Below are the official 2020 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Kelley-Rex
CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Davenport
Joao Neiva, Milford
Hockomock League All Stars
Kelley-Rex Division
Jake Carlucci, Franklin
Ken Sauer, Franklin
Dominic Sackley, Franklin
Matt Walker, Franklin
Yousef Lotfi, King Philip
Jackson Kelley, King Philip
Shawn Conniff, King Philip
CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
Will Stratton, Mansfield
Max Anderson, Oliver Ames
Davenport Division
Eddie Marinilli, Canton
Max Kornbluth, Foxboro
Joao Neiva, Milford
Carlos Terrinha, Milford
Mike Edmonds, North Attleboro
Montrel Jackson, North Attleboro
Ethan Smith, North Attleboro
Tyler Freedman, Sharon
Adam Landstein, Sharon
Max Pazner, Sharon
Kirit Gossety, Sharon
John Santos, Stoughton
Andrew Medina, Stoughton
Honorable Mentions:
Zack Peters, Canton
Trent Rennie, Foxboro
Dylan Nawn, Franklin
Sam DeBaggis, King Philip
Noah Price, Mansfield
Danny Alves, Milford
John Kummer, North Attleboro
Nelson Malone, Oliver Ames
Rhamsez Theienin, Sharon
Jackson Wellman, Taunton
Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos and Antonios Sevastos each won a D1 State title. (@MHSWrestling17/Twitter)
Five Hockomock grapplers from four team won individual state titles across two divisions on Saturday. Mansfield’s Antonios Sevastos (126) and CJ Glaropoulos (170) each won at the Division 1 meet while Canton’s Eddie Marinilli (152), King Philip’s Shawn Conniff (195), and Milford’s Joao Neiva (220) each won at the Division 2 meet.
Franklin had the best finish as a team, scoring 93.5 points at the D1 meet despite not sending a wrestler to the finals. Mansfield finished 12th overall (68.5 points) and Taunton took 33rd with eight points; Springfield Central won the meet with 173 points. In Division 2, King Philip had the top finish with 62 points at 10th overall, North Attleboro was right behind with 53 points in 12th place, and Milford recorded 50 points for 14th overall. Stoughton (36.5 points), Sharon (35 points), and Canton (30 points) all finished in the top 30. Foxboro, the lone Hock school to compete in D3, finished in 19th with 39 points.
Sevastos entered the tournament as the #2 seed and picked up back-to-back pins to advance to the semifinals. He opened the tournament with a pin over Longmeadow’s Charlie Townsend (2:53) and followed with a pin over Brookline’s Lyle Gray (2:48). He scored five points in the third period to notch a 6-4 win over #6 Chelmsford’s Patrick Hughes in the semifinal and then earned a third-period pin (5:26) over #5 Brockton’s Aiden Winn in the final. Glaropoulos was the top seed in the 170 bracket and made quick work of his opponents, picking up pins over Framingham’s Mario Cruz (1:17), Andover’s Sean Ballou (0:48), and Agawam’s Tom Caracciolo (0:22) to advance to the final. He had a first-round takedown, a second-round nearfall, and a third-period reversal to beat #3 Methuen’s CJ Brown, 7-0.
Marinilli, a senior, won his second state title with four pins. The top seed, Marinilli pinned down Whittier’s Luke Iamele in under a minute, took down Winchester’s Kevin Miranda in 1:03m and pinned Central Catholic’s Matt Shaw in the semifinals in 4:19. In the final against #3 Arlington’s Yanni Kechriotis, Marinilli had four takedowns in the first period before getting the pin at 1:57. Conniff also entered the tournament as the top seed in his weight class and had four pins to win the title. He knocked off Woburn’s Mattheus Berbert (0:27), Oliver Ames’ Max Anderson (1:28), and North Andover’s Jack Carbone (3:18) to reach in the final. Against #2 Beverly’s Alexi Echevarria, Conniff had a takedown in the first round and got the pinfall 12 seconds later for the title.
Neiva started the tournament with a pair of pins, taking down North Attleboro’s Keysun Wise (3:20) in the Round of 16 and Woburn’s Mike Mercer (2:25) in the quarterfinals. He took down #3 Plymouth North’s Andrew Dias by decision in overtime, getting a reversal and nearfall to win 9-4. In the final against #1 Central Catholic’s Anthony Mears, Neiva was knotted 1-1 through three rounds. In the second overtime, he had an escape and takedown to secure the title.
Three Hockomock wrestlers also reached the 100-win club on Saturday. Franklin’s Dom Sackley earned his 100th win and finished fourth in the 160 bracket. After picking up a win in the Round of 16 (pinfall in 1:34), Sackley headed to the consolation bracket where he won three straight matches by decision before falling in the third place match. A pair of Rocketeers also earned their 100th wins at the tournament. Ethan Smith, wrestling at 126, posted a 3-2 record and finished in fifth place while recoding his 100th win. Teammate Mike Edmonds also earned his 100th win, going 4-1. He won two matches before falling in the semis but bounce back to take 3rd at 170.
Division 1
Teams
1. Springfield Central – 173
4. Franklin – 93.5
12. Mansfield – 68.6
33. Taunton – 8
Placements
120
8th – Drew DiFilippo, Franklin
126
1st – Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
132
6th – Jake Carlucci, Franklin
145
6th – Alex Fracassa, Franklin
7th – Will Stratton, Mansfield
152
5th – Ken Sauer, Franklin
160
4th – Dom Sackley, Franklin
170
1st – CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
182
3rd – Dylan Nawn, Franklin
195
8th – Ben Jacoby, Franklin
220
6th – Matt Walker, Franklin
Division 2
Teams
1. Central Catholic – 118
10. King Philip – 62
12. North Attleboro – 53
14. Milford – 50
21. Stoughton – 36.5
22. Sharon – 35
26. Canton – 30
45. Oliver Ames – 8
Placements
106
8th – Adam Landstein, Sharon
113
4th – John Santos, Stoughton
120
4th – Carlos Terrinha, Milford
126
5th – Ethan Smith, North Attleboro
7th – David Gelman, Sharon
138
5th – Jackson Kelley, King Philip
145
4th – Andrew Medina, Stoughton
8th – Dan Alves, Milford
152
1st – Eddie Marinilli, Canton
6th – Kirit Gosetty, Sharon
170
3rd – Mike Edmonds, North Attelboro
182
5th – Montrel Jackson, North Attleboro
195
1st – Shawn Conniff, King Philip
7th – Max Anderson, Oliver Ames
8th – Leo Izau, Milford
Franklin wrestling won the D1 Central Sectional championship. (Twitter/FHSWrestle)Sharon wrestling won the D2 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/SHS_Eagles)Foxboro wrestling won the D3 South Sectional championship. (Twitter/FoxboroWarriors)
D1 South
Teams
1. New Bedford – 250
T4. Mansfield – 154
6. Taunton – 149.5
Wrestling
King Philip, 30 @ Franklin, 45 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet. Despite having to forfeit three weight classes and starting the match down 12-0, Franklin rolled to a win that clinches the outright league dual meet title. It is the third Kelley-Rex title in the last four years for the Panthers. Drew DiFillipo started the comeback at 120 with a 10-2 win that cut the KP lead to 12-4. Devin Bramson got the hosts within two with a first round pin at 126 pounds and then a forfeit at 132 put the Panthers ahead 16-12. Jackson Kelley wasted little time putting the Warriors in front with a first round pin, but Alex Fracassa put Franklin ahead for good with a 10-2 win at 145. Following a KP forfeit at 152, Dom Sackley added six more points with a first round pin. At 170, Liam Cogavin jumped ahead 7-2 after two periods, but Cole Ricci battled back in the third with a takedown cutting the lead to three and then forcing Cogavin to hold on for the win and three points. Dylan Nawn put Franklin ahead 41-18 with a second round pin at 182, but Shawn Conniff answered back with a first round pin at 195. It was Conniff’s 130th career win and his 100th career pin. He is now two wins shy of the program record. Matt Walker closed out the meet with a 13-2 win at 220 before another forfeit at 285.
Swimming
Hockomock League Dive Championships, 4:00 (@ Massasoit)
Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Attleboro, 39 – Final – Oliver Ames took first and second in three events and had six more first place finishes, including one relay, to earn a win over Attleboro. Junior Kyle Sarney clocked in at a league-best 9:44.64 to win the 2 Mile and sophomore Owen McMorrow (10:01.38) was second (third best in the Hock), senior Rory McLaughlin (4:40.07) and junior Nathan Reservitz (4:46.44) took first and second in the 1 Mile, and sophomore Ashton Hart (6.92) and junior Jaiden Daly (6.93) were the top two finishers in the 55M to lead OA. Hart also won the long jump (19-07.75), junior Ryan Petrillo was a double-winner, taking first in the high jump (5-10.00) and 55M hurdles (8.41), junior Jimmy Keane won the 1000M (2:49.88) and senior Ryan Hilliard crossed first in the 300M (37.87). Attleboro junior Nathan Seybert won the 600M (1:29.47) with classmate Joey Soucy taking second (1:32.81), and junior Ethan Crosby won the shot put (46-02.00).
Milford, 46 vs. Canton, 54 – Final – Canton swept both the 55M dash and the 300M race, taking first in three other events to earn a win over Milford. Jonathan Chery had another stellar showing, winning both the 55M (league-best 6.61) and the 300M (36.87). Junior Sainvil (6.76) and Cam Sanchez (6.87) took second and third, respectively in the 55M dash while Zachary Goldstein (37.12) and Andrew Butler (40.03) did the same in the 300M. Sophomore Kyle Downing won the 2 Mile (10:36.77), junior Deyontai Dennis took first in the high jump (5-10.00), and senior Nate Quan won the long jump (18-03.75). Milford senior Max Manor was a double winner, taking first in both the 1000M (2:52.70) and the 1 Mile (4:52.56).
Foxboro, 34 vs. North Attleboro, 65 – Final – The Red Rocketeers registered sweeps in both the shot put and the high jump on their way to a win over Foxboro. Emmett Ruote took first in the shot put with a toss of 43-08.25 while Joseph Beckett (39-10.00) and Jack Perriello (37-03.50) were second and third, respectively. Nick Taylor (5-08.00) took first in the high jump with Colby Feid (5-06.00) and Isa Siddiq (5-02.00) following. Kyle Robinson was a double-winner for the Big Red, crossing first in each the 1 Mile (4:59.14) and the 2 Mile (10:40.98) while Jack MacLaughlin earned a first place finish at 1:32.66 in the 600M. Foxboro’s Adam Connolly won both the 55M (7.06) and 300M (37.71), Ryan Proulx crossed first in the 1000M (league-best 2:40.43), Ali Nasri won the 55M hurdles (8.52), and Tyler Hagan set a new PR in a win at the long jump (19-00.00).
Franklin, 63 vs. King Philip, 36 – Final – Senior Jacob Cummings and junior Shane Bissanti each took home a pair of individual wins and the Panthers won three more events, plus both relays, to earn a win over King Philip. Cummings won both the long jump (19-09.25) and the 300M (37.98) while Bissanti crossed first in the 55M hurdles (9.44) and won the high jump (5-04.00). Alec Hanley (1:27.53) and Camden Harrington (1:27.95) went 1-2 in the 600M while Griffin Sieczkiewicz (10:47.01) and Joseph Zercie (10:49.74) did the same in the 2 Mile race. KP’s Mike Griffin and Franklin’s Tyler Brogan put on another show in the 1 Mile Race with Griffin (4:18.22) edging out Brogan (school-record 4:18.95), with KP’s Michael Norberg (4:24.56) taking third, the three clocking in the best three times among Hock runners on the night.
Stoughton, 52 vs. Sharon, 48 – Final – Stoughton won one of two relays and got key points from each the shot put, high jump, and long jump to edge out Sharon in a battle of unbeatens and win the Davenport division title. The Black Knights took first and second in both the high jump (Elisha Claude, 6-06.00 and Nathaniel Peters, 5-10.00) and the long jump (Claude, 21-06.25 and David Peters (21-02.25) while taking first and third in the shot put (Mark Edge, 46-11.25 and Jaden McCall, 39-07.00) to earn a close win. David Peters also won the 300M (36.40, PR) and the 55M hurdles (7.40, PR), Nathaniel Peters took first in the 600M (1:24.47), and Anthony Pizzano earned key points with a second place finish in the 55M hurdles (8.00). Sharon’s Patrick McManus won the 55M (6.70, PR), juniors Jordan Saks (2:48.33, PR) and Mark Starovoytov (2:48.79) took first and second in the 1000M, Starovoytov (4:58.73), Siddarth Reddy (5:00.98), and Bradley Weiss (5:02.67) swept the 1 Mile, and the Eagles swept the 2 Mile with Reddy (10:44.52) taking first, James Kong (10:59.69) crossing second, and Weiss (11:20.40) taking third.
Mansfield, 78 vs. Taunton, 22 – Final – The Hornets took first in all but one event to cruise to a win over Taunton and the 2020 Kelley-Rex division championship. Senior Andrew Williams continued his dominance, taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.36), the high jump (6-00.00), and the long jump (20-06.75). Mansfield swept the long jump with Jake Wall (20-02.50) and Joe Cappelletti (19-04.75) rounding out the top three as well as the 55M hurdles as Dylan Buchanan (8.61) and Chris Verros (9.03, PR) took second and third. Wall took first in the 55M dash (6.91, PR), Jack Rivard won the 300M (36.89), Peter Oldow placed first in the 600M (1:29.12), Mike Mullahy clocked in at 2:43.66 to win the 1000M, sophomore Chris Leonard set a new PR at 4:55.79 to win the 1 Mile (by 0:00.01 over Taunton’s Nolan Tavares), and Nico Holmes won the shot put (41-06.00). Taunton junior Ty Cali ran a PR in the 2 Mile, taking first in 9:56.61.
Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 47 vs. Attleboro, 53 – Final – Attleboro swept the 55M hurdles and took first and second in both the 300M and 1 Mile races to earn its first win of the season. Junior Meghan Panzer set a new PR, clocking in at 9.68 to win the 55M hurdles with sophomore Angela Cooney (10.00, PR) and junior Eleanor Graber (11.18) taking second and third, respectively. Junior Diana Blouin clocked in at 5:43.55 to win the 1 Mile while classmate Kelly Neuendorf took second in 5:51.96. Junior Cassondra Stuger crossed first in the 300M (43.49) and senior Jessica Matheson took second, setting a new PR (47.30). Neuendorf also earned key points by winning the 2 Mile (12:11.48) while Stuger took second in the 55M dash (7.97). Oliver Ames’ Madison Perry won a pair of events, taking first in the 55M dash (7.76) and the long jump (14-11.00).
Milford, 68 vs. Canton, 30 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks swept the 300M race and took first place in seven more races plus one relay to pick up a win over Canton. Sophomore Sarah Flanagan clocked in at 43.30 to take first place with classmate Maren Halpin (46.92) and senior Juliana France (48.09) crossing next. Flanagan also won the 55M dash (league-best 7.48), Sara Comisky won both the 1000M (3:34.36) and the 1 Mile (6:04.03), Kerry O’Connor placed first in both the long jump (16-02.25) and the 600M (1:40.58), Sarah Brogioli was a double-winner with first place finishes in each the 55M hurdles (9.27) and high jump (4-08.00), and freshman Sydney Kalil took first in the 2 Mile (13.29.57). Milford’s 4×400 relay team of O’Connor, Bella Gonzalez, Flanagan, and Halpin broke the school record by seven seconds, clocking in at 4:10.57. Canton’s Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (33-10.00) while the 4×200 team of Mia Walsh, Morgan Quinn, Leah Murphy, and Kiley Hanlon won in 1:57.59.
Foxboro, 25 vs. North Attleboro, 66 – Final – By sweeping both the high jump and 55M hurdles, and taking first and second in each the shot put and long jump, North Attleboro earned a win over Foxboro. Olivia Etienvre won the high jump with a leap of 5-02.00 with Ari Preacher (4-10.00) and Cassidy Becker (4-10.00) rounding out the top three while the same three swept the 55M hurdles in the same order, Etienvre winning in 9.07. Etienvre (16-06.50) and Becker (15-11.50) went 1-2 in the long jump while Alivia Byrne (30-01.00) and Arianna Newth (27-01.00) did the same in the shot put. Foxboro junior Emma Dahl took first in the 600M (1:45.67, PR) and freshman Emilia Lacy won the 1 Mile (6:03.88, PR).
Franklin, 42 vs. King Philip, 58 – Final – Franklin swept a pair of events but King Philip showed off its depth, taking wins in both relays and six other events to get the win. Junior Sofia DelVecchio won the 55M dash (7.66), junior Allison Beltramini took first in the 300M (45.03), juniors Isabelle Crocker (3:18.29) and Charlotte Majer (3:19.87) went first and second in the 1000M, sophomore Maya Evans won the 2 Mile (12:32.69), junior Milan Simmons (9.42) and senior Victoria Priestley (9.53) went 1-2 in the 55M hurdles, and seniors Sarah Vigevani (30-01.00) and Bailee Ziolkowski (29-10.00) took the top two spots in the shot put. Franklin swept the long jump with sophomore Jillian Fenerty (14-11.00) taking first and sophomore Ava Fraulo (14-10.50) and junior Katelyn Guidi (14-03.00) following as well as the 600M race, won by senior Samantha Powderly (1:45.84) and Sydney Hawkins (1:48.31) and Riley Fitzpatrick (1:50.06) rounding out the top three.
Stoughton, 40 vs. Sharon, 60 – Final – Sharon won eight events plus one relay to earn a win over Stoughton and clinch the Davenport division crown. Elizabeth Lee and Jada Johnson each won a pair of events for the Eagles, with Lee taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.65) and the 300M (44.95) while Johnson won both the high jump (5-02.00) and the long jump (17-04.75). Other winners for Sharon included Wendy Wooden in the 55M dash (7.78), Carolyn Bayha in the 600M (1:50.13), Daphne Theiler in the 1000M (3:12.79), and Taylor Saks in the 1 Mile (5:38.70). Stoughton picked up wins from freshman Elaine McCarty in the 2 Mile (13:52.97, PR) and senior Chinazo Odunze in the shot put (30-09.00).
Mansfield, 36 vs. Taunton, 63 – Final – The Tigers used a sweep in the 300M, took first and second in three other events, and won both relays to earn a win over Mansfield and force a three-way tie for the Kelley-Rex division title with the Hornets and KP. Junior Morgan Zakrzewski (44.08) won the 300M while Kerla Sylvestre (44.38) and Abieyowa Olaye (45.72) rounded out the top three. Junior Olivia Dias won the 600M in 1:43.04 while Nia Mainer-Smith (1:43.91) took second, Braelyn Nichos won the 1000M in 3:17.15 while Tatyana Mainer-Smith (3:18.05) took second, and Jaylin Couto took first in the shot put (28-07.50) with Olyvia Mendonca (28-05.00) taking second for the Tigers. Taunton also got wins from Amanda Labrecque in the 55M hurdles (9.28), Julia Labrecque in the high jump (5-00.00), and Victoria Gravel in the long jump (16-01.25). Mansfield swept the 1 Mile race with Tessa Lancaster clocking in at 5:38.07 for first, and Grace Doyle (5:51.15) and Celia Puleo (5:51.40) following behind. Jessica Alestock won the 2 Mile (12:46.14) and Gabrielle Devlin took first in the 55M dash (7.84, PR)
Girls Gymnastics
Canton, 121.3 @ Oliver Ames, 137.4 – Final
Boys Basketball
Oliver Ames, 52 @ Foxboro, 66 – Final – Tied after a quarter and separated by just a point at halftime, Foxboro created a little separation in the third and used a 22-point fourth quarter to completely pull away from visiting Oliver Ames. Senior Donald Rogers scored 16 of his career-high 24 points after the break, including nine points in the third quarter that helped the Warriors turn a 26-25 halftime lead into a 44-39 advantage. Both Rogers and Brandon Borde (18 points) connected on three-pointers in the fourth quarter while senior Ryan Hughes scored six of his eight points in the final frame. Junior Kevin Gallagher added 15 points for the Warriors. Junior Amari Brown had a team-high 18 points for the Tigers while Jay Spillane added 12 points.
Mansfield, 72 @ Milford, 41 – Final – Mansfield closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run and never looked back, securing a win on the road over Milford. The Hawks cut the deficit down to two (21-19) midway through the second quarter before Mansfield pushed the lead to double digits, up 35-25 at the halftime break. The advantage remained the same until the Hornets went on their run in the final four minutes of the third to take a 51-33 lead into the fourth quarter. Senior Sam Stevens led the charge with 26 points and five rebounds while junior TJ Guy had a strong all-around showing with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 4 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – Foxboro and Oliver Ames traded goals between the first two periods before the Warriors scored three straight in the final period to get the win. Kirk Leach put the hosts up in the first before Hunter Costello answered midway through the second for OA to make it 1-1 heading into the third. Foxboro sophomore Jack Watts scored less than a minute into the third period to give the Warriors the lead. Espen Reager made a handful of saves late to protect the lead while both Watts and Leach tacked on empty net goals in the final minute.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – For nearly two periods, Taunton goalie Sean Bunker thwarted every shot that Franklin put his way. But the Panthers finally broke through with just over two minutes to go in the second and went on to score five more in the third to grab a win over the Tigers. Conor O’Neil put the hosts ahead with Sean Connelly and JT Dwyer recording assists as Franklin led 1-0 through 30 minutes. Kyle Hedvig tacked on a pair of third period goals while Declan Lovett (unassisted), Shea Hurley, and Andrew Demerchant also scored for the Panthers. Colin Hedvig added two assists while Lovett and Dylan Marchand also had helpers. Bunker finished with over 40 saves for Taunton.
King Philip, 3 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 0 – Final – Joe Boselli scored twice and Jesper Makudera made 24 saves as KP earned a tough non-league road shutout. Boselli opened the scoring in the second period off of an assist from Nolan Feyler. In the third, Conor Cooke (assisted by Aidan Boulger) doubled the lead and then Boselli sealed with the win with an unassisted goal.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Franklin opened the scoring in the second period and took a 1-0 lead into the third period but had to score with less than four minutes to go to salvage a tie. Franklin’s Amanda Lewandowski scored with just under two minutes left in the second period on an assist from Lyndsey Atkinson. But Canton’s Tess Khoury (from Maria Femia and Lizzie Tassinari) scored 14 seconds into the third period to tie the game. The Bulldogs took their first lead with 6:40 to go when Ellie Roberts finished off a pass from Caroline Tourgee but Atkinson scored the tying goal with 3:12 to go with Jordan Dwyer getting the assist.
King Philip, 10 vs. Shawsheen Tech, 0 – Final – King Philip’s Jen Daniels and Makenzie Shandley each scored a pair of goals as the Warriors skated to a big win over Shawsheen. Sydney O’Shea (three assists), Nicole Brady, Averi Maxwell, Olivia Donovan, Ally Donovan, and Sammy Robison each scored once while Cristina Coleman and Mallory Johnston combined for the shutout.
Wrestling
Canton, 30 @ Sharon, 49 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.The Eagles recorded seven pins as a team, continuing their impressive dual meet record this season and opening league play with a win. Adam Landstein (106), David Gilman (120), Ammit Levin (126), and Vennai Chinnen (132) each recorded pins as Sharon jumped out to a 24-6 lead. Zach Peters the lone Canton points with a pin at 113 pounds. Aaron Cashton added a 10-0 win at 138, Max Pozner recorded a pin right as the first period buzzer sounded, and Kirit Gossetty added three more with a 6-1 win to push the lead to 37-6. Eddie Marinilli had a first period pin at 160 but Sharon answered with a first period pin by Tyler Freedman. Cillian Collins got six points for the Bulldogs, but again the Eagles responded with a pin, this time by Rhamsez Thevenin at 195. Derrell Brown earned a shock pin at 220. Trailing 5-2, Brown suddenly caught his opponent and managed to get a pin with just four seconds remaining. Ryan Richards closed the match with another pin for Canton.
Franklin, 53 @ Oliver Ames, 19 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet.Franklin took control of the dual meet in the middleweight matches and then closed it out with strong matches in the heavyweights, opening league play with a convincing win. OA was fired up in the first match when Nathan Lipski won by fall at 106, but the Panthers got those six points right back with a pin for Dillon Cashin at 113. Drew Difilipio was able to hold on for a 5-2 win at 120, but Remi Creighton tied the meet for OA with an 8-2 win at 126. Jake Carlucci (132) and Nelson Malone traded pins to keep the score tied, 15-15, but then the Panthers took over. Alex Fracassa had a second period tech fall to earn five points followed by back-to-back pins from Ken Sauer and Dominic Sackley. Liam Cogavin battled to win 9-4 at 170, although Onye Nwadiugwu dominated the third period of the match, and Dylan Nawn got a pin at 182. Max Anderson grabbed four points for the Tigers at 195, but Matt Walker (220) and Matt Leofanti (285) closed out the meet with pins for the Panthers.
King Philip, 41 @ Taunton, 33 – Final – Four Warriors earned wins by pinfall and another by tech fall to help King Philip earn a win on the road at Taunton. Sam DeBaggis (120), Jackson Kelley (138), Cole Ricci (160), and Hunter Hastings (220) each won by fall for KP while Shawn Conniff (195) won by tech fall up 17-2. Noah Riedel (145, 6-2) and Lucas Morreale (170, 5-3) won by decision for KP. Taunton’s James Collins (106), Brandon Mendes (113), and Xavier Sandoval (126) win via pinfall while Peter Ye (182) earned a 2-0 decision.
King Philip’s Ryan Halliday breaks a tackle during a run against Franklin. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
FRANKLIN, Mass. – The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The King Philip offense has had some success from the new wrinkles it’s added this season, but when it mattered most, the Warriors turned to their signature ground and pound running attack.
Senior Ryan Halliday rushed for 150 yards on 33 carries, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and scored a pair of touchdowns to pace the Warriors to a 26-14 win over rival Franklin, KP’s 16th straight win over the Panthers.
After getting just one touch on each of King Philip’s first two drives of the second half — both quickly ended in punts — and Franklin playing with the momentum after cutting the deficit to six at 20-14, the Warriors turned to Halliday.
The senior back was the focal point in the game-clinching drive that spanned 75 yards over 13 plays, taking over eight minutes off the clock. Halliday ran behind an offensive line featuring senior Nolan Gunning, senior Wyatt Manzi, senior center Sean Piller, junior Pat Zarba, and senior Dan Mullen.
The senior back took 10 consecutive handoffs, picking up four first downs that included a fourth down conversion on 4th and 1 on the Panthers’ 28-yard line after an offside call on the defense.
After sophomore Crawford Cantave burst up the middle for nine years, the Warriors went back to Halliday for back-to-back carries, the latter an 11-yard dart up the middle that put the visitors ahead 26-14 with just 5:23 left. The drive started with 1:34 left in the third quarter.
“We’ve switched up the offense a bit this year and we’ve been passing a lot,” Halliday said. “But in the end, we kind of just played old KP football, played some nice defense and ran the ball.
“I’m gassed but I’m sure my hoggies are gassed too, I give a lot of the credit to them.”
Franklin ran just seven offensive plays after that King Philip drive and was limited to a total of 16 offensive snaps total in the second half.
“It worked for us last year,” said KP head coach Brian Lee of going back to the ground game. “[Franklin] is so explosive on offense, they have so many playmakers that you feel like if keep giving them chances…our defense was hanging in there but we just wanted to slow it down a little bit.”
King Philip’s defense did its part as well, holding the Panthers to 175 yards of total offense, 0-for-5 on third down, forcing three turnovers, and limited Franklin’s high-powered offense to just three plays over 20 yards.
“It’s hard to get pressure on them, the ball is out quick and they have a lot of playmakers,” Lee said. “Overall I’m very pleased with how the defense played.”
The Panthers didn’t help themselves much in the first half, fumbling on the opening possession after a completed pass. A quick three-and-out was followed by another fumble, giving KP great starting position at the Franklin 25-yard line.
It took KP just three plays to take advantage of the good field position as senior quarterback Robbie Jarest (11-for-17, 93 yards passing; 8 carries, 75 yards rushing) hit Brian Wassersug, who broke a tackle and sprinted up the sideline for a 25-yard touchdown. Dylan Conti’s point after attempt was good to put KP up 7-0.
Franklin had a quick response as senior quarterback Thomas Gasbarro (16-for-22,193 yards) scrambled to buy some time before finding a wide-open Cole Lakatos on the sideline, and the senior took it the rest of the way, getting a big block from Jake Davis, for a 51-yard touchdown. Parker Cheuvront connected on his first of two extra points to tie it 7-7.
Jarest got it done with his legs on KP’s ensuing drive, taking a QB option for 48 yards to get the Warriors’ offense going. A pass to Alex Behling got the Warriors into the red zone, and six plays later, Halliday followed Gunning into the end zone for a 1-yard score, converting a 4th and goal situation.
“He’s come a long way, he’s really bought in,” Lee said of Jarest. “For us to be throwing the ball as much, it’s different. But we have a new offensive coordinator [Cory Bailey] and he’s really stretching me to try and do some other things and take more risks. Robert’s making those plays with his arm and his legs, and in the end, I think that makes us more balanced.”
Franklin’s defense came up big two series later, stopping the Warriors on 4th and 1 from the Panthers’ 30-yard line with under a minute to go in the half.
But the momentum didn’t last long as KP’s Shawn Conniff applied pressure, forcing a fumble and sophomore Nick Viscusi came out of the pile with the ball.
Franklin nearly stopped the series when they grabbed an interception, but the Panthers were flagged for roughing the passer and KP kept possession. On the ensuing play, with just eight seconds left on the clock, Jarest delivered, finding an open Andrew McKinney for an 11-yard touchdown with only two seconds left on the clock, giving KP a 20-7 lead at halftime.
“We had the recipe of how to never play American football never again,” said Franklin head coach Eian Bain of the first half. “I’m at a loss for words for how to describe that first half really. You can’t beat great teams like KP when you have that many self-inflicted errors. Credit to a good opponent, sometimes they make you do that. We felt comfortable with our game plan but you can’t win putting the ball on the turf.”
Momentum swung in favor of the hosts as Franklin forced a three-and-out on King Philip’s opening drive of the second half. The Panthers’ offense capitalized, driving 77 yards on nine plays to make it a one-score game.
Highlighted by a pass and catch from Gasbarro to Jack Nally, and a fourth down completion between the same pair, Franklin marched down the field to the KP 1-yard line. Sophomore Mack Gulla punched it in from there, making it 20-14 with 4:27 left in the third quarter.
Franklin only ran seven more offensive plays the rest of the game.
“They took the fourth quarter,” Bain said. “That’s what they do well, and that’s what we don’t do well. And by that point, they made us one dimensional but we continued to make mistakes. I’m disappointed because I think we can play better and execute better.”
King Philip football (1-0 Hockomock, 3-0 overall) now turns its attention to Mansfield, as the two rivals will do battle on Macktaz Field on Friday night. Franklin (0-1, 2-1) will try to get back into the win column when it travels to Oliver Ames on Saturday.
Outlook:
Attleboro got off to a strong start to the 2018 season, jumping out to a 4-1 record with its only loss coming against eventual D2 South champ King Philip, and allowing only five points per game. But a last-minute loss in a shootout against Mansfield and a fourth quarter comeback by Franklin the following week sparked a six-game losing streak to close out the season. The Bombardiers come into 2019 looking to turn that around and use its experience to make a run at the Kelley-Rex title.
Offensively, the Bombardiers will be led by senior quarterback Jason Weir. At a bruising 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, Weir is a punishing runner and has a big arm to make plays downfield in the passing game. Junior Justin Daniels will be the starting tailback with senior Isaac Guidel and a big offensive line trying to open holes for the running game, led by senior Qualeem Charles (6-foot-5 and 325 pounds), who has a host of colleges recruiting him. Senior Ethan Cameron will provide a weapon on the outside, while junior Michael Strachan offers another threat over the middle from his tight end position.
Charles will dominate the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball as well, but the strength of the Attleboro defense will be its experienced linebacker corps. Strachan, a three-year starter who is getting looks from some Div. I colleges, will be joined by Guidel and senior Nolan Jaeger. Weir will play strong safety, after two seasons at defensive end, and will be counted on to step in to help stop the run. Cameron will be at free safety and giving the cornerbacks help over the middle. Attleboro has a large contingent of sophomores who could step in to contribute right away, including Alvin Harrison, Chris Leonardo, Adam Pearlstein, and Freddy Wheaton.
Attleboro coach Mike Strachan said, “We are looking forward to the season getting underway and with the leadership of our four captains we are looking to be explosive on offense and very physical defensively. The Hockomock League is one of the best leagues in the state with some great teams. We will have to play our very best each week if we are going to compete at a high level.”
Outlook:
Franklin nearly pulled off the biggest upset of the 2018 season when the Panthers forced perennial power Xaverian to double overtime in the Div. 1 South semifinal. It was a big step forward for the program and head coach Eian Bain hopes it will be a building block for even more success in 2019.
Offensively, the graduation of quarterback Nick Gordon will be a big loss for the Panthers but senior Thomas Gasbarro saw a lot of time under center last year and he will step in and take the starting job. Gasbarro will have plenty of weapons to choose from, as the Panthers have plenty of speedy, athletic players in the skill positions. Senior Jack Nally is a threat out of the backfield or split out wide and his classmate Jake Davis is a solid receiver over the middle or downfield. Senior Matt Lazarek is a potential target from the tight end position and Owen Palmieri is another dangerous ball carrier. Junior Parker Cheuvront emerged last season as one of the top kickers in the Hock and is another weapon that the Panthers can count on if a drive does stall.
The defense is an experienced group. Senior Evan Wertz has been one of the league’s tackle leaders for the past two seasons and he is the team’s top playmaker from his linebacker position. Nally, Davis, Palmieri, and senior Ben Greco give Franklin a tough secondary to throw against and all are capable of coming up with the big turnover to get the ball back in the hands of the offense. Luke Cunningham and Dom Natale will give the Panthers strength at the line of scrimmage.
“The challenge for this group is to continue to improve and build the program,” said Bain. “They need to add their own chapter and their own stamp on the program. We have the right people in the room. We need to play with the swagger and confidence of a contender, but be humble in our preparation. If we stay true to the process, we have great potential.”
Outlook:
Despite not winning the league title last year, the target on King Philip’s back continues to grow.
The Warriors might have missed out on the Kelley-Rex crown, but they won their third straight sectional title and made their this straight appearance in the state final, this time falling to North Andover (6-0). While this year’s senior class knows other than Super Bowl appearances, head coach Brian Lee says this group is focused on taking it one game, starting with the opener against North Attleboro. KP has a strong core of players back on the offensive side of the ball, including quarterback Robbie Jarest and running back Ryan Halliday. Both players had really strong junior seasons and should be the leaders of the group this year. The offensive line includes returners Nolan Gunning (left tackle), Sean Piller (center), and Pat Zarba (right guard) while Wyatt Manzi, Jack Collentro, and Griffin MacKay are in the mix to fill the remaining spots. Having an experienced line bodes well for the KP run game that will heavily feature Ryan Halliday plus fullback Shawn Conniff and halfbacks Sam Callanan and Crawford Cantave.
The Warriors’ defense has been one of the best units in the state in recent years, and while the expectations remain high for the group, there will be a lot of new faces. KP graduated its entire secondary so the Warriors are turning to senior Brian Wasserug and Cantave, a sophomore, to take on starting spots. Halliday and Callanan, both captains, will handle outside linebacker duties with Mike Malatesta in the mix for the middle spot. Gunning and Manzi will also see action on the defensive line alongside Conniff. Dillon Conti takes over kicking duties for the departed Cole Baker.
“These kids know how much work, how much effort it takes to get where we want to be,” Lee said. “But it’s all about going game by game, starting this week with a team [North Attleboro] that we have a ton of respect for.”
Outlook:
Looking at the long list of returning players, it is no surprise that expectations around Alumni Field are sky high this fall. Mansfield enters the season with experience at just about every position and with the bitter taste of last year’s South final loss to rival King Philip still stinging. Despite a rash of injuries that forced running back Aidan Sacco to play as an emergency quarterback for most of the season, Mansfield still won a league title and this year’s team may be even more talented, which has ramped up the hype and put the target squarely on the Hornets’ backs.
The line of scrimmage will be a strength for the Hornets on the offensive side of the ball, as they return four of five starters from last year’s unit that allowed the team to rush for more than 2,600 yards. Senior Jason Comeau and reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year TJ Guy will be two key cogs in the line, while senior Noah Jellenik and junior Jake McCoy are also back. Senior Andrew Cowles will step into the fifth spot. They will seek to protect senior quarterback Jack Moussette, who had a cameo under center last year before an injury forced him to miss the bulk of the season. The skill positions will be loaded with athletes. Cincere Gill had a breakout sophomore season at running back and senior Nick Marciano is back after an injury cut short his junior season. Senior Michael DeBolt was one of the top kickers in the league but also gives Mansfield another weapon on the edges, while senior Vinnie Holmes adds a bruising presence coming out of the backfield.
Holmes is the headliner on the defensive side of the ball. Along with fellow linebackers Marciano, DeBolt, and senior Joe Plath, Holmes will be expected to make big plays all over the field. The defensive line will be strong with three returning players: senior Chris Graham, McCoy, and Guy. Junior Nico Holmes will step in as the fourth man on the line. Much like on offense, speed will be a strength and the secondary is loaded with playmakers, including Gill, junior Matt Boen, and senior Makhi Baskin.
“We have a bunch of experience all over the field, but we really have to develop depth with the second team to handle a tough schedule and challenges every week,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “This is one of the fastest group of skill guys we’ve ever had and we could be explosive on offense. We lack a little size up front on defense, but we should be able to overcome that by flying around with pursuit to the ball with our speed.”
Outlook:
There was no question that 2018 was a tough season for the Tigers. Oliver Ames lost by a point in the season opener to Concord-Carlisle and didn’t earn its only win until the penultimate game against Durfee. The Tigers will hope to turn things around quickly with an infusion of young talent under new head coach Ed DeWitt.
On offense, the players will be learning a new system, but there is experience in the backfield to try and implement different schemes. Senior running back Nathan Cabral figures to see plenty of the ball again this year after his breakout junior season in which he ran for more than 1,100 yards. He will be joined by senior quarterback Cam Perron and senior running back Sam Stevens to give the Tigers a strong core. Seniors Harrison Webster and Adam Cann (who is coming off an injury) will give Perron weapons to utilize on the outside.
There will be a lot of new faces on the defensive side, as DeWitt can call on three or four returning starters and will need a number of players to provide contributions on both sides of the ball. The linebacking corps was particularly hit by graduations, although senior Tyler Campbell can provide some experience and leadership in that position and Cabral brings athleticism to the role. Max Anderson and Anthony DeCosta will be important at the line of scrimmage, while Stevens will step into the secondary along with senior corner Nick Gillis and junior corner Jadon Ricci.
“The competition in camp has been great,” DeWitt said. “The players have committed to the program and bought into the day to day work that we need to do. We are focusing on making sure we treat every day as an opportunity to improve and string together some positive momentum.”
Outlook:
The Tigers started last season with three straight wins and then finished with three wins in their final four games to end 2018 with a winning record. Taunton enters this fall with a relatively inexperienced roster, but one that is looking to continue the momentum in the program and try to push forward so it can challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex division.
One of the biggest changes for the Tigers will be under center. Noah Leonard was the starter for three seasons, but junior Danny MacDougall will take over this year. MacDougall will also see time at receiver to try and take advantage of his athleticism. He will be joined in the backfield by classmates Bretton Heggs and Josh Lopes, who both got time at running back as sophomores. Juniors Kedrick Santos and Devante McPhail will be the primary weapons at receiver. Up front, the Tigers have decent size. Senior Mike Murray will be at center, senior Hussein Kassab at one tackle, junior Marquis Dalomba at the other tackle, and junior Jordan Manning at guard.
Similar to the offensive side of the ball, the Tigers lack experience on defense and are still learning the schemes, but physical scrimmages have helped prepare them for the season. Senior Woudanly Danger is a force at the line of scrimmage and will require attention from opponents and senior Jackson Wellman has been one of the team’s top tacklers from linebacker. Junior defensive end Deandre McPhail adds to the strength of the line. Senior Curt Marshall and MacDougall will be the safeties and senior Cam Carroca will be at corner.
“We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing and trying to get better and to be competitive in the league,” said Taunton coach Brad Sidwell. “We’re definitely inexperienced, but physically we have guys who can do it and we need to coach them up so they’ll be ready to go once the season gets started.”
Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Wrestling All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Mateusz Kudra, North Attleboro
Hockomock League All Stars
Thomas Gallagher, Foxboro
William Ogebebor, Foxboro
Shayne Kerrigan, Foxboro
Drew DiFillipo, Franklin
Jake Carlucci, Franklin
Jordan Carlucci, Franklin
Alex Fracassa, Franklin
Dom Sackley, Franklin
Mohammad Lofti, King Philip
Luke Fitch, King Philip
Shawn Conniff, King Philip
Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
George Glaropoulos, Mansfield
Jayden Curley, Mansfield
William Stratton, Mansfield
Nick Marcolini, Milford
Carlos Terrinha, Milford
Mateusz Kudra, North Attleboro
John Kummer, North Attleboro
Michael Burns, North Attleboro
Michael Edmonds, North Attleboro
Dean Pacini, Oliver Ames
William Tat, Oliver Ames
Alex Bolt, Sharon
Mansfield’s Jayden Curley (left) and North Attleboro’s Mateusz Kudra, pictured here in matches earlier this season, won MIAA All-State championships. (HockomockSports.com Photos)
For the first time in over a decade, a pair of wrestlers from the Hockomock League were crowned MIAA All-State Champions. Mansfield’s Jayden Curley avenged a loss from earlier in the season to win the title at 170 and North Attleboro’s Mateusz Kudra continued his undefeated season by taking . the 285 championship.
The last time that two Hockomock wrestlers won All-State championships in the same year was 2007 when Franklin’s Ryan Donovan (145) and Matt Sidebottom (285) took home the hardware for the Panthers. It’s the first time since 2006 that wrestlers from two Hock schools (Sharon’s Dan Bloom at 119 and Foxboro’s Nick Avery at 171) won at All-States.
A week ago at the MIAA D1 State Tournament at Methuen High, Curley suffered a 7-2 setback in the semifinals to Springfield Central’s Dohnivin Harvey. This weekend, Curley had a chance for revenge. The senior needed less than a minute to get a pin in his opening match over Tyngsboro’s Mark Thomas and then earned a second-round pin over Danvers’ Russell Canova to advance to the semifinals.
Curley earned a pair of first-round takedowns on Middleboro’s Jacob Studley before getting the pin at 1:14 to move on to the final to face off with Harvey. He took a 2-0 lead in the first round after a takedown, and then extended the lead to 7-0 after a takedown and near fall in the second. Harvey scored a takedown early in the third, but Curley got an escape 16 seconds later and added a takedown and near fall in the final 63 seconds to earn the 12-2 win. Curley is the first Hornet to win an All-State title since James Connors in 2005, a heavyweight that went 101-18 in his career.
While North Attleboro has a rich program history, one of the most successful teams in the state, it didn’t have an All-State champion to add to its résumé — until now. Kudra dominated the competition throughout the season and marched his way through the heavyweight bracket to claim the All-State title.
Kudra, the top-seed in the bracket, built up a 10-0 lead over Andover’s Ethan Coyle in his opening match before earning a fall at 2:32 to move onto the quarterfinals. The domination continued in the next round as Kudra had takedowns in the first and second rounds, as well as a near fall, to take a 6-0 win over Agawam’s Antonio Ramos. In the semifinal, the senior grappler won by major decision (9-0) over Lawrence’s Brandon Santell.
In the final, Kudra secured the championship with a late first round takedown and an escape in the second round, earning a 3-1 win over Xaverian’s Grant Laws, the MIAA D1 State Champion. Laws was able to get a third-round escape, snapping Kudra’s ridiculous postseason stretch of 10 straight matches without giving up a point. That was 10 consecutive matches against the best heavyweights in the entire state without allowing a single point.
For team totals, Mansfield had the best finish of Hockomock teams, taking third with 77.5 points, just one point behind second-place Central Catholic.
All-State Results
Teams
1. Springfield Central – 171
3. Mansfield – 77.5
11. North Attleboro – 49
33. King Philip – 24
34. Foxboro – 23
38. Franklin – 20
40. Oliver Ames – 17
75. Milford – 4
76. Sharon – 4
Placements
120
8th – Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
132
6th – Jordan Carlucci, Franklin
138
7th – Tommy Gallagher, Foxboro
145
5th – Mohammed Lofti, King Philip
6th – Will Stratton, Mansfield
152
3rd – CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
7th – Michael Edmonds, North Attleboro
160
7th – George Glaropoulos, Mansfield
170
1st – Jayden Curley, Mansfield
8th – Billy Tat, Oliver Ames
195
7th – Shawn Conniff, King Philip
8th – Dean Pacini, Oliver Ames
Mansfield and North Attleboro, this year’s Hockomock League champions from the Kelley-Rex and Davenport divisions, each earned second place finishes at the divisional state tournaments held on Friday and Saturday. Mansfield was the runner-up at the D1 State Tournament held at Metheun High, scoring 113 points. Springfield Central ran away with the state title, scoring 199.5 points. At Beverly High, the Rocketeers registered 104.5 points, second to only Central Catholic’s 167 points.
Foxboro shined at the Division 3 tournament at Wakefield High School, taking third overall. The Warriors had three wrestlers advance to the finals and had two winners, earning 105 points. Taconic won the title with 113 points and Dedham was second with 111 points.
Back in Division 1, Franklin had five wrestlers place sixth or better, earning 87.5 points which was good for seventh overall. King Philip also had a top ten finish, taking eighth overall in Division 2 with 68 points. Oliver Ames was 13th overall with 50 points while Milford earned 43 points and 19th place.
For individuals, Foxboro was the lone Hockomock school with two state champions. Shayne Kerrigan had five takedowns and two near falls in the final, earning a 15-3 major decision over Tri-County’s Patrick Griffin to win the D3 State Title at 132. In the next match, Tommy Gallagher and Tyngsboro’s Josh Ducharme went scoreless for three rounds but Gallagher earned a takedown in the overtime period, earning a 2-0 decision for the D3 State Title at 138.
Mansfield’s CJ Glaropoulos won his first state title, defeating St. John’s Prep Achilles Gikas for the crown. Glaropoulos scored a reversal with 29 seconds left in the second round, and that was enough for the 2-0 decision to win the D1 State Title at 152. The Hornets had four other wrestlers advance to the consolation match, and four won to take third place.
North Attleboro senior Mateusz Kudra continued his undefeated season with his second straight state title. Kudra earned three straight pins to advance to the final against Tewksbury’s Dylan Chandler. After a scoreless first round, Kudra got an escape early in the second, then got a takedown, and earned a near fall with six seconds left for a 5-0 advantage, which proved to be enough for the win.
Division 1
Teams
1. Springfield Central – 199.5
2. Mansfield – 113
6. Franklin – 87.5
41. Taunton – 1
Placements
106
6th – Drew DiFilipo, Franklin
113
3rd – Jake Carlucci, Franklin
120
3rd – Antonios Sevastos, Mansfield
132
2nd – Jordan Carlucci, Franklin
145
3rd – Will Stratton, Mansfield
152
1st – CJ Glaropoulos, Mansfield
160
3rd – George Glaropoulos, Mansfield
5th – Caleb MacLean, Franklin
