Baseball
Franklin, 9 vs. Hopkinton, 10 – Final (8 inn.)
Foxboro, 3 @ Ashland, 0 – Final – Foxboro ended the regular season on a high note, earning a 3-0 shutout on the road over Ashland. Sophomore Ryan O’Leary and senior Sean O’Leary combined for the shutout on the mound while Tyler Prescott, Ryan LeClair, and Ben Angelini each drove in a run in the Warriors’ win. Ryan O’Leary got the start and went four innings, scattering three hits and two walks along with three strikeouts while Sean O’Leary struck out two and gave up three hits in three scoreless innings. LeClair drove in freshman Aidan Stow to give Foxboro a 1-0 lead in the third, and that lead stayed until the sixth when Angelini delivered a two-out base hit to plate LeClair. Foxboro added a key insurance run in the seventh on a two-out base hit from Tyler Prescott to score courtesy runner Pradyu Gubbala (who was running after Mat Sullivan had a single).
Taunton, 5 @ Durfee, 1 – Final – Taunton earned its fifth straight game to take down Durfee in the regular season finale. Jack Cali had a strong start for the Tigers, allowing just one run on four hits and a pair of walks, striking out three in 5.2 innings of work while Brady Morin earned the save with 1.1 shutout innings in relief. Sean Murphy, Brayden Cali (two runs), and Shawn Cali (two RBI, triple) each had two hits to pace the Taunton offense.
Softball
Attleboro, 8 vs. Natick, 9 – Final (8 inn.)
Stoughton, 12 vs. Norwood, 1 – Final
Foxboro, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – North Attleboro rallied for three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to erase a one-run deficit and land a league win over Foxboro. The Warriors took the lead in the fourth inning when sophomore Natalia Leach led off with a single and came home to score on a two-out single from sophomore Ava Hill. North Attleboro’s Emma Hanwell plated the tying run with a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth while Ari McDavitt scored the go-ahead run on a squeeze from Lucy Palmer. Kelly Colleran tacked on a key insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Colleran earned the win in the circle, striking out 16.
Mansfield, 5 @ Franklin, 10 – Final – Playing in its third game in four games, Franklin plated the first eight runs of the game and never looked back to land a win over Mansfield. After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers scored in five straight innings, including a big four-run fifth inning. Senior Katy Liberman led the charge offensively with a team0high three hits while Kiera Kotwicki, Avery Chalk, Carly Pellegri, and Hailey Fales each had two hits. Freshman Sophia Sacramone earned the win, scattering six hits for five runs (two earned) on two walks and 11 strikeouts. Callie Lake had another strong game for the Hornets, going 3-for-4, with Liv Madeira, Molly Kucharski, Dani Jameson, and Amanda Schwarz each had one hit.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Foxboro, 4 @ Sandwich, 9 – Final – Foxboro’s regular season came to a close with a 9-4 setback on the road in Sandwich. Conor Noone netted a hat trick, Tony Sulham scored once, and Adam Addeche made 10 saves in net for the Warriors.
Taunton, 18 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton ended its first season back at the varsity level with an exclamation point with a dominant performance at in the Whaling City. Freshman Oren Cullins capped off an impressive rookie campaign in the cage with a 10-save shutout. Thomas Murphy had a team-high five points with four goals and one assist, Tommy Selfridge added three goals and one helper, and Connor McGrath scored once with two helpers. Dylan McCaughey and Colt Kennedy each netted a pair of goals and Israel Cruz had one goal and one assist.
Girls Lacrosse
North Attleboro, 8 @ Attleboro, 20 – Final – Attleboro staked a four-goal lead by halftime and then pulled away for the convincing win with a strong second half. Junior Molly Moore potted a team-high six goals while freshman Amelia Collins had five goals and two assists and freshman Makenah Stokes scored four goals and had two helpers. Bella Cavallini added a hat trick with two assists and Stella Krawiec and Addison Papagolos each scored once. Peyton McAuliffe made 10 saves in the win. North got two goals apiece from Ellie Regan, Caroline Folan, Avery Hous, and Lily Ramm.
Mansfield, 17 @ Oliver Ames, 12 – Final – The Hornets held a one-goal at lead but outscored the host Tigers 7-3 in the second half to get the non-league win. Brooke Butler paced the offense with six goals and one assist, Ava Adams added five goals and five draw controls, and both Lola Varricchione (three assists) and Tessa Johnson scored a pair for Mansfield. Rose Maher and Keira Fitzpatrick chipped in with a goal apiece while Caitlyn Zajac made 10 saves in the win.
Taunton, 5 vs. New Bedford, 15 – Final – Mel Jesus turned away 10 shots but the Tigers fell at home against visiting New Bedford. Cali Melo scored twice for the hosts while Maddi Szala, Caroline Vallarelli, and Raquel Azevedo each scored once.
Milford, 9 @ Bellingham, 3 – Final
Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 2 @ Milton, 3 – Final
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 3:45
North Attleboro, 2 @ Dartmouth, 3 – Final – North won both doubles matches with Carson Dameron and Brody Gaulin prevailing at first doubles, and the team of Caleb Cheney and Jeremy Carter taking a 6-1, 7-5 win at second doubles for the Rocketeers.
Girls Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ New Bedford, 0 – Final – Taunton capped the regular season with a clean sweep at New Bedford, taking all five matches in straight sets. Brooke Bell (6-0, 6-0), Ava Alves (6-1, 6-0), and Morgan Smith (6-1, 6-2) swept singles actions for the Tigers. In doubles play, Courtney Martin and Janelle Garcia dropped just one game in a 6-0, 6-1 first doubles win, and the team of Caroline Pietnik and Sam Parrett rolled to a 6-0, 6-0 verdict at second doubles.
Boys Volleyball
Milford, 2 vs. Needham, 3 – Final
Taunton, 3 @ Barnstable, 0 – Final
Baseball
Canton, 7 @ Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – Canton closed out the regular season with a big road win that gives the Bulldogs a chance of taking one of the last spots in the state tournament. Canton jumped ahead 2-0 in the first, but the Shamrocks answered back with three runs in the second. The visitors stole momentum immediately and regained the lead with a two-run third. Canton tacked on one in the fifth and two more in the seventh to seal the win. Hayden Rose picked up the win on the mound, going the distance and allowing only four hits and two earned runs, while striking out three. Rose also had two hits and an RBI at the plate. Jack Digirolamo scored twice and hit a solo homer. Matt Hart continued to swing a hot bat with three hits and two RBI and Owen Lane and Matt Chafin each had two hits and a run scored.
Mansfield, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final – Milford senior righty Evan Cornelius was stellar on the mound in six shutout innings and the Hawks provided enough offense to deliver a 3-0 win over visiting Mansfield. Cornelius scattered four hits and three walks while racking up an impressive 16 strikeouts, including some key ones with the Hornets threatening. Cornelius stranded a runner at second with one out after back-to-back strikeouts, left runners on the corners in the third one one out again with consecutive strikeouts, and struck out three straight in the fourth after a leadoff walk. Mansfield senior Conner Zukowski gave Mansfield runners at second and third with a one-out single in the fifth but Cornelius bucked down with a strikeout and a grounder to second. The biggest chance for the visitors came in the top of the sixth when Matt DeShiro reached on an error, Wyatt Bolduc singled to left, and Will Lund earned a one-out walk to load the bases. But the Hornets didn’t cash in as Cornelius struck out two in a row — both looking — to end the threat. Milford scored once in the first after back-to-back errors from the Hornets allowed Brady Butler to score with two outs. In the fourth, sophomore Joey McGee (3-for-3) and junior Victor Martinez had back-to-back singles to lead off, and the former came in to score on a squeeze from Joe Butler. Junior Keith Lee delivered a key two-out single to bring in Milford’s third run. Ian Carter tossed a scoreless seventh inning for the save, striking out one. Sophomore lefty Luke Rogan (4.1 IP) pitched well in relief for Mansfield, allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks, recording three strikeouts.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 3 – Final – North Attleboro jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning but the host Trojans chipped away, scoring once in the third, once in the fifth, and once in the sixth on a squeeze play to secure the win. Ayden Delaney had a one-out walk, Harrison Gagne kept the inning alive with a two-out single, Delaney scored on an error, and Zach Corsetti singled to right for an RBI to give the Rocketeers an early 2-0 lead. Dillon Harding pitched well in the loss, scattering nine hits and no walks for three runs (two earned) allowed.
Stoughton, 11 vs. Brockton, 3 – Final – Stoughton’s offense came alive to the tune of 11 runs on 11 hits and the Black Knights knocked out the Boxers, completing a season sweep of neighboring Brockton. Stoughton’s seniors led the charge as Sean Farley had a pair of hits, an RBI, and a run scored, Jeriel Cuello added two hits and two runs scored, Joseph Rush had a double, two walks, an RBI and a run scored, and James McCarthy had an RBI, two runs scored, and played sound defense in right field. Rush also earned the win on the sound, scattering seven hits and two walks for three runs (two earned), striking out eight in a complete game effort. “We had a great performance by all four seniors,” said Stoughton head coach Kevin Carty. Ben Shirey added two hits, two RBI, and two runs scored, Hunter Malkin had a hit, a walk, an RBI, and a run, Dom Belle collected a double and two RBI, Andrew Beder singled in a run, and freshman Drew Geaney collected his first career hit to go along with an RBI and a run scored.
Softball
Stoughton, 11 @ Brockton, 9 – Final
Taunton, 16 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final (6 Inn.) – Bella Bourque hit a pair of homers and Taunton pulled away with 15 runs over the final four innings to sweep the season series with Feehan. The Tigers got a run in the first to take the lead, but Feehan scored twice in the third and grabbed the lead. It was short-lived. Taunton scored six in the bottom half of the inning to take control. The Tigers added two more in the fifth and walked it off with a seven-run sixth. Bourque was 2-for-5, scored twice and drove in four. Leadoff hitter Kyleah Plumb set the table for the Tigers, going 4-for-5 with a triple, driving in four, and scoring twice. Kaysie DeMoura had three hits and scored twice and Mia Torres added two hits, two runs, and two RBI. Hayley Krockta, Brooke Aldrich, and Mia Fernandes all had hits and combined for five runs scored. Sam Lincoln allowed two runs over six innings and struck out 12 to get the win.
North Attleboro, 5 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Kelly Colleran struck out 17 and allowed just three hits to record her eighth shutout of the season. Maryellen Charette got the North offense going with a two-run single in the third inning, plating Arianna McDavitt and Colleran with what turned out to be the winning runs. In the fifth, Charette’s heads-up base-running allowed her to score from third on a passed ball to make it 3-0. Colleran helped her own cause an inning later with a two-run homer, scoring Maddie Bailey. Colleran, Charette, and Grace Simmons each had multi-hit games for North. Grace Forman had a hit and was key defensively at third, making several nice plays to cut out bunt attempts by the Tigers. Maddie Homer had a double and a stolen base, and Madison Monteiro and Katherine Farley each had a single for OA.
Franklin, 8 @ Milford, 9 – Final – Two days after suffering a one-run setback at Franklin, Milford extracted some revenge with a comeback win of their own, plating the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning to earn a series split. Both offenses picked up where they left off as the Panthers pushed across four runs in the first (highlighted by two-run singles from both Hailey Fales and Dana Stott) but Milford answered with five runs in the bottom half (highlighted by RBI doubles from both Cae Pellegrini and Ava Baglione). An RBI single from Avery Chalk tied the game and Carly Pellegri drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Panthers back in front, 6-5, in the fourth but Pellegrini drove one to center to bring Olivia Baglione home to make it 6-6. Chalk added another RBI single and Pellegri’s sac fly pushed the lead to 8-6 in the top of the fifth only for the Scarlet Hawks to once again answer in the bottom half; Grace Bonina doubled in a run and then scored on an error in the next at-bat. Maeve Williams’ RBI single in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference, putting Milford ahead 9-8. Maeve Driscoll retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to finish off the complete game.
Mansfield, 6 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Dani Jameson tossed a complete game shutout and the Hornets added four insurance runs in the seventh inning to pull away from Canton for the win. The Hornets took the lead in the third after Callie Lake singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice. The lead lasted until the fifth when the Hornets were able to double their advantage as Lake singled in Reilley Slaney (single). In the seventh, Lake recorded a two-out RBI to bring in Molly Crowley (double), Molly Kucharski drove in Lake and Liv Madeira (single) with a base hit, and Jill Koppy brought in another run with a double. Jameson allowed six hits while striking out five for the win.
Boys Lacrosse
Attleboro, 7 @ Sharon, 13 – Final
Franklin, 16 vs. Lincoln-Sudbury, 10 – Final – Franklin built a six-goal edge by halftime and held that lead the rest of the way in an impressive victory over sixth-ranked Lincoln-Sudbury. Luke Davis led the way with seven points, scoring a hat trick and registering four assists while Tyler Sacchetti found the back of the net four times and Jayden Consigli scored three times. Senior Chris Drake (two goals, one assist) and junior Eddie O’Brien (one goal, two assists) each finished with three points in the win.
King Philip, 14 @ Ashland, 6 – Final – King Philip picked its third straight win to complete the regular season, taking down the Clockers on the road. Noah Minkwitz had a standout performance offensively with a team-high six points (five goals, one assist) while Donovan DeVellis added a pair of goals and a trio of assists and Hayden Schmitz found the back of the net four times. Pat Weiblen recorded a hat trick with one helper, and both Justin Kosh and Tommy Kilroy chipped in with an assist. James Boldy had another big day in net with 14 saves.
Mansfield, 16 @ AMSA, 6 – Final – Tommy Smith scored half of Mansfield’s goals, as the Hornets rolled to a big win in the regular season finale. Drew Sacco added a hat trick and Nico Smith had three points (two goals and an assist) and was perfect on face-offs for the Hornets. Andrew DeGirolamo had a hand in six goals, finding the back of the net once and setting up five, and Cody Gordon and Tommy Vallett each scored once. Ryan DeGirolamo made 15 saves and the defense, led by Nolan Bordieri, Liam Barry, and Thomas Gormley, shut down the AMSA attack for most of the night.
Girls Lacrosse
Sharon, 3 @ Attleboro, 15 – Final – The Bombardiers bounced back from a tough overtime loss earlier in the week with a convincing win over visiting Sharon. Attleboro’s five seniors all found their way onto the score sheet as Jordan Mooney scored a pair of goals along with one assist, Stella Kraweic recorded three assists, and Gigi Sprovieri, Meg Ferreira, and Ella Stromfors each scored once.
Canton, 8 vs. Bishop Feehan, 12 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. – Devan Spinale led Canton with three goals, both Kayleigh Koen and Nora Giannacopoulos scored twice, and Shannon McGrann scored once.
Milford, 12 vs. Bellingham, 5 – Final – A trio of four-goal bursts helped the Hawks land a win over visiting Bellingham. Milford opened the game with a 4-0 run, extended the lead back to 8-4 when Bellingham cut into the deficit, and then pulled away for good with a 4-0 run to make it 12-5. Emily Croteau led the way with seven points (five goals, two assists) while sophomores Alexa Landry and TJ Downing each had a hat trick in the win. Jordan Douglas added a goal and an assist and Erin Michelson chipped in with one assist; Caitlyn Bangert turned away 12 shots in the win.
North Attleboro, 8 @ Oliver Ames, 20 – Final
Boys Tennis
Franklin, 0 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 5 – Final
Franklin, 0 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 5 – Final
Mansfield, 1 @ Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final – Mansfield sophomore Neema Khosravani had the lone win for the Hornets in a good tune-up for the postseason against a talented Bishop Feehan squad. Khosravani secured a hard-fought 7-5, 6-1 win at first singles.
Milford, 0 vs. Medway, 4 – Final
Sharon, 0 vs. Duxbury, 5 – Final
Girls Tennis
Mansfield, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final
Sharon, 2 @ Duxbury, 3 – Final
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames sophomore Hannah Farber picked up her biggest win of the season, landing a crucial win at first singles to help Oliver Ames earn its second 3-2 win over Foxboro this week. Farber played the best match of her season on her way to a 6-3, 6-3 win at first singles, Olivia Querzoli added a 6-2, 6-3 win at second singles for OA, and Stella Zachos rounded out the singles sweep with a 6-1, 6-2 win at third singles.
Boys Volleyball
King Philip, 3 vs. Norton, 0 – Final
Canton and Oliver Ames both reached the postseason last spring. Read our team-by-team breakdown of the upcoming girls lacrosse season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
2022 Record: 3-14 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Shane Collins
It has been a few years since Attleboro challenged for a playoff spot, but the Bombardiers are hoping that the program is taking steps to get back to that level. First-year coach Shane Collins inherits a group with some varsity experience and a little more depth in the roster to try and exceed the three wins from 2022.
Attleboro’s attack will be led by senior Jordan Mooney, a three-year starter, and classmate Stella Krawiec, whose speed adds a different dimension on offense. Sophomore Isabella Cavallini gained a lot of experience as a freshman and could have a breakout year. Junior Molly Moore and freshman Amelia Collins will also get chances to contribute in attack.
Junior Addison Papagolos will be a key player in midfield, making an impact at both ends of the field. Senior Gabriela Sprovieri will also chip in. Senior Ella Stromfors is a three-year starter in defense and her leadership will be invaluable for the Bombardiers alongside juniors Kristin Vasquez-Trudeau and Leandra Lennon. Sophomore Peyton McAuliffe is in goal after seeing some action in the cage as a freshman.
“There’s nothing but upside for this team,” said Collins. “Most of these girls have at least a season of varsity lacrosse under their belts. I feel we have some depth in the midfield, attackers improving on getting to the cage, and a defense and keeper who are communicating extremely well leading up to the start of the season. Our success this season truly hinges on everyone’s commitment to the team-first mentality.”
2022 Record: 14-4 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Casey Bradley
Under first-year coach (and former player) Casey Bradley, Canton saw a resurgence in 2022. The Bulldogs battled Foxboro for the league title all the way to the final game of the regular season and returned to the state tournament. This season, Canton returns loads of talent to make another title challenge and try to add a playoff victory.
Midfield is going to be a strength for the Bulldogs. Junior Devan Spinale is a talented, speedy player with a great finishing touch. Senior Emily McCabe provides the team with endless energy at both ends of the field and was the team’s leading scorer last year. Freshman Nora Giannacopoulos has been impressive in the preseason and there is a lot of potential for her to make an instant impact.
The attack is spearheaded by senior Ella Yeaton, another quick, skillful player who can break down opposition defenses. Canton’s strength last year was its defense and the Bulldogs will be leaning on a couple of experienced players to keep that solidity going into the new season. Juniors Tori Carr and Ava Gilmore are vocal leaders who will maintain the organization in front of goal.
“I am very excited to work with this talented group and continue to build on the foundation from last year,” Bradley said. “We have a ton of returners who will lead the way for the younger girls. The girls are super happy to be back and love working with each other every day.”
2022 Record: 14-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 3 Quarterfinal (Davenport champion) Coach: Kathleen McCullough
Foxboro came within a goal of reaching the Div. 3 Final Four last year and the Warriors bring back a strong core that should be among the contenders for the D3 title again this spring. The 10-time defending Davenport division champions have experience all over the field, return their top two scorers from last year, and are focused on making another tournament run.
The Warriors were the second-highest scoring team in the Hock last year and should be right there again, as seniors Paige Curran, the reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year, and Mya Waryas spearhead a deep, talented group of attackers. Senior Grace Riley and sophomore Cate Noone and junior midfielders Val Beigel and Mary Collins will add even more offensive punch.
Senior Jenney Gallagher is a vocal leader in the defense and she’s not afraid to rush forward and cause problems for the opposition on the other end of the field as well. Junior Ella Campbell is an experienced defender who can disrupt opposing attacks. Sophomore Audrey Campbell gained confidence from a strong freshman season, including a couple of impressive displays in the playoffs, and will be a leader in goal.
“I am thrilled to get back to work with this group of girls,” said Foxboro coach Kathleen McCullough. “They are extremely hardworking and motivated to make a playoff run this year. Right now, we are focusing on team chemistry and game strategies as we approach a schedule that poses some tough opponents and challenges.”
2022 Record: 18-3 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Quarterfinal (Kelley-Rex champion) Coach: Kristin Igoe Guarino
Franklin has been untouchable in the Hockomock League for a decade. Last spring, the Panthers extended their league winning streak to more than 90 games and they come into this season as the heavy favorites to bring home another Kelley-Rex title. Expectations remain sky-high for a program that only seems to reload, not rebuild, and the Panthers will continue to have aspirations to challenge the best programs in the state and compete for a first state title.
The experience in the midfield will be key to Franklin’s season. Senior Kaitlyn Carney led the team with 50 goals in the regular season in 2022 and classmate Katie Peterson was right behind her with 65 points. Seniors Jamie Tanner and Lindsay Atkinson will also return in what should be a dynamic attacking unit. What makes Franklin so difficult to play against is that all of those midfielders also contribute on the other end as well. Senior Payten Crandall will be back in the heart of the defense, giving the team needed leadership in front of its own goal.
As always, when players graduate, Franklin has new players ready to step into the lineup. Junior Katie Ryan will add to the attacking firepower up front, while sophomore Sophia Sacchetti will add to the midfield. Both were on varsity last season but will have bigger roles to play this spring. Freshman midfielder Vera Hansen, the lone rookie on the roster, will also get the chance to show off her speed. Junior Keira Kucich will join Crandall in defense in front of sophomore goalie Ella Mahoney, who’s had a strong start to the season.
“I am really looking forward to the 2023 season,” said Franklin coach Kristin Igoe Guarino. “We have a good mix of upperclassmen leaders and new players who are ready to step up. Every player has an important role on this team, and if we play together we can go far!”
2022 Record: 14-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Sweet Sixteen Coach: Kourtnie Wilder
King Philip is coming off another strong season. The Warriors lost only once in the league, to Franklin, and went on the road to beat Needham in the opening round of the state tournament. KP returns 12 players from last year’s team and will lean on its experienced defenders to keep the team in the hunt for a first league title since 2012.
Senior goalie Emily Campbell will be back in the cage this season and her leadership and shot-stopping will be important for the Warriors. Junior Lily McNulty can play in defense or midfield and is another experienced player who can limit the opposition
In attack, the Warriors will have some new faces stepping in and familiar faces who will have much bigger roles. Sophomore Makenzie McDevitt is coming off a breakout freshman season and could be pivotal as either an attacker or a midfielder. Juniors Alyssa Legere and Nicole McDonald will also be counted on to fire in the goals and junior midfielder Sarah Brown can help at both ends of the field.
“We are looking forward to working with this new group,” said KP coach Kourtnie Wilder. “The team has worked hard so far and put in work in the offseason. A lot of our players are multi-sport athletes, and play other sports together and have great chemistry. We as a coaching staff are excited to see what this group can do this spring.”
2022 Record: 9-6 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Preliminary Round Coach: Mary Kiley
After a tough start to 2022, Mansfield went on a six-game win streak to close out the regular season (four of those wins by three goals or fewer) and earned a trip to Westford Academy in the first round of the playoffs. The Hornets will be hoping that the momentum from that late-season run will carry over to 2023 and that they can make a title challenge in their first spring in the Davenport division.
Offensively, the team will lean on senior Ava Adams. The team’s leading scorer from last season is a dynamic playmaker and she can open up chances for the entire attack. On defense, experience will be key for the Hornets. Senior goalie Caitlin Zajac returns to be the backstop for the defensive group and classmate Audrey Murphy gives the Hornets much-needed leadership at the back.
Mansfield is counting on the experience gained last year to build depth throughout the roster. Senior Brooke Butler, juniors Keira Fitzpatrick and Lola Varricchione, and sophomore Ella Palanza will play big roles in the midfield, supporting the attack but also dropping in and bolstering the defense.
“We’re having a great start to the season – focusing on fundamentals like our fitness and stickwork, but also elevating our play with high-intensity drills that are super competitive as well as team building,” said Mansfield coach Mary Kiley. “We have a large, talented team and are looking to strategize by using quicker, line-type subbing (like hockey) that will allow us to always have fresh legs on the field. Overall, the team is confident, hard-working, and ready to bring it in our new division!”
2022 Record: 11-9 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 1 Preliminary Round Coach: Kacey Young
Milford is coming off one of the best seasons in program history. Under first-year coach Kacey Young, the Hawks won 11 games and reached the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade. Now the challenge is building off that success and trying to continue the momentum that has been created around the program.
The Hawks return 15 seniors from last year’s team, so there will be plenty of experience on the field, even with the graduation of leading scorer Aislinn Bennett. Offensively, several players will be counted on to step up and provide scoring punch, including senior midfielders Emily Croteau and Carly Haley. Senior Jordan Douglas and junior Erin Michelson will add to the attack along with a talented group of sophomore newcomers: TJ Downing, Yas Martinez, Alexa Landry, and Kaitlin Landry.
Experience will be a strength of Milford’s defense. Senior Caitlyn Bangert had an impressive 2022 in goal and will be back in the cage to provide vocal leadership and organization. In front of Bangert, seniors Tessa Scrimgeour, Sophia Soares, and Molly Hartman form a cohesive group to try and keep opposing attackers at bay.
“Our focus this year is to continue to work together as a team, celebrate the successes and growth, learn from our mistakes, and have fun,” Young explained. “With 15 seniors on the team, their leadership is spread across the field in all positions. Every player will be a contributor on this team and I look forward to seeing them all play together this season.”
2022 Record: 7-12 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Amanda Welch
After reaching the playoffs in 2022, North Attleboro returns to the Kelley-Rex division this spring with a roster that is significantly younger. The Rocketeers graduated nearly all of its starting lineup, so the opportunity is there for a lot of players to make instant contributions.
Midfield is where most of North’s experience will be, including its two returning starters. Seniors Ava McKeon and Caroline Folan are the top two scorers coming back for North but also give the Rocketeers athleticism, energy, and leadership all over the field.
As expected from a team that graduated so much of its lineup, there will be a lot of newcomers that will get valuable varsity experience this year. North has a talented sophomore group that could be poised for big seasons. Lily Ramm and Ellie Regan will be in the attack and Carleigh Swenson will step into the defense.
“For our 2023 season we are looking up,” said North coach Amanda Welch. “Despite losing 90% of our starting lineup of seniors, we have really put in the work in the offseason and it’s showing. We have a bright future for this team as we recruited young talent that will help fill the gaps of those seniors. The girls have come to play this year and we will be a team to look out for.”
2022 Record: 11-8 2022 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Round of 32 Coach: Marisol Henderson
Oliver Ames reached the state tournament a year ago and the Tigers are looking to make another playoff run this spring under first-year coach Marisol Henderson. With only one senior on the roster, OA is going to lean heavily on younger players to step into big roles, but there is a lot of excitement about the potential on the roster.
Senior Catie Wilson is the team’s top returning scorer and she’ll lead the team from the front. Juniors Leanna Hudson and Kayla Magit add to OA’s attacking strength. Junior Olivia O’Rourke will be the key to the midfield. The St. Anselm commit provides energy on both ends of the field. Junior Hailey Goldman and sophomore Summer Silverman have been aggressive through preseason and junior Erin Cottam has the potential for a breakout season.
Junior goalie Claire O’Rourke will bring vocal leadership to the defensive group. Juniors Taylor McAndrew and Gennie Fulford have a lot of skill at cutting off opposition attacks. Freshman Molly Nager has already shown how her speed could be a threat on the break and has the potential to be an instant contributor.
“I have been really impressed by the positive energy and hard work that the team has shown,” Henderson said. “It has also been great to see how well they support each other. They are coming into another season with a new coach, and it can be tough to not have consistency from one year to the next, but they aren’t letting that get to them and they are eager to learn. We have a lot of potential and I am looking forward to seeing improvements every game.”
2022 Record: 0-20 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Ali Bowery
Sharon is coming off a difficult 2022 season. The Eagles were unable to find a win last year, although they did have two losses by just a single goal, and are in the midst of a rebuild under first-year coach Ali Bowery. She is leaning on her experienced seniors to get the team ready to compete this spring.
One of the seniors who the Eagles will count on this season is goalie Tess Letendre, who has been a solid shot-stopper for each of the past three years. Senior Carly Buckman will also provide much-needed vocal leadership. Juniors Anna Hertzel and Keira Lydeard have been named captains and give the Eagles energy on both ends of the field.
Underclassmen to watch out for this season include sophomore Bailey Garte, who is a three-sport varsity athlete, and classmate Megan Porcaro. Bowery has been impressed with the pair’s stick work and speed in the preseason. Overall, Bowery is expecting Sharon’s attack to be more potent this season.
“I have a great group of girls that all mesh well with each other,” Bowery said. “They have been working hard during practice improving their shots and ball movement. I am looking forward to the start of the season. I am rebuilding the program and this group of girls will take it to the next level!”
2022 Record: n/a 2022 Finish: n/a Coach: Kelly Fahey
Stoughton is making its varsity debut this spring and head coach Kelly Fahey is looking forward to seeing how the Black Knights can bring the chemistry built over the past few seasons to fully compete in the Hockomock League.
A pair of sisters will be important players for Stoughton as it makes the jump into varsity. Junior attacker Morgan Groppi and freshman midfielder Casey Groppi and junior midfielder Nicole Reid and freshman attacker Amanda Reid bring versatility and lacrosse experience to the field. That foursome will be counted on to create opportunities for themselves and their teammates, while also helping out in other areas of the game.
Junior Mia Rivera is moving up from defense to attack and her aggression and defensive instincts will be helpful at that end of the field. Sophomore Lily Nourse is a versatile newcomer who can play on either end.
“We have a lot of girls who are not afraid to take shots and create opportunities,” Fahey said. “The girls have been playing together for a few years and have solid team chemistry. This is our first year as a varsity program and we are excited to compete.”
2022 Record: 2-14 2022 Finish: Missed postseason Coach: Adilson Galvao
After graduating the program’s all-time leading scorer, Taunton was bound to have a rebuilding season in 2022. The Tigers had a pair of one-goal wins against Sharon, but with only 68 goals scored Taunton struggled to pick up any other results. Second-year coach Adilson Galvao is hoping that a year of experience will be a boost for the young Tigers and see a big improvement this spring.
Some of the players who seem ready for a big step up this season include senior midfielders Kayla Bayanilla and Hailey Tanguay, both of whom can contribute on both ends of the field. Senior Raquel Azevedo and sophomore Madison Szala will lead the way on the attacking end, while junior Cali Melo brings her athleticism into the midfield.
Newcomers who have made instant impacts during preseason play are freshmen Taryn Campbell and Lillian Bonneau. Galvao is excited about the connections that are already building between his attacking players. Senior Melissa Jesus will be an important leader for the Tigers this year, as she returns in the goal to keep things organized at the back.
“The team has a mix of new, young, and returning faces that are all determined to become a better player for themselves and towards the team,” Galvoa said. “This year’s season will show the maximum potential and ambition these girls have towards the game of lacrosse.”
Girls Hockey
Stoughton/Sharon, 0 @ Central Catholic, 6 – Final
Gymnastics
Sharon, 116.4 @ Attleboro, 137.4 – Final – Attleboro’s Caroline DiMarco was the top scorer in three of the four events for the Bombardiers in a in over Sharon. DiMarco scored a 9.15 on the vault, a 9.0 on the beam, and an 8.8 on the bars, adding a second place score of 8.9 on the floor. Mekenzie Grenier won the floor for Attleboro with a 9.1 and took third on the vault (8.6). Stella Krawiec also scored in three events, taking second on the vault (8.65) and third on both the bars (8.0) and the floor (8.6).
Gymnastics
Attleboro, 133.3 @ Canton, 126.7 – Final – Caroline DiMarco won both the vault and the bars while taking second on the floor to lead Attleboro to a season-opening win over Canton. DiMarco scored a 9.2 on the vault and a 9.1 on the bars as the Bombardiers swept both events. Raegen Bonneau (8.9) and Stella Krawwiec (8.6) rounded out the top three in the vault while Laila Butler (8.4) and Alyvia Bessette (8.2) did the same on the bars. Makenzie Grenier won the floor for the Bombardiers for Attleboro with an 8.8 while DiMarco was second with an 8.5. Canton’s Jenna Morgan won on the beam (8.5) with teammate Emily McKay taking second (8.4) and Attleboro’s Butler (8.2) taking third. Canton’s Jacob LaBolita (8.4) was third on the floor.
Franklin, 125.75 @ Sharon, 106.95 – Final – As a team, Franklin had a strong showing on the beam with a team score of 32.25 with top scores coming from Emma Nelson, Maia Keohane, Katie Valutkevich, and Lilly Cardin. Nelson also contributed to Franklin’s scoring on the vault (team score of 32.1), the bars (team score of 29.6), and the floor (team score of 31.7) Keohane also scored on the bars and on the floor and Ryann Chandler scored in both the vault and the floor.
Marley Young (1) celebrates after scoring her first quarter goal, which turned out to be the game-winner in the playoff opener against Methuen. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – The game was barely underway and Methuen was on its first attack when out of nowhere the ball ended up behind Attleboro goalie Siany Ortez. Before some of the home fans had settled into the bleachers, the Bombardiers were trailing Thursday afternoon’s Div.1 play-in game at Tozier-Cassidy Field.
Despite falling behind inside of the first minute of the game, Attleboro never let its energy level drop and quickly took control. The Bombardiers scored twice in less than a minute to take the lead after one quarter and added an important insurance goal in the fourth to pull out a come-from-behind 3-1 win and advance to face top seed Walpole.
“We sometimes do start a little slow,” admitted Attleboro coach Jessica Pink. “It takes them a minute to get their feet on the ground and running and going. I thought about calling a timeout, but I didn’t want to waste it so early on. They know that they needed to regroup and they did just that.”
She added, “It’s always hard when you’re sitting, trailing, especially because it’s not like a regular season game where you’re trailing and if you lose it’s a bummer but you have the next one. Coming back from a goal so early is tough, so the fact that they were able to get two at the end of the quarter was such a game-changer.”
The Rangers took the opening face-off and immediately went on the attack down the left wing. Charlotte Putnam battled her way to the end line, created a little bit of space, and rifled a ball across the face of goal. Kylee Henriquez was able to find a pocket of room where she could settle the pass, turn, and fire shot under Ortez.
Attleboro looked stunned, but was able to recover quickly. By the time play resumed, the Bombardiers were on the front foot and hardly let up for the remaining 59 minutes.
Only seconds after getting the ball, Marley Young was on the run down the right wing and forced a save out of Methuen goalie Alexandra Tardugno. Young was a constant menace in the right channel and she split a pair of defenders to get room for another cross, which was tipped wide of the far post by Mackenzie Cooper.
With six minutes left in the half, Attleboro earned its first corner of the game. The Bombardiers turned that opportunity into a tying goal. Young played the corner out to Alyvia Bessette, who played it down the wing to Jordan Mooney. The senior midfielder cut the ball back into Siobhan Landers, who was cutting down the middle, and she smacked it first-time to find the back of the net.
Just 38 seconds later, Attleboro was in front. Landers created the scoring chance with a good run through the midfield. She played a pass out to Bessette on the right wing and she was able to cut the ball back to Young in the middle for a transition goal that turned out to be the winner.
“That goal and our second one is our tournament team,” said Pink. “I know that’s how we’re capable of playing. I knew once they got there, it would be good and the momentum really did shift. We were really connecting and the girls made it happen.”
Attleboro was flying and nearly scored seconds before the end of the quarter. Landers played the ball to the top of the crease, but Mooney smacked it through a crowd with no touch. Just a minute into the second, Young again managed to slip through a crowd but her shot went off the side of the net.
Midway through the quarter, Landers had a bast from straight away but Tardugno kicked it aside. Bessette and Young pressed from the top, forcing a turnover but again the Methuen goalie was equal to it.
The Attleboro defense of Kelsey Hodson, Meghan Ferreira, Victoria Westwater, and Paige Parenteau was largely untroubled, cutting out Methuen attacks well before they got close to Ortez, but in the closing two minutes of the half the Rangers finally got a look at goal. Vanessa Fritschy had a go from high on the right side that went wide and Ortez was quick to get down and block a chance at the post off a corner. It was one of only two saves the Attleboro goalie was called on to make.
On the other end of the field, Tardugno was doing everything in her power to keep the Rangers in the game. She made six of her 15 saves in the third quarter alone. Landers set up Young for a shot from a good angle on the right that was kicked away, then Mooney found Young in space in front but Tardugno stopped that and the rebound effort from Stella Krawiec.
With no time on the clock, Landers nearly converted another corner only to have the goalie rob her from close range again.
“Methuen’s goalie is phenomenal,” said Pink. “We probably had 20 shots in the third and fourth quarters and she only let one in. It was nice to see that we were able to capitalize and get up there over and over again.”
Attleboro continued to press for the goal that would seal the win. The Bombardiers had six corners in the fourth (and held a 12-4 advantage for the game). Mooney and Bessette played a nice one-two off one of the corners, which opened up a shot for Young only for Tardugno to make the save.
Just when it looked like the Methuen goalie might just allow her team to find its way back into the match, Attleboro finally found a third. Landers played it to Mooney, who fired it into the mix in front and Young was in the right place to get the necessary tip and find the back of the net.
So, now Attleboro (8-11) moves into the Round of 32 and its reward is a trip to top seed Walpole, which reached the state final a year ago. While it is obviously a daunting task, Attleboro is excited about the challenge.
“Our league has been so tough and we’ve opportunities to really challenge ourselves,” Pink explained. “They want to play the best because at the end of the day it’s going to make them better and I think that’s their mindset going into it. We’re going to put it all on the line.”
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro scored early in the opening quarter and added a key insurance goal early in the final quarter to earn a win on the road at Taunton. Marley Young opened the scoring just under four minutes into the game, taking a pass from Siobhan Landers and finding the back of the net to establish a 1-0 lead. After back-to-back scoreless quarters, Stella Krawiec scored off of a pass from Young less than five minutes into the fourth to make it 2-0. “I’m really proud of the girls for playing their game and using great passing skills around an aggressive Taunton team,” said Attleboro head coach Jess Pink. Attleboro’s Siany Ortez made seven saves in net for the shutout.
Franklin, 10 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – Franklin came out of the gate flying with five first quarter goals and never let up on its way to a win over the Rocketeer. Kaitlyn Carney was nearly unstoppable, scoring four of her five goals in the opening 15 minutes of play while Emily Carney had the other goal. Haley Wernig, Shaw Downing, Ella Aldred, and Sydney Rogan also scored for the Panthers. North scored just past the midway point of the second as Caroline Folan scored off of an assist from Francesca Spencer. Julia Puccio orchestrated the goal by knocking down a Franklin aerial and started the counter with Spencer. Gracie Leary (six saves) and Eman Farid (12 saves) played well in net for North. Devon Barry and Megan Sullivan each made three saves for Franklin.
King Philip, 8 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip juniors Mara Boldy and Kelly Holmes each recorded four points to help the Warriors earn a big win on the road over Milford. Boldy scored a hat trick and had one assist while Holmes found the back of the net once and notched three assists. Meg Dowling added two goals, Nikki McDonald scored once and added one helper, and Makenzie McDevitt added a goal for KP.
Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Mansfield got off to a great start with four goals in the opening half and that was enough to earn a win over visiting Sharon. Rose Maher opened the scoring less than a minute into the game, converting a pass from Ava Adams at the 56-second mark to make it 1-0. Lola Varricchione (from Danni Cuzzi) and Maher added to Mansfield’s lead with first quarter goals while Liv Barry made it 4-0, finishing off a pass from Ella Palanza in the second quarter. Lily Danehy earned the shutout in net for the hosts.
Volleyball
Canton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Canton came storming back to win the third set to keep the match going, but Oliver Ames closed it out with a hard-fought fourth set to take a 3-1 (25-16, 25-19, 11-25, 25-20) win over the Bulldogs. OA senior Maddie Homer recorded 31 digs to eclipse the 1,000-dig mark for her career. Sophomore Clare Kavoulis dished out 37 assists, junior Sarah Hilliard landed 18 kills, and senior Courtney Raymond recorded 27 service points to go along with eight aces and five kills. Jess Wright and Sally Hoban combined for 17 kills, 16 digs, and five aces while Liana Lamparelli played well for the Bulldogs with 11 digs, three aces, and a pair of kills.
Franklin, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final
King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip bounced back into the win column in a big way, earning an emphatic 3-0 (25-15, 25-6, 25-19) win on the road at Milford. Senior middle Emily Sawyer landed a team-high 17 kills along with a pair of aces and a pair of bocks, senior Ahunna James recorded 11 kills and eight digs, senior Sami Shore added five kills, and senior Olivia O’Neil had five kills and four digs. Junior Ava Kelley chipped in with eight digs for KP.
Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – After running away with the first set, Mansfield prevailed in a very competitive second set that went down to the wire and went on to finish the match in the third for a 3-0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-12) win over Sharon. Lilly Verheggen (three aces) led a balanced offense for the Hornets with eight kills while Elyssa Buchanan added seven kills, Lily Campbell added six kills, and Lexie Scibilia chipped in with five kills and seven blocks. Jackie Zelic anchored the defense with 14 digs, Ella Mahoney (six aces) and Gabrielle Moore (five aces) both had strong games serving, and Keira Fitzpatrick orchestrated the offense with 14 assists.
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Attleboro stayed a match ahead and atop the Kelley-Rex standings with just a week to go following a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-16, 25-20) win on the road at Taunton. Natalie Brojek dished out 26 assists to go along with five aces and four kills, Julia Leonardo added 17 kills, and Addie Shelton finished with five kills and two aces.
Boys Cross Country
Canton, 43 @ Medfield, 15 – Final
Girls Cross Country
Canton, 50 @ Medfield, 15 – Final
Football
Taunton, 46 @ Oliver Ames, 14 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. 1st Quarter: (T) Dmitrius Shearrion 79-yard rush, XP no good; (T) Malachi Johnson 38-yard rush, Sete Deletoille XP good; (OA) Chad Silva 1-yard rush, C. Silva 2-point rush; (T) Bryan Batista 1-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) M. Johnson 30-yard rush, S. Deletoille XP good; (T) Jacob Leonard 47-yard pass to Jose Touron, XP no good; (T) B. Batista 5-yard rush, 2-point conversion no good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) B. Batista 1-yard rush, Abby Doherty XP good; (OA) Brian Silva 5-yard pass to CJ Crocker, XP no good.
Girls Soccer
North Attleboro, 4 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – North led by two goals early, allowed Sharon to score three straight to grab the lead, and then rallied with a pair of goals in the final 12 minutes to pull out the win. Clara Giuliano opened the scoring for the visitors, finishing off a pass from Angelina Bostock. Samantha Hardy doubled North’s advantage in the 18th minute off of an assist from Caroline Ferrin. Sofia Goclowski sandwiched a brace for the Eagles around a goal from Autumn Simon while Carly Pinnix had a pair of assists. After Sharon took the lead in the 70th minute, Giuliano pulled the Rocketeers level on a shot from 25 yards out in the 76th minute. Just a minute later, Hardy headed in a cross from Lily Adams for the winner.
Field Hockey
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final – Attleboro scored three goals in each half on its way to a win at home over visiting Milford. Stella Krawiec, Marley Young, and Siobhan Landers each scored a pair of goals and had an assist to pace the offense. Alyvia Bessette also had an assist for the Bombardiers.
Canton, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Franklin, 6 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Franklin’s Haley Wernig scored a pair of second quarter goals inside a five minute span to give the Panthers some breathing room and Kaitlyn Carney’s third quarter tally added key insurance as Franklin survived a tough test from King Philip. The teams traded goals in the first quarter with Payten Crandall’s first goal of the game giving the visitors the lead. Wernig scored twice in the second to take the lead again before KP got one back, cutting the Panthers’ lead to 3-2 at half. Carney scored the lone goal of the third to make it 4-2, and Crandall’s second of the game late in the fourth pushed it to 5-2. KP pulled one back but Franklin once again responded with a goal with just over two minutes to play from Chloe Essam. Leah Santoro, Makenzie McDevitt and Lauren Barriero each had a goal for the Warriors. Devon Barry made six saves in net for Franklin while Haley Bright turned away nine shots for KP.
North Attleboro, 6 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – North Attleboro senior Julia Puccio had a hand in all six of the Rocketeers’ goals, leading the way to a big win on the road. Puccio scored three — the opening goal just under four minutes into the game (from Kelsey Thompson), the third goal of the game on a corner with 30 seconds left in the first half (from Ella Luistro), and the sixth and final, a strike with three minutes to play in the third assisted by Caroline Folan. Carrying a 1-0 lead into the second quarter, Thompson scored off of a corner, Madison Folan added one with 5:20 to go. Caitlin Vacher converted a pass from Puccio with 5:57 left in the third to make it 5-0. Gracie Leary and Eman Farid combined for the shutout for North.
Stoughton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final
Mansfield, 0 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final – Foxboro defended its home turf with its third straight shutout and 10th of the season in a 5-0 win over Mansfield. Mary Collins paced the offense with a hat trick while Mya Waryas and Mia Dinunzio each scored once for the Warriors.
Volleyball
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Sharon rallied to win the third set to keep the match alive but Canton closed out in impressive fashion to secure a 3-1 (25-16, 25-20, 21-25, 25-7) win on the road, avenging a loss to the Eagles from earlier this season. Jess Wright had a great game for the Bulldogs, recording 14 kills, 19 digs, four aces, and a block. Erin Bigham ran the offense with 33 assists and chipped in with a pair of kills while Sally Hoban added 11 kills and a pair of blocks. Haley Duhaime, Riley Costa, and Melanie McDonough provided a spark and played good defense for Canton.
Mansfield, 1 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final – In a great back-and-forth battle, Foxboro emerged with a hard-fought 3-1 (25-23, 27-29, 27-25, 25-21) win over Mansfield in a battle of evenly matched teams. Sami Sloan led the charge offensively for the Warriors with 17 kills and five aces, Juliana Petigrew added eight kills, six digs, and five aces, and Mallorie Meyer chipped in with six kills, two aces, and 13 digs. Alyssa Cloherty ran the offense with 37 assists and three aces. Lauren Rubicine had 16 digs, five aces, and four kills for the Hornets, Elyssa Buchanan added four kills, four digs, and three blocks, Keira Fitzpatrick dished out 13 assists and had 10 digs, and Lily Campbell added seven blocks, five digs, three kills, and a pair of aces.
Milford, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, Attleboro cruised to back-to-back wins to finish out a 3-1 (25-5, 21-25, 25-8, 25-8) win over visiting Milford. It was a strong all-around performance for the Bombardiers with Julia Leonardo (21 kills, seven aces), Addie Shelton (10 kills), Ellie Shelton (four aces, two kills), and Tigin Bombardier (four kills) playing well offensively. Natalie Brojek orchestrated the offense with 35 assists along with 10 aces while Sadie Whitmarsh notched 20 digs to anchor the defense.
North Attleboro @ Taunton, 5:15
Stoughton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this match. – Stoughton tied the match at 1-1 after rallying to take the second set, but Oliver Ames closed it out with two straight set wins for a 3-1 (25-16, 24-26, 25-12, 25-22) decision. Sarah Hilliard (22 kills) and Courtney Raymond (10 kills, six aces) paced the attack while Maddie Homer (41 digs) and Megan MacDonald anchored the defense for the Tigers.
Golf
Foxboro, 91 @ Stoughton, 96 – Final (5 holes) – In a rain-shortened match, Foxboro pulled out a close win over Stoughton. Patrick Callahan and Louis Carangelo each shot 22 through the first five to lead the way for the Warriors and Mat Sullivan carded a 23. Stoughton’s Joe Rush and James Spector each shot 22 through five as well.
North Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:00
Taunton, 179 @ King Philip, 154 – Final – King Philip closed out its regular season schedule with a non-league win over Taunton. Freshman Evan Regan fired a two-over par medalist round of 37 to lead the way for the Warriors. Senior Gavin Croke added a 38, Ethan Sullivan shot a 39, and Cameron Hasenfus finished with a 40.
Caroline Folan scored three minutes into the fourth quarter to put North Attleboro in front against rival Attleboro, as the Rocketeers rallied for a 2-1 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – It has been a difficult stretch of the season for North Attleboro. After a four-game win streak in which the Rocketeers didn’t allow a goal, North entered Thursday night’s rivalry game at Tozier-Cassidy Field carrying a four-game losing streak in which they been scored on 18 times.
After three quarters against Attleboro, things hardly seemed to be turning around.
This time, rather than allow the game to get away from them, the Rocketeers rallied. Emily Burnham and Caroline Folan each scored in the opening three minutes of the fourth, powering North to a 2-1 victory that brings North’s record back to .500 on the season.
“I was very proud of them for coming back,” said North coach Karen Folan. “They were getting a little chippy about the calls and I said, just play the whistle, play your game. The past few games, it was 0-0 or 1-0 at half but they get up 2-0 and our sails are deflated and they’ve let them rack up goals, but not today.”
Attleboro got off to a perfect start in front of its home crowd. The Bombardiers stormed out of the gates and forced a series of corners in the opening few minutes. Three minutes into the game, Attleboro took advantage of the pressure. Alyvia Bessette played the pass to the top of the circle and Siobhan Landers rifled a shot through the crowd in front and past North goalie Eman Farid (five saves).
“Siobhan just had a beautiful shot. It was a great goal to start the game,” said Attleboro coach Jessica Pink. “It was the best start that you could ask for as a coach and the momentum that it gave us for those first three quarters was exactly what they needed.”
North tried to respond midway through the half but Folan’s shot didn’t get the touch it needed in front and the goal didn’t count. While the visitors had several spells of possession, it was Attleboro that created the best chances in the opening 15 minutes.
Marley Young nearly hit the Rocketeers in transition but her shot from the right skidded across the face of goal. A minute later, Stella Krawiec attacked down the opposite flank and forced Farid into a kick save.
In the closing seconds of the first, Attleboro had a great chance to double the lead. Landers played a pass out to the right wing to get Nora Desrosiers into the attack. Her cross into the middle, with both Young and Krawiec lurking, was deflected on net but kicked aside by Farid.
Folan said, “At the beginning, this is a big game, it’s a big rivalry, but at the same time there’s a lot of friendships between the two teams. They play club together, so I think we were a little too excited at the beginning, maybe a little rattled when they scored.”
After a first period spent largely on its heels, North had a good response at the start of the second, forcing an early corner. Julia Puccio stepped to her backhand and ripped a shot that was blocked out to Kelsey Thompson, who was able to put her shot on goal and force a save out of Attleboro goalie Siany Ortez (five saves).
Midway through the second, North almost tied it off another corner chance. Again it was Puccio with the first try but Attleboro’s defense got a block in. The rebound fell to Kelsey Hodson and her shot was also deflected. The third try fell to Folan from point-blank range, but Ortez got down quickly and made the stop.
Attleboro would have one good opportunity in the second. Landers again was the spark-plug in the midfield, spraying a pass out to Desrosiers on the right. The sophomore went for goal and was denied by Farid. The rebound bounced to Bailey Ellis on the far side, but Farid got across and blocked her shot as well.
Things settled down in the third quarter, as Attleboro started to tighten up defensively and try to prevent a transition that could lead to the tying goal. Landers had one chance after a good pick out from Young, but the shot was wide. Puccio had North’s best chance of the quarter, firing a shot wide from the top of the circle.
North came storming out of the blocks in the fourth quarter and Attleboro seemed to be struggling to match the energy of the visitors.
Pink explained, “They played the full 60 minutes and I just think they ran out of steam, where [North] had a lot of girls to circulate through, and I think at the end that made a huge difference.”
On the third in a series of rapid-fire corners, and on their 13th corner of the night, the Rocketeers leveled the score. Instead of playing it out to Puccio, North found Burnham on the left wing and she had enough time to line up a shot through the crowd in front of goal.
“That was beautiful,” Folan said of Burnham’s equalizer. “Yesterday we practiced some different corners. We don’t usually take it on that side, but our corners weren’t working so well.” Reflecting on one goal on 15 corners on Thursday, she added with a chuckle, “I don’t know that those corners worked all that well today either.”
North got a boost of energy from the goal and almost immediately found the back of the net again. Puccio slid a pass into Folan, but Ortez was able to keep it out. A minute later, just three minutes into the quarter, the Rocketeers forced a turnover in the midfield and Puccio was able to set up Folan for a quick second goal that turned out to be the winner.
Momentum was with the visitors and they looked to press their advantage. Puccio fired a backhand shot wide and Francesca Spencer had a nice run to set up Folan right in front but again the Attleboro goalie denied the chance. Thompson also set up Folan in the middle and Ortez was equal to it.
Attleboro started to win back territory in the closing two minutes, but was unable to create a significant chance to test Farid, as North got back in the win column at the start of a busy month.
“In the second half of the fourth quarter, they tried to regroup and you could tell they were really trying to push that momentum,” Pink said. “They were trying, but just couldn’t capitalize on the net. You could see they wanted it really bad at the end.”
North Attleboro (5-5-1) will look to keep things rolling with a trip to Sharon on Tuesday. Attleboro (4-8-0) will enter its final six games of the regular season with a visit to Canton.
Field Hockey
Taunton, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro controlled the attack and that resulted in a 3-0 win at home over Taunton. After a scoreless first half, the Bombardiers finally broke through in the third with a goal and then tacked on two more in the fourth to secure the win. Marley Young scored once and assisted on both of the other two goals, scored by Nora Desrosiers and Stella Krawiec. Alyvia Bessette also had an assists in the win while Siobhan Landers and Jordan Mooney were big play makers the whole game in the midfield.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Holding a one-goal lead at halftime, Franklin scored three goals in the third quarter to pull away from the visiting Rocketeers. Haley Wernig scored just over five minutes into the second quarter for the only goal of the first half. Less than a minute into the third quarter, Wernig scored her second on an assist from Kaitlyn Carney. Midway through the third quarter, Payten Crandall extended the lead to 3-0 off a feed from Emily Carney, who then scored with just one second left in the quarter to make it 4-0. Wernig completed the hat trick midway through the fourth off a pass from Crandall. Devon Barry (two saves) and Megan Sullivan (two saves) combined for the shutout for Franklin.
Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 9 – Final – King Philip junior Kelly Holmes recorded three points to lead the Warriors to a win at home over Milford. Holmes had a pair of goals and one assist while seniors Charlotte Raymond and Sammy Simeone and junior Meg Dowling each scored their first career goals. Haley Bright and Samantha Sweetman combined for the shutout in net for KP.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/4 at 3:45.
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Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 9 – Final – Foxboro jumped ahead with a three-goal lead at halftime and then doubled its advantage with a three-goal third quarter and never looked back for a big win. Senior Jenny Gallagher scored a hat trick for the Warriors, including a pair in the first half as well as a third quarter assist. Val Beigel, Mary Collins (two assists), Ella Campbell, Mya Waryas (assist), and Fiona Dunn each scored once for the hosts. Kerry Driscoll, Samantha LaFarge, and Catarina Melo played well defensively for the Black Knights while new goalie Bella Iacobucci stepped up huge for the visitors with some excellent saves.
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Maggie McCready’s goal early in the third quarter proved to be the game-winner for the Bulldogs, who picked up a key division win over Oliver Ames. Audrey Koen scored late in the first quarter on a pass from Izzy Digirolamo to give the hosts a 1-0 lead that they held onto through halftime. OA’s Erin Cottam finished off a pass from Julia Maclaine to cut the deficit in half in the third quarter. Olivia O’Rourke had a strong game in net for the Tigers.
Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames overcame a one-set deficit and won three straight to earn a key win on the road over division rival Canton, 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-16). Junior Sarah Hilliard was a handful on the outside, landing 21 kills on the outside along with three aces. Sophomore Addyson Smock added four kills and two blocks, sophomore Clare Kavoulis recorded 27 digs, and Maddie Homer had 27 digs. For Canton, Sally Hoban had five kills and a block while Fatima Sidibay continued to bring the energy with a strong performance at the net for the Bulldogs.
Stoughton, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin had a strong overall performance, recording 30 kills and 20 aces as a team in a 3-0 (25-7, 25-8, 25-14) win over North Attleboro.
Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip had a dominant performance at the net that resulted in a 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-14) sweep against visiting Milford. Sami Shore had a great performance with 17 kills, Ahunna James added 11 kills, five digs, and three aces, and Emily Sawyer recorded 10 kills, three blocks, and two aces. Junior Ava Kelley notched seven digs defensively for KP.
Golf
Foxboro @ Stoughton – Postponed to Thursday, 10/13 at 3:15.
Mansfield @ Sharon – Postponed to Friday, 9/23 at 3:15.
Milford @ Canton – Postponed to Wednesday, 10/12 at 3:30.
Oliver Ames @ King Philip – Postponed to TBD.
North Attleboro @ Taunton – Postponed to Tuesday, 10/4 at 3:45.
