams. Gallery got things going for Canton with 10 points in the first and the Bulldogs built a 14-6 lead. The visitors broke the game open in the second and took a 19-point edge into halftime. Gallery scored nine more before the break and had 19 of her game-high 22 in the first half. Cerruti scored seven in the second, added four in a low-scoring third quarter, and closed out the game with seven more in the fourth, finishing with 18 total. Summer Doherty led North with nine points, including seven in the third, Amanda Kaiser added six, and Taylor McMath had five.
Boys Hockey
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – North Attleboro exploded for four goals in the middle period to earn a season-opening win on the road over Oliver Ames at Asiaf Arena. Jake Gruber redirected a shot from Sean Mahoney to put the Rocketeers on the board and goalie Jimmy Burtch denied a Tiger penalty shot in the first. In the second, Nik Kojoian, Brady Sarro, Mark Ayvazyan, and Charlie Connolly each found the back of the net. Ross Carroll scored for OA in the second period. Sophomore Brandon Burke made 41 saves for the Tigers.
Franklin, 4 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Franklin scored three straight goals between the first and second periods to seize the lead, and tacked on an empty net goal with just four seconds to go to earn a hard-fought win over Foxboro. Thomas Marcucella scored midway through the opening period to put Foxboro ahead 1-0 but Franklin’s Dylan Marchand tied it up with under two minutes to go in the period. Justin Abely scored to put the Panthers up 2-1 with 5:42 left in the second and Sean Connelly scored two minutes later to make it 3-1. Foxboro’s Brady Daly cut into the deficit and the Warriors had a power play chance that followed but couldn’t find the tying goal. Marchand iced it with the empty net goal. Will Sheehan had two assists for Franklin while JT Dwyer and Ben Jarosz each had one. Jack Paterson (27 saves) earned the win in net.
Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the opening period and added four more in the third to pick up a win over Attleboro in the first game of the season for both teams. Eamon Kelly scored twice while AJ Thomas, Jeff Chaput, Dylan Coyne, Tommy Phaneuf, and James Delello each scored once in the win.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Two days after suffering a 4-0 loss, Attleboro battled to a scoreless draw with the Hornets to earn a point. Mansfield goalie Jack Lansbury-Casey had a strong outing in net with eight saves.
Canton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Canton scored two minutes into the third quarter and that was enough for the Bulldogs in a win on the road. Sophomore Jake McCabe converted a feed from junior Jacob Crugnale for the lone tally of the match. David Floyd had a solid outing in net for the Rocketeers with eight saves.
Stoughton, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game – Foxboro sandwiched a pair of third quarter goals around a tally from Stoughton to earn two points and a season sweep of the Black Knights. After a scoreless first half, Foxboro’s Max Beigel opened the scoring in the 44th minute, tucking his show low to the left into the back corner for a 1-0 advantage. Rhuan Carvalho helped bring the Black Knights level, sending a perfectly paced through ball to Joao Marotti, who was fouled in the box for a pen. Carvalho blasted a left-footed shot that Foxboro keeper Nick Penders got his fingertips to but the ball kissed off the post and in to bring Stoughton level at 1-1. The deadlock lasted less than 10 minutes as Matt Angelini raced onto a loose ball behind the defense and hit a left-footed shot on the run just inside of the far post. Stoughton keeper Nolan Gerome had a strong outing with eight saves.
Taunton, 1 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin scored a pair of first quarter goals a minute apart and held on the rest of the way to earn two points at home over visiting Taunton. Ben Moccia opened the scoring for the Panthers, finishing off a feed from Charlie Amante for a 1-0 advantage. Just a minute later, Ryan Witt set up Ethan Cain, who scored for the third straight game, for a 2-0 lead. Taunton sophomore Riley Rebello cut the deficit in half with an unassisted goal in the second quarter.
Milford, 2 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – King Philip battled back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring right before the halftime whistle and then just seconds before the final whistle to grab a point over visiting Milford. Junior Avi Seri put the Hawks ahead in the eighth minute on an assist from Leo Coelho, who scored in the 31st minute on an assist from Arthur Tome to make it 2-0. King Philip cut the lead in half with less than a minute to go in the first half when junior Stephen Griffin converted a free kick. And then with just 12 seconds left, Conor O’Neill buried a service from Evan McCoy to bring the Warriors level at the death.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 8 – Final – Oliver Ames exploded for six second half goals to earn a big win at home over visiting Sharon. The Tigers built a 2-0 lead at halftime on goals from Mathias Taylor (from Ben Cohen) and Anthony DaCosta (from Colin Milliken). Senior Brady deVos added a second half brace for the Tigers while Milliken, Kevin Louhis, Dillon Cupples, and Jared Goldman also scored. Senior Ryan Ventura and freshman Joey Carney added assists.
Girls Soccer
Mansfield, 2 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Cathryn Cooney scored twice in the second quarter to lift Mansfield to a win on the road. Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined to keep a clean sheet for the Hornets.
Foxboro, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Alyssa Vandenboom scored three times and Jordyn Collins and Erin Foley each scored twice, as Foxboro’s offense clicked into gear with a big road win. Kailee McCabe recorded five points on the day, finishing with one goal and four assists, and Katelyn Mollica added three, scoring one and assisting on two. Meghan Burke, Jordan Carman, and Collins all had one assist in the win. Stoughton coach Hermes Lima credited the leadership of seniors Mackenzie Manning, Nikki Anderson, and Rebecca DeSousa for keeping the Black Knights going. He said the team had several good attacks for forward Shayla Ford but just couldn’t find the finish.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Clare Bowen’s hat trick keeps the Panthers rolling along, having won all six of their games so far this season and extending their lead to six points in division standings (second-place KP plays on Thursday). Jamie Tanner and Riley Fitzpatrick also scored for Franklin. Izzy Arnold had a pair of assists, while Norah Anderson, Erin Quaile, and Tanner each had one helper apiece.
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon’s goal came on a first half penalty kick by Sofia Goclowski that put the Eagles ahead 1-0 but the Tigers scored four straight to get the win on the road. Katie Gibson (assist), Camryn O’Connor (two assists), Emma Pereira, and Carly Gibson scored for OA. Lucinda Cotter notched an assist for the Tigers.
Golf
Canton, 147 @ North Attleboro, 156 – Final – Another day, another new golfer steps up to lead the Bulldogs as Conor Hunter fired a match-medalist even par round of 35 as Canton notched a win on the road at Heather Hill Country Club over North Attleboro. Will Gefteas and Owen Donovan each chipped in with a 37 while Aiden French carded a 38 for Canton. Sophomore Jake Gaskin led the Rocketeers with a team-low round of 37, Sam Gallagher added a 38, Jordan Paradis shot a 40, and Tyler DeMattio finished with a 41.
Taunton, 194 @ Franklin, 149 – Final – Franklin earned its eighth straight win to start the season behind an impressive two-under par round of 33 from senior Jack Paterson. Sean Connelly added a 38 in the win while both Nolan Norton and Pat Dolan carded rounds of 39. Spencer Andrews was Taunton’s top performer, coming in with a team-low round of 44.
King Philip, 158 @ Milford, 173 – Final – King Philip went on the road and earned a win over Milford at the Hopedale Country Club. Jared Curran was the match medalist, shooting a team-low round of 36 to pace the Warriors. Mike Matheson added a 37 and Gavin Croke chipped in with a 42 for KP.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Attleboro scored very early in the game but Mansfield answered with a goal in the fourth quarter as the Bombardiers and Hornets split the points in a 1-1 tie. Madison Ellis gave the visitors in the lead just three minutes into the contest but Mansfield’s Stori Rounds found the back of the net in the fourth quarter to bring the Hornets level.
Canton, 4 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Ellie Bohane scored a pair of goals in the first three minutes of the second half to break open a two-goal game and help Canton remain perfect on the season. Bohane’s first came on a rebound after North goalie Hannah Bachand (14 saves) stopped a Maria Femia breakaway. Bohane added a second when she stole and outlet pass and drove across the face of goal. Femia opened the scoring for Canton with a first quarter goal and Samantha Vrabel doubled the lead with her first varsity goal in the second quarter.
Stoughton, 2 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Foxboro scored twice in each the second and fourth quarters to pull away from an upset-minded Stoughton squad. Sophomore Dylan Rappoli scoed a hat trick for the Warriors, including the opening goal of the game. Stoughton equalized to knot the score 1-1 after a quarter of play. But freshman Mary Collins and Rappoli scored back-to-back goals in the second to give Foxboro a 3-1 edge at the halftime break. Kate Collins, Rappoli, and Mya Waryas added second half goals in the win.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin celebrated Senior Night with a shutout win over visiting Taunton. Holding a 1-0 lead through two quarters of play, the Panthers scored twice in a one-minute span in the third quarter to pull away from the Tigers. Kaitlyn Carney scored an unassisted goal in the second quarter and then tacked on a big insurance goal in the third quarter. Stephanie Bell (from Sara Carney) scored just over eight minutes into the third to make it 2-0. Neilee Hess made eight saves in net for the shutout.
Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 3-0 lead by halftime and never looked back in a win at home over Milford. Senior captain Abby Nixon scored the first two goals of the game while junior Margo Riley added a third for the Warriors. Senior Paige Bergos (from captain Grace Crocker) and freshman Kelly Holmes (first career goal) scored in the second half for KP. Senior goalie Maddie Paradis (three saves) earned her first shutout in her first career start. Milford goalie Madison Hunt (23 saves) and Olyvia Whyte had strong games for the Hawks.
Sharon, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – Final
Golf
Attleboro, 182 @ Mansfield, 152 – Final – Mansfield got back into the win column with a victory at home over visiting Attleboro. Nate Morreale was the match medalist, shooting a low-round of 36 to pace the Hornets. Ryan Dow added a 37, Joseph Gormley shot a 39, and Ryan Doherty carded a 40. Brendan Raymond led the Bombardiers with a team-low round of 42.
North Attleboro, 159 @ Canton, 146 – Final – Canton junior Will Gefteas fired a one-over round of 35 to pace the Bulldogs to a key division win at home over visiting North Attleboro. Thomas Singleton, Owen Donovan, and Andrew Middleton all shot 37 in the win. North Attleboro’s Sam Gallagher had a team-low round of 37, Jordan Paradis added a 39, Jake Gaskin carded a 41, and Dillon Harding finish with a 42.
Franklin, 161 @ Taunton, 198 – Final – Franklin went on the road and picked up a win over Taunton at Segregansett Country Club. Jack Paterson and Nolan Norton led the way for the Panthers, each carding a low-round of 39. Sean Connelly added a 41 and CJ Steel chipped in with a 42 for Franklin. Spencer Andrews had a team-low round of 44 for the Tigers.
Milford, 178 @ King Philip, 168 – Final
Stoughton, 185 @ Foxboro, 152 – Final
Boys Cross Country
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 3:45
North Attleboro, 24 @ Canton, 31 – Final
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
King Philip @ Milford, 3:45
Oliver Ames @ Sharon, 3:45
Franklin, 27 @ Taunton, 28 – Final – Franklin had five of the top nine runners, edging out a one-point win over host Taunton. Nicholas Calitri was the race’s winner, clocking in with a first-place time of 16:55. Declan Walmsley secured key points for the Panthers with a fourth-place finish (17:29). Griffin Sieczkiewicz (6th – 17:37), Josh Anderson (7th – 17:38), and Clancy Golden (9th – 18:07) rounded out Franklin’s scoring.
Girls Cross Country
Mansfield @ Attleboro, 3:45
North Attleboro, 24 @ Canton, 31 – Final
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
King Philip, 28 @ Milford, 28 – Final – The teams were tied at 28-28 through five scorers but King Philip won the tiebreaker with its sixth runner coming in before the Hawks’ sixth runner to give the Warriors the win. Milford’s Emma Lawrence won her third consecutive race, clocking in at 20:01 on her home course. Sophomore Sydney Kalil was second at 20:55 but KP had the next three runners, plus seventh and ninth overall.
Oliver Ames @ Sharon, 3:45
Franklin, 19 @ Taunton, 42 – Final – Franklin took the top three spots on its way to a win on the road at Taunton. Senior Angelina Perez crossed the finish line at 21:10 to win the race while freshman Angelina Batla was right behind (21:13) to take second overall. Senior Sydney Hawkins took third place for the Panthers (21:26). Taunton senior Lily Valcovic (21:45) was the top runner for the Tigers, taking fourth overall, while eighth grader Colby Dunham (22:04) was fifth overall.
Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford’s Victor Botelho scored on each side on halftime to help the Scarlet Hawks pick up two points against visiting Attleboro. Milford opened the scoring when Lucas Da Silva finished off a feed from Arthur Tome but Attleboro equalized on a goal from Jackson Singer (assisted by Hugo Henriquez). Botelho put the Hawks back ahead on an assist from Leo Coelho to make it 2-1 going into halftime. Da Silva set Botelho up to make it 3-1, and Coelho (from Da Silva) added an insurance tally for the 4-1 win.
Canton, 1 @ Sharon, 1 – Final
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames moved to 3-0 on the season with its third shutout, this time going on the road and beating Foxboro. Senior Colin Milliken scored once and set up three more to lead the way for the Tigers. Milliken set up Kevin Louhis for the opening goal and then assisted on back-to-back goals from Mathias Taylor. Taylor set up Milliken prior to those goals to make it 2-0. OA senior Gage Fritchman scored his first career goal on a penalty kick.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Mansfield scored a pair of fourth quarters to earn two points on the road against Taunton. After three scoreless quarters, the Hornets finally broke through in the 64th minute. Connor Palinski earned an assist after showing great hustle to track down a loose ball, centering to find Sagar Koul right at the six yard box for the finish. Mansfield doubled its lead five minutes later when Koul settled a pass from Tommy Lanzillo and blasted a shot in from a step inside the area. Eric Sullivan earned his second shutout of the season for Mansfield.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Matt Conley bagged a brace as the Rocketeers broke into the win column with a 2-0 road victory over Stoughton. Conley scored the Big Red’s first goal of the season in the 10th minute of the contest, beating the keeper 1-on-1 after latching onto a through ball from Connor Ward. The Rocketeers doubled their lead in the 55th minute as Jaad Ismail found Conley streaking in behind the defense and he finished into the far corner. David Floyd (nine saves) played well for North to record the shutout.
Girls Soccer
Milford, 0 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Briley Harnois scored twice for the Bombardiers, who picked up a win in their delayed season opener and senior day. Jessica Gates added an assist and Alexis Campbell earned the clean sheet in goal. Attleboro coach Steve Santos was proud of his team’s start after having to wait an extra week to get on the field, saying the Bombardiers created a number of early chances against a Milford team that battled throughout.
Sharon, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Olivia Rodman, Gabriella Herivaux, and Elisa Diletizia each scored once to lift Canton to a third straight win to start the season and into a one-point lead in the division. Rodman opened the scoring with a rocket from outside the box in the first quarter and Mia Gilmore then set up Herivaux with a through ball to get a second before halftime, but Sharon was resilient and kept battling. Wendy Wooden nearly halved the deficit right before the break with a tight angled shot but it went over the bar and landed on the roof of the net. The score stayed 2-0 until late in the fourth quarter when Diletizia blasted one just under the bar for Canton’s third. Sharon goalie Cass Barbera played well in the loss and Mekhala Costello finished with two assists for the Bulldogs.
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – The Warriors battled back from a 2-0 deficit, scoring twice in the second half to come away with a point. Trailing by two goals at the break, Foxboro had a goal disallowed early in the third quarter, but Grace Ferguson scored off a Kailee McCabe assist to cut the deficit to one and then McCabe scored an unassisted goal to secure the draw. Sophomores Mary Cross and Jenna Gilman scored to give the hosts a 2-0 lead. Emma Pereira had an assist while senior Madeleine Taylor and junior Alexa Lane had strong games for OA.
Taunton, 0 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Olivia Salisbury and Kelsey Hubler combined for the shutout and helped the Hornets get their first point of the season. Mansfield coach Kevin Smith praised his defense for limiting Taunton’s chances and added that the Tigers played well in their defensive third, blocking shots and coming up with a lot of big saves.
Stoughton, 0 @ North Attleboro, 7 – Final – Steph McKenna scored a hat trick and Emma Pratt scored twice to lead North Attleboro to its first win of the season, keeping the Rocketeers unbeaten through three matches. Caroline Ferrin and Tess Collins also scored for North, with Collins adding an assist. Maggie O’Brien, Ari Newth, Clara Giuliano, Brayden Rice, and Jordyn Sullivan also had assists for North. Kaylah Seavey and Maddie Ferrin split time in goal to get the clean sheet. First-year Stoughton coach Hermes Lima praised his team’s start to the game, as it was scoreless after the first, and explained that he needs the team to not get down after a mistake and let teams break the game open. He said, “We were chasing almost the whole middle quarters and that cannot happen.”
Field Hockey
Canton, 2 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Canton’s Meghan LaBelle scored twice as the Bulldogs went on the road and earned two points on the grass at Sharon.
Mansfield, 3 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Mansfield and Taunton traded goals back and forth, the latter scoring in the final minutes as the squads settled for a point each in a draw. Ashley Amaro scored a pair of goals for the Tigers, both assisted by Kylie Thorpe, while Alana Tavares added an unassisted goal. Jocelyn Pagliuca and Skylar Rheaume played well defensively in front of junior Emily Gannon (16 saves) for Taunton.
Foxboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame an early deficit with three straight goals to knock off visiting Foxboro. The Warriors took the lead less than three minutes into on a goal from Dylan Rappoli but the Tigers responded less than two minutes later when Sofia Anestam set up Georgia Costello to make it 1-1. Costello put the Tigers ahead in the second quarter with an unassisted goal just 33 seconds into the frame. Julia Maclaine secured the win for the Tigers with a second half insurance goal set up by Erin Cottam. Peyton Phillips made seven saves for OA and had an outstanding second half in the cage. OA coach Sharon Lawrence lauded the performances of Abbey Boyce, Emily Han, and Maggie Woods.
Golf
Attleboro, 175 @ Milford, 179 – Final – Brendan Raymond was the match medalist, helping the Bombariders pick up a win on the road at Hopedale Country Club. Raymond shot a match-low round of 36 while Milford’s top performers were Dave Pacella (42) and Jacob Hipolito (43).
Canton, 148 @ Sharon, 173 – Final – Canton’s Mike Leonetti earned match medalist honors and Nate MacDonald shot an even par to help the Bulldogs pick up a victory at the Cape Club of Sharon. Leonetti carded a two-under par round of 34 while MacDonald shot a 36 for the Bulldogs. Will Gefteas added a 38 and Owen Donovan carded a 40 for Canton. Nathan Daley led the Eagles with a one-over round of 37 while Eric Carter added a 41 for Sharon.
King Philip, 163 @ Franklin, 158 – Final – Franklin’s depth proved pivotal in a close win at home over visiting King Philip. The Warriors’ Jared Curran was the match medalist with a 37 while Mike Matheson shot a 39 for KP. But Franklin’s top four all finished within four strokes of one another, led by Jack Paterson’s 38. Sean Connelly added a 39, Nolan Norton shot a 40, and Brian Sandham chipped in with a 41 in Franklin’s win.
Taunton, 191 @ Mansfield, 148 – Final – All four of Mansfield’s scorers shot under 40 at Norton Country Club as the Hornets picked up a win over Taunton. Ryan Dow led the way with a match-medalist round of 35, Brian See added a round of 37 while both Cian Goulet and Nate Morreale each shot a 38 in the win.
North Attleboro, 172 @ Stoughton, 181 – Final – Jake Gaskin and Sam Gallagher split medalist honors as the Rocketeers recorded a win at Easton Country Club over Stoughton. Both Gaskin and Gallagher shot 42 to lead the Big Red to a win. Anthony Hern also shot a 42 to earn medalist honors while Joe Mark added a 43 for the Black Knights.
Foxboro, 160 @ Oliver Ames, 153 – Final – Oliver Ames picked up an important win over division foe Foxboro on the links at Pine Oaks in Easton. Senior Logan Domenico and junior Jake Kaplan each shot a 37 to lead the Tigers, with Domencio sinking a birdie on the eighth hole. Senior Will Gianni added a 39 in the win and freshman Sean Kearns finished with a 40.
Boys Cross-Country
Canton @ Sharon, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 15 @ Foxboro, 50 – Final – It was a clean sweep for the Tigers, taking the top scoring spots to earn a big win over Foxboro. Kyle Sarney won the race for the Tigers while Owen McMorrow and Nate Reservitz rounded out the top three. Nicolas Olson clocked in at 19:14 and was Foxboro’s top runner while Jared Ciora ran a PR (19:37) and was second for Foxboro.
North Attleboro @ Stoughton, 3:45
Girls Cross-Country
Canton @ Sharon, 3:45
Oliver Ames, 17 @ Foxboro, 43 – Final – The Tigers took the first three spots in the race en route to a victory on the road over Foxboro. Katie Soberaij was the winner with teammates Jojo Holmes and Hailey Goldman taking second and third, respectively. Foxboro’s Aine Fitzpatrick finished in 22:05 for fourth place overall while Mabel Linck took seventh for the Warriors.
2019 Record: 6-10 Coach: Jon Burre
Despite graduating over a half a dozen seniors from last year’s squad, head coach Jonathan Burre is excited to see what the new faces will bring to the table this season. One constant the Bombardiers have is junior captain Brendan Raymond, who led the team with an average score of 40.3 last year as a sophomore. Not only is Raymond a solid player on the course and great around the greens, but Burre also said he’s a great leader for the young squad.
Junior captain Parker Sackett, junior Jackson Sweeney, and sophomore Carter Shelton are all back after picking up valuable match experience last season and will be counted on to be key scorers for the Bombardiers, who are playing out of Stone-E-Lea Golf Course for the third straight season. Sophomore Leo Lombardo has made a big leap and will factor into the scoring for the squad while freshmen Dane Holske and Ryan Hill have shown promise in tryouts and practices.
“I like what I have seen from the underclassmen and I am looking forward to seeing who steps up and grabs those last few match spots each week,” Burre said. “The team has been coming in each day with good attitudes and competing at practice. We are well led by our captains and ready for the season!”
2019 Record: 13-1 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Mike Barucci
The three-time defending Davenport division champions will be looking to stretch the streak to four this season, which would be a program first. The Bulldogs earned their third straight crown last season on the back of Hockomock League MVP senior Chris Lavoie, who led the league in average for the regular season, as well as a very deep lineup behind him. The Bulldogs will host division foes at Blue Hill Country Club on the challenger course.
Canton also won three straight league titles from 1998-2000 and the Bulldogs head into this season as the favorite to win a fourth straight Davenport title. Despite losing Lavoie to graduation, Canton returns three other Hock All-Stars in juniors Conor Hunter, Will Gefteas, and Michael Leonetti — all three shot an average of under 40 during breakout sophomore campaigns. They will be joined by four-year starter Thomas Singleton in the quest for a four-peat in 2020. Head coach Mike Barucci praised the improvement of senior Owen Donovan and expects a lot of golfers to be in the mix for a spot in the lineup including Nate MacDonald, Andrew Middleton, Aiden French, Charlie Cohen, and Ryan Doucette.
“We have a lot of depth this year and a lot of guys returning who have experience playing in matches,” Barucci said. “We should have a very competitive and exciting season.”
2019 Record: 10-6 Coach: Jared Tise
It might be a month later than anticipated but the Foxboro Warriors are excited to hit the links and get back out on the course to try and build on their 2019 campaign. Posting an 8-2 record against division foes and a 10-win season overall — the squad’s best in nearly a decade — Foxboro is looking to challenge Canton for the top spot in the Davenport.
Teeing off on the front nine at Foxborough Country Club, the Warriors will be anchored by a pair of senior captains in Dylan Quinn and Luke Davies. Quinn, who qualified for states as an individual last season, spent the summer improving all parts of his game and will be in the mix among the top golfers in the league this year. Davies was apart of the Warriors lineup each match last season and head coach Jared Tise expects him to be a big factor this year.
“[Davies] has improved to come out of tryouts as our number two player,” Tise said. “Luke, like Dylan, has worked very hard this summer improving his game while keeping his strength of iron play.”
Foxboro will turn to a handful of juniors to round out the top four this season, including Jack Rounds, Matt Fossella, Jack Watts, and Dylan Pothier. Rounds and Fossella each played in all of Foxboro’s matches last season while Watts and Pothier gained some valuable experience; all four are likely to factor into scoring this year.
2019 Record: 14-4 Coach: Dustin Picillo
With six starters returning from last year’s 14-win team, including five experienced seniors, the Panthers are primed to make a push for the Kelley-Rex division title. After sharing the crown with OA in 2018, the Franklin finished second last year but will be one of the top challengers as rival Mansfield looks to repeat. Franklin calls Franklin Country Club home and will host teams on the front nine (par 35).
Spearheading the way for the Panthers will be senior Jack Paterson, returning after a stellar 2019 campaign. After finishing the regular season in the top five with an average score of 38.2, Paterson capped the season by shooting a 76 at Blue Hill Country Club to take home the individual title at the Hockomock League Championships. Seniors Nolan Norton, Brian Sandham, Sean Connelly, and Pat Dolan, who is coming off a breakout season in 2019, will make up the backbone of the Panthers this season. Juniors Caroline Woelfel and Jack MacKinnon will also be in the mix after gaining valuable experience on the course a year ago, while underclassmen Jack Hagerty, Ben Paterson, and CJ Steel have impressed in the early going.
“We are excited about our team this year,” said head coach Dustin Picillo. “Greens are firm and fast at FCC which has given us an early test of where we are at. We’re excited to get started against Attleboro.”
2019 Record: 9-5 Coach: Myles McHugh
Despite a late start to the season, King Philip is aiming to be a spoiler in the Kelley-Rex division title hunt this season. Coming off a nine-win season, the Warriors are hoping to take the next step this year. Junior captain and Hock all-star Mike Matheson will lead the way for the Warriors, fresh off a strong 2019 campaign in which he averaged 39.9. He will be joined by senior captain Aidan Leonard, a four-year member of the program who will provide leadership and guidance for a squad with 11 juniors and nine underclassmen.
Head coach Myles McHugh will be leaning on Jared Curran, Pat Reardon, and Kevin Birenbaum — three returners from last season. Juniors Timmy Hartwell and Markus Paschke have shown a lot of improvement from a season ago and will be in the mix for the starting lineup when the Warriors tee off at Wentworth Hills Country Club. Sophomore James Boldy and freshmen Ethan Sullivan and Tyler Douglas have impressed in the early tryouts and practices and will be pushing for spots in the KP lineup.
“With 21 players on the team this year, the eight varsity travel spots are sure to be hotly contested,” McHugh said. “And as always, I would like to thank Wentworth Hills Country Club for hosting our team. It’s is a beautiful course that has afforded us a strong home course advantage for several years now.”
2019 Record: 14-2 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions) Coach: Chris Hall
The Hornets had a banner year in 2019, winning the Kelley-Rex division for the first time since 2015 and went on to take first place at the Hockomock League Championship with a 12-stroke margin of victory. With virtually its entire starting lineup back this season, Mansfield enters the season as the favorite to repeat as division champions under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Chris Hall.
Playing the front nine at Norton Country Club its home course, the Hornets will face stiff competition as they try to secure another division championship. But with a strong senior class that features 11 golfers, Mansfield remains the team to beat. Ryan Dow, who led the team with an average of 38.8 and placed second at each of the last two league championships, is joined by brothers Jason See (39.1) and Brian See (39.5) at the top of the lineup for the Hornets. And don’t forget senior Nate Morreale (40.3), who took home the individual title as a sophomore at the 2018 league championship meet. Mansfield boasts incredible depth with seniors Joe Gormley (41.8) and Ava Haggis (42.8), both consistent scorers over the past couple of seasons, back in the lineup.
“Rounding out the team are a variety of incredibly talented senior athletes, mixed with a strong group of juniors and underclassmen looking to complete,” Hall said. “The Hornets have truly worked together to build a successful program at Mansfield High School. While our short term intentions are clear, the future is bright for the Hornets.”
2019 Record: 3-12 Coach: Jason Potty
Milford is hoping to have a bounce back season after just three wins in 2019. Hosting division rivals at Hopedale Country Club (par 35), the Scarlet Hawks will lean heavily on their most experienced golfers as they battle against Kelley-Rex foes this season. While the Hawks will have home course advantage against most of its new division rivals, they will be venturing to a handful of courses for the first time this season.
Seniors Dave Pacella (captain) and Wesley Murdock will lead the way and have a big impact for Milford this season. They will be joined by juniors Ronan Fleming and Tom Donato, who both picked up valuable experience last season as sophomores. After that, the Hawks will turn to youth to fill out the lineup card. First-year sophomores Eric Farrell and Tyler Caldon are going to be in the mix while freshmen Anthony LaPierre, Nate Lawrence, Jacob Hipolito, and Joe Pezza have shown promise early on and could factor into the scoring for Milford.
“We’re really excited that we actually have a season even if it is shortened so the seniors can have a nice send off and young guys can get match experience and play the other golf courses in the Hock,” said head coach Jason Potty.
2019 Record: 8-8 Coach: Steve Nelson
After spending the past two seasons on the gridiron, junior Tyler DeMattio will be hitting the links this season and will be one of the main players for a Rocketeers squad that is looking to break Canton’s streak atop the Davenport division. With football pushed to the wedge season between winter and spring, athletes have the opportunity to participate in a different fall sport and DeMattio is taking advantage, trading his helmet and shoulder pads in for a driver and putter.
Along with the addition of DeMattio, the Rocketeers have sophomore Jake Gaskin back in the fold at Heather Hill Country Club. As a freshman, Gaskin burst onto the scene with an average of 40.6 during the regular season and tied for North’s top score at the league championship match. With a year under his belt, Gaskin will likely be in the mix among the top golfers in the division. Senior co-captains Aidan Weir (43.6) and Sam Gallagher (43.0) will lead the way both on and off the course this season. Head coach Steve Nelson has eight golfers battling it out for the last four spots, hoping the competition among teammates will bring out the best when the Rocketeers tee off this week.
2019 Record: 9-5 Coach: Ryan Riley
After a four-year stint in the Kelley-Rex that featured three division titles, the Tigers are back in the Davenport where they won four straight titles from 2012-2015. With its seven-year title streak snapped in 2019, Oliver Ames is looking to knock off three-time defending champion Canton behind a deep, but young, squad.
Head coach Ryan Riley will lean on senior captain James Walsh and junior captain Jo Jo Gaultier to provide some stability to a team that graduated six seniors, including all three of its participants in last year’s league championships. Senior Logan Domenico and junior Carter Allbritton have match experience and will be key pieces this season while junior Jake Kaplan has impressed in the early going. Freshmen David Rodgers and Sean Kearns don’t have any match experience yet but will be in the mix for the Tigers’ starting lineup. Oliver Ames plays off the white tees at Pine Oaks Golf Course in Easton.
2019 Record: 5-8 Coach: Thor Van Vaerenewyck
Sharon lost two starters to graduation and has just one senior on the team this year, but with two of the top returning golfers back in the fold, the Eagles will contend against division foes this year on the front nine at the Cape Club of Sharon.
Senior Ethan Skelly has been among the league leaders in each of the past two seasons (37.5 average over two seasons) and that trend is likely to continue this year. Skelly, who finished tied for sixth at Hocks last year, is joined by juniors Nathan Daley and Eric Carter, who not only picked up valuable match experience last year but were key contributors in the Eagles’ starting lineup. Daley had a strong finish to his 2019 campaign with a fourth-place finish at Hocks while Carter has shown improvement from a year ago. Juniors Owen Kevorkian and Rosie Leonard will also factor into the scoring for Sharon after getting their feet wet last season.
2019 Record: 1-14 Coach: Brett Boyd
With all eight starters back from a year ago, the Black Knights are aiming to have an improved season on the links. Led by senior captain Max Huminik, who had the top average on the team and was the team’s medalist in almost all matches, the Knights are hoping to increase the win count this year under fifth-year head coach Brett Boyd.
Juniors Anthony Hearn and Patrick Smith are aiming to build on some great rounds from last year, gaining valuable experience as sophomores on courses they will see again this season. Senior Jake Curtis will be another key contributor for Stoughton, who hosts teams on the front nine at Easton Country Club. Curtis is a consistent player and will likely factor into the scoring in each match. Boyd noted how all four golfers have made great adjustments off the team and have positioned themselves to improve their scoring. Jonah Hochberg, Brooke Bulger, Joseph Mark, and Joseph Rush have impressed early on and will be battling for spots in the starting lineup.
“I’m looking forward to having the same squad back from last year that now has experienced playing in matches and seen these other courses,” Boyd said.
“It will only help make us more competitive down the stretch.”
2019 Record: 2-13 Coach: Brad Koneski
The Tigers boast four returning starters from last year’s squad and are aiming to improve as the season progresses. The Tigers are set to tee off on the road against King Philip but later in the week will entertain the Warriors, as well as the rest of the Kelley-Rex division, at Segregansett Country Club.
Seniors Spencer Andrews, Colton Fagan, Dillon Schofield, and Kyle Robinson are the key contributors back for the Tigers in 2020 and will all be important pieces for this season. All four were apart of the Tigers’ starting lineup a year ago and that experience should help as they battle through a loaded Kelley-Rex division. Head coach Brad Koneski, now in his sixth season at the helm, also expects Nathan Fernandes and Alex Dias to factor into the scoring for the Tigers this season.
