09/26/201809/26/2018

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/26/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 8 – Final – Foxboro junior Dylan Barreira stayed red hot, scoring six goals for the second straight game to lead the Warriors to a big win at home. Barreira scored three goals in each half, giving the hosts a 3-1 edge at the break. Nic Beigel (assist) and Chris Amiable each scored once while Matt Garcia had two assists and Will Morrison had one helper.

Mansfield, 0 @ Canton, 0 – Final – Both Canton and Mansfield had a handful of corners and long throw in chances but neither side could break the stalemate. Mansfield goalie Anthony Salisbury made a terrific one-handed diving save in the 54th minute to rob Griffin Roach of a goal from just outside the area. On the ensuing corner, Simon Cruz had a big on goal denied by defender Matt O’Donnell, who was positioned at the near post. Alejandro Correal had a strong game in net for the Bulldogs.

Franklin, 0 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final

King Philip, 7 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 3-1 lead at halftime and added four more goals in the second half to pick up two points on the road. KP scored three goals inside the first 11 minutes with sophomore Evan McEvoy (from Zac White) scoring the opening strike and assisting on Ian Zimmerman’s goal two minutes later. Tony Bozza mad 3-0 before Stoughton freshman Mateo Eschleman converted a long throw-in from Ikenna Dike to get on the board. In the second half, McEvoy (from John Cullen) and Cam Lawrence (from Bozza) scored in the first four minutes to make it 6-1. Senior Justin Willson added two more goals on assists from Gavon Fox and Andrew Thompson.

Taunton, 0 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Milford exploded for three goals in the second half to earn a convincing win over visiting Taunton. Omar Lema scored his second goal in as many games just two minutes in to give the Hawks an early lead. But Milford didn’t add onto it until the second half. Jordan Borges made it 2-0 just minutes into the second half on an assist from Walisson de Oliveira. Borges then returned the favor, setting de Oliveira up to a pair of goals to give the Hawks a 4-0 win.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Sharon took a very early lead but had to come up with a late equalizer in the first half to earn a point against visiting Oliver Ames. Isaiah Stessman put the Eagles up less than two minutes in, converting a cross from Brian Higgins to make it 1-0. OA capitalized on an Eagle miscue as Jimmy Keane pounced on a loose ball and tied it for OA. The Tigers then took a lead as sophomore Colin Milliken blasted a shot from atop the 18 to give the visitors a 2-1 advantage. With five seconds left in the first half, Higgins used a nice individual effort to get by the defense and scored to make it 2-2.

Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 3 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Attleboro took an early led but Foxboro battled back to get the advantage and earn two points. After Attleboro took a 1-0 lead, Jordyn Collins equalized for Foxboro, converting an assist from Kenzi Fraser. Freshman Kailee McCabe scored on a penalty kick midway through the first half, and then scored again in the second half on a pass from Lizzy Davis.

Canton, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Maria Sevastos scored twice and assisted on another as Mansfield stayed unbeaten with a four-goal flurry in the first half against Canton. Steph Kemp and Cassidy McMahon each scored goals for the Hornets and McMahon added an assist as well. Emily Vigeant assisted on a pair of goals in the win.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Stella Regan had a pair of goals in the first half, assisted by Calen Frongillo and Hailey Toolin, to lead the Panthers to a big cross-over win. Breanna Atwood made eight saves to preserve the clean sheet for Franklin. Emma Noreck made six saves for the Rocketeers.

Sharon, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Senior Samantha Gilgan, junior Lauren Picanzi, and senior Daniella Ferrini each scored as Oliver Ames notched a win at home over Sharon.

Stoughton, 1 @ King Philip, 8 – Final – Cara Perry scored for the Black Knights, finding the back of the net off a cross by Mackenzie Manning.

Milford, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final

Field Hockey
Foxboro, 1 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Taunton, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Stoughton, 2 @ Brockton, 0 – Final – Haley Nelson and Allie Howe each cored once as Stoughton went on the road and beat the Boxers of Brockton High. Kayla Laboy recorded the shutout in goal for the Black Knights.

Golf
Stoughton, 184 @ Canton, 147 – Final – Canton’s Tommy Dimock shot a match-low round of 35, earning medalist honors while helping the Bulldogs net their lowest score of the season. Mike Gobbi and Mike Leonetti each shot 37 while Thomas Singleton carded a 38. Josh Hough led Stoughton with a 42 and Luke Bainton shot 44.

Mansfield, 174 @ Franklin, 166 – Final – Franklin notched its second straight win over a division foe, this time knocking off Mansfield at Franklin Country Club. Quinten Faro was the match medalist after carding a low round of 38. Jack Paterson added a 40 for the Panthers while Ryan Dow led Mansfield with a round of 40.

Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to time/date TBD.

Milford, 181 @ Sharon, 161 – Final – Ethan Skelly earned medalist honors after shooting a 37 at the Cape Club of Sharon, leading the Eagles to a win over Milford. Andrew Glaser and Nathan Daley each shot 41 for Sharon while Corey Carter carded a round of 42. Riley Lynch led Milford with a 39.

09/23/201809/25/2018

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/24/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – King Philip scored three goals in the first half, overcoming a one-goal deficit, to beat Attleboro. The Warriors opened the scoring in the third minute when sophomore Ajae Olsen converted a feed from classmate Camron Lawrence. Attleboro struck back for a pair of goals to seize a 2-1 lead as Hugo Henriquez struck in the 11th minute (from Josh Smith) and Will Halben scored in the 29th minute. But KP responded quickly as Ian Zimmerman (from Gavon Fox) made it 2-2 in the 34th minute. Just before halftime, senior Tony Bozza put the hosts ahead, 3-2, in the 38th minute. Bozza added an insurance goal midway through the second off an assist from freshman Stephen Griffin.

Canton, 1 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Canton’s Simon Cruz with just under 10 minutes to play to give the Bulldogs two points on the road.

Foxboro, 7 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Foxboro junior Dylan Barreira exploded for six goals in the first half to pace the Warriors to a win. Nic Beigel scored the other goal for the Warriors while also recording four assists in the victory. Stoughton sophomore Nolan Gerome made his varsity debut in net, recording 19 saves for the Black Knights.

Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – Taunton exploded for three goals in the second half to pick up its second straight win. Alec Nunes scored the game-winner in the 52nd minute, taking a pass from Kyle Aubin and blasting a shot from range to put the Tigers ahead 1-0. Mateusz Hagemajer scored the next two goals, first off an assist from Brett Beaulieu in the 55th minute and then unassisted in the 67th minute. THS coach Taylor Whitters said Liam Crowley and Charlie Fiske also played well for the Tigers while Nolan Melo recorded his second shutout of the season.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield jumped ahead just moments into the second half but Oliver Ames knotted the score just over 10 minutes later as the Hornets and Tigers finished level. Junior Owen Mullahy put the hosts in front, heading in a cross in the 42nd minute. Oliver Ames’ Kevin Louhis tied the game in the 55th minute, tucking his shot inside the near post. Louhis collected a loose ball after a volley from sophomore Colin Milliken hit off the crossbar and bounced into the area.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – North Attleboro senior Joe Hilf gave the visitors the lead with a goal from distance but Milford found the equalizer midway through the second half to earn a draw at home. Hilf put Big Red ahead just over the midway point of the first half with a hard shot from distance. In the second half, Milford junior Omar Lema scored his first career goal off an assist from Walisson de Oliveira, tying the game in the 60th minute.

Girls Soccer
King Philip, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Avery Snead scored once and assisted on another, as KP remained on top in the Kelley-Rex with the win. Makayla Griffin scored inside the opening 10 minutes, on a Snead assist, for what turned out to be the game-winner. Snead double the lead in the second half with a shot from just inside the 18 and Jenny Montville sealed the win on a through ball by Ally Stanton. Attleboro goalie Tayla Drape made 12 saves to keep the Bombardiers in the game and earned praise from both coaches.

Canton, 5 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Stoughton, 0 @ Foxboro, 7 – Final – Foxboro senior Kenzi Fraser exploded for four goals and one assist to lead the Warriors to a big win at home. Jordyn Collins, Kendra Wentling, and Lizzy Davis (goal) all had an assist while Kailee McCabe scored off a feed from Fraser. Freshman Kaitryn Franchino capped with the scoring with an unassisted tally.

Franklin, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Sydney St. Marie scored a pair of goals, Calen Frongillo had a pair of assists and Hailey Toolin had a goal and an assist for the Panthers. Stella Regan also had a goal and Sabrina Addi had an assist in the win.

Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to date and time TBD.

Mansfield, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 0 – Final – Steph Kemp scored the only goal of the game to keep Mansfield unbeaten in the league this season. For Oliver Ames, head coach Britt Sellmayer said Emma O’Donnell had a great game in net and credited Anna Tempestoso and Abby Hodges with strong games.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – Alli Meehan scored a hat trick to lead the Warriors to a win. Meghan MacDonald, Claire Lawler, Kate Lindmark, and Nicole Connor also scored for KP. Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Canton, 6 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Canton’s Maggie Malloy scored a hat trick as the Bulldogs rolled on the road at Sharon. Shannon Crowley and Beth Oldenburg each scored once while Allie Gefteas scored her first career goal in Canton’s win.

Foxboro, 3 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Lily Daly scored a pair of goals and assisted on a third as Foxboro notched a win on the road over Stoughton. Daly scored two goals in the first half as Foxboro took a 2-0 lead into halftime. In the second half, Daly set up Jamie Notarangelo for the third goal.

Taunton, 2 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Taunton rallied from a 2-0 deficit to grab a point on the road with the draw. Goals from Cassi Ronan (from Regan Paterson) and Amanda Lewandowski (from Stephanie Bell) put the Panthers ahead 2-0 at halftime. But Taunton scored twice in the second, tying the game with 10 minutes to go. Lauren Torres (from Jillian Pagliuca) made it a one goal game and then Alana Tavares tied the game. Emma Sheehan had five saves in net for the Tigers. THS head coach Liz Hathaway praised the work of her defense, including Skylar Rheaume, who made a big defensive save for Taunton.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final

North Attleboro @ Milford, 3:45

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip defended home court with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-13, 25-14) sweep over Attleboro. For King Philip, Kat Kmetz had four kills, two aces, and 10 service points, Catherine Waldeck and Kristen Masse each added three kills, and Jessie Kornfeld and Shalya Weitzman each chipped in with three aces.

Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final – Canton went on the road and earned a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-17, 25-21) behind a strong all-around team performance. Nicole Brown continued to lead the Bulldogs, finishing with 18 assists, 18 digs, five kills, and an ace while Taylor Harris added seven kills, five aces, and nine digs, and Theresa O’Brien chipped in while six kills and an ace. Freshman Sydney Gallery added three kills in her first full varsity set.

Foxboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton notched its fourth win of the season with a 3-0 sweep (25-20, 25-16, 25-14) of visiting Foxboro. Mia Bennett was strong in the back row with 34 digs, Sasha Hyacinthe and Amaya Morris led the offense combining for 17 kills, Hanna Holden had 18 assists, and Molly Turner had a well rounded game of 15 assists, eight kills, and five aces.

Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final

North Attleboro, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final

Oliver Ames, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames fended off a furious rally attempt from Mansfield in the first set and went on to earn the sweep (26-24, 25-14, 25-20). For OA, senior Sadie Homer led the way with 21 digs, senior Sarah Litwack added 17 assists, junior Jordan Bosse finished with 10 kills, senior Grace McCallum chipped in with seven aces, and junior Mary Davenport had a strong game in the middle. For Mansfield, Greenly Kelly and Katie Dardinski each had eight service points while Emily Dardinski paced the offense with nine kills.

Golf
Sharon, 162 @ Oliver Ames, 145 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Liam Barry earned medalist honors with a low-round of 35 as the Tigers handed Sharon its first loss of the season. Thomas Walsh and Tate Hadges each cared a 36 while Nolan Donze shot a 38 at Pine Oaks.

Taunton, 181 @ Mansfield, 167 – Final – Sophomore Nathan Morreale shot a team-low round of 41 while three other Hornets shot 42 in a win over Taunton at Norton Country Club. Sophomores Jason See, Ava Haggis and Joseph Gormley rounded out Mansfield’s scoring each with a 42.

North Attleboro, 165 @ Milford, 179 – Final – North Attleboro senior Marcus Costa shot a low-round of 38 to earn medalist honors and pace the Rocketeers on the road. Matt Wanless added a 41 for Big Red while Jillian Barend carded a round of 42.

09/21/201811/08/2019

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/21/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Game of the Week – Football – Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.
Oliver Ames, 6 @ Taunton, 30 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 8-yard pass to Wesner Charles, Coby Adams XP good; (T) N. Leonard 14-yard pass to Sean Quinlan, XP failed; (OA) Nathan Cabral 9-yard rush, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: (T) N. Leonard 26-yard pass to W. Charles, C. Adams XP good; (T) Josh Lopes 10-yard rush, C. Adams XP good.
4th Quarter: (T) C. Adams 21-yard field goal.

Football
King Philip, 12 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 16-yard rush, XP blocked; (A) Justin Cote XP block, Kevin Kevin Velazquez fumble return for 2pt conversion; (KP) Cole Baker 36-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (KP) C. Baker 27-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Canton, 14 @ Milford, 12 – Final – Canton’s Brendan Albert blocked a field goal attempt as time expired to lift the Bulldogs to a win on the road. It was Albert’s second block of the game after he got his hands on an extra point attempt in the second quarter.
1st Quarter: (C) Johnny Hagan 29-yard pass to Kyle Fitzgerald, Owen Lehane XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Colby Pires 22-yard pass to Shapel Feaster, XP blocked.
3rd Quarter: (C) J. Hagan 41-yard pass to Ryan Lentol, O. Lehane XP good; (M) C. Pires 18-yard pass to S. Feaster , 2pt failed.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Foxboro, 16 @ Stoughton, 13 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (F) Russell Neale 21-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (S) Jeff Grier 55-yard rush, Josh Cocchi XP good; (F) Mike Luong 2-yard rush, XP failed.
4th Quarter: (S) J. Grier 92-yard rush, 2pt failed; (F) Liam Foley 25-yard pass to Rob Fay, R. Neale XP good.

Franklin, 6 @ Mansfield, 24 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
1st Quarter: (M) Aidan Sacco 14-yard rush, Michael DeBolt XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) M. DeBolt 35-yard field goal; (M) Vinnie Holmes 2-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (M) Cincere Gill 46-yard rush, M. DeBolt XP good; (F) Nick Gordon 56-yard pass to Ryan Driscoll, 2-point conversion failed.

Boys Soccer
Canton, 2 @ King Philip, 1 – Final – King Philip took the lead just over the midway point of the first half but Canton leveled before the break and scored a late winner to grab two points. Good pressure from Owen Teixeira led to chance for Nilaish Sen at the top of the box and he put the Warriors up 1-0. Canton’s Paolo Ruggeri leveled the score with just over five minutes left in the first half and senior Griffin Roach buried a free kick with just two minutes to play for the game-winner.

Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames scored twice in the final 10 minutes to grab two points at home. Sophomore Colin Milliken scored the game-winner in the 72nd minute, finishing off a cross from classmate Jimmy Keane. Minutes later, sophomore Kevin Louhis converted a feed from senior Sean Flaherty. OA coach John Barata credited Matt Nikiciuk, Haendal Louhis, and Adam Freeman for strong play in the midfield and Harry Ahearn, Niko Byron, Aaron MacDonald and Matt Nosalek for their efforts defensively. Jacob Lerman, the OA senior goalie, earned his fourth shutout of the season.

Stoughton, 2 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin built a 3-0 lead but had to hold off a furious Stoughton rally to beat the Knights. Stoughton used an own goal and a tally from John Neves (from Fabi Ponce de Leon) to get within a goal. The visitors nearly found the equalizer but Franklin’s defense was able to fend the Knights to get the win.

Milford, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Mansfield’s Luke Savoie converted a penalty kick in the 73rd minute to lead the Hornets to a win. In a very even game, both defensive units played very well. For Milford, Joey Madden, Zach Browne, Joao Boaventura, and Lucas Caetano kept the Hornets’ attack at bay. Mansfield’s Derek Meuth, Ethan Brill-Cass, Sam Nugent, and Cam Eddy were massive in earning the shutout.

North Attleboro, 0 vs. Hingham, 0 – Final – A Hingham defender cleared the ball off the line, robbing North Attleboro of the best chance of the game as the Rocketeers and Harbormen finished level. Kyle Brier notched his fifth shutout of the season for the Big Red.

Girls Soccer
King Philip, 8 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Canton took a lead inside the opening three minutes of the game, but the KP offense exploded for four goals before halftime and added four more after the break for a convincing win. Chloe Layne recorded a hat trick and Avery Snead had a brace and an assist to lead the Warriors. Jenny Cullen and Makayla Griffin each had a pair of assists, Ally Stanton scored a pair of goals, and Jaida Caruso scored once for KP.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final – Foxboro scored in the final moments of the first half to tie the game, and found the winner halfway through the second half to beat Oliver Ames. “We battled the entire 80 minutes, I’m so proud of this team,” said Foxboro head coach Katie Stalcup. OA seized the lead in the 26th minute when Maeve Hogan scored off a corner kick from Brianna Gibson. Foxboro freshman Kaitryn Franchino leveled the match with three minutes left in the first half. Warrior sophomore Jordyn Collins scored the game-winner in the 23rd minute, finishing off a feed from Katelyn Mollica. OA head coach Britt Sellmayer added that Abby Hodges, Abby Evin, and Erin Holmberg played well for OA.

Franklin, 9 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Emily Landry had two goals and an assist to lead the Panthers in a big win. Sydney St. Marie and Carly Alston each had a brace, Stella Regan added a goal and two assists, Anna Balkus had a goal and an assist, and Erin Quaile had a goal for Franklin. Sam Powderly, Kaylee DeSimone, and Calen Frongillo all had assists in the win. Nicole Weir had a strong game for the Black Knights.

Mansfield, 2 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Steph Kemp and Katy Garvin scored second half goals to keep Mansfield unbeaten in the league. Kemp also had an assist, as did Maria Sevastos.

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 6 vs. Bishop Feehan, 2 – Final – Attleboro junior Anna Beck scored a hat trick to lead the Bombardiers over visiting Bishop Feehan. Alex Compton added a pair of goals and Eliza Sabilla scored once for Attleboro.

Franklin, 1 vs. Needham, 7 – Final – Franklin’s Victoria Quinn scored in the first half on an assist from Cassi Ronan but the Panthers fell at home to Needham. Quinn’s goal had Franklin tied 1-1 at half with the Rockets but Needham’s offense exploded in the second half. Anna Jardine made four saves while Neilee Hess had one stop.

Volleyball
Mansfield, 0 @ Bishop Feehan, 3 – Final – The Hornets pushed the Shamrocks to the brink but ultimately fell on the road 3-0 (17-25, 22-25, 29-31). “It was a great team effort and they worked really hard and played tough from beginning to end. I am really proud of their effort,” said Mansfield head coach Melissa Heeden. Greenly Kelly had 10 kills, Katie Dardinski had 13 service points and eight digs, and Sam Sternberg had 18 digs and eight service points for Mansfield.

North Attleboro, 1 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton rallied after dropping the first set to the win the next three and get a win over the visiting Rocketeers, 3-1 (19-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-16). Jaime Brown had a standout game, dishing out 32 assists along with four aces. Michaela Felici had a team-high 11 kills, Kamila Cuevas added nine kills, seven blocks, and three aces, and Sam Silviera chipped in with seven kills and four blocks. “It was a great team effort all around,” said THS head coach Toby Chaperon. For North Attleboro, Hayley Gaskin had 20 assists and Lauren Antonetti put down 10 kills.

Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames defended its home court against the Boxers, taking the final two sets to earn a 3-1 win (25-23, 21-25, 25-22, 25-12). Junior Alison Barth had a strong game for the Tigers, finishing with seven kills. Sadie Homer added 30 digs and three aces, Jordan Bosse notched 13 kills and four assists, Caitlin Cavanaugh added 12 kills, and Allie Kemp (27) and Sarah Litwack (23) combined for 50 assists.

Golf
Canton, 270 @ Foxboro, 273 – Final (6 cards) – Tied after four cards, and again after five, Canton prevailed on the sixth card to edge out Foxboro. Tommy Dimock earned match medalist honors, shooting a low round of 40. Thomas Singleton carded a 45 while Mike Gobbi, Mike Leonetti, and Andrew Middleton all shot 46. Conor Hunter’s 47 ended up being the difference for the Bulldogs. Charlie Baughan had the top score for Foxboro, shooting a 43. Matt Lathrop and Jon Dowling each shot 44 for the Warriors.

Franklin, 249 @ Medway, 291 – Final – Franklin earned a win over Medway, who uses six cards for final scoring. Quinten Fero was the medalist, leading the way with a low-round of 38 for the Panthers. Jake Blaney, Matt D’Errico, and Jack Paterson each shot a 40 for Franklin.

Mansfield, 161 @ North Attleboro, 155 – Final – North Attleboro’ Matt Wanless shot an even par round of 35 to pace the Rocketeers to an impressive win over Mansfield. Nathan Morreale had a two-over par round of 37 on the middle course at Heather Hill to lead Mansfield.

09/17/2018

McMahon Goal Gives Hornets Win in Battle at Franklin

Mansfield Girls Soccer — Mansfield senior defender Mikaela Maughn (9) battles with Franklin forward Sydney St. Marie during Monday’s divisional battle at Pisini Field. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

FRANKLIN, Mass. – In a game where chances are at a premium, with physical battles being waged all over the pitch, and with defenses largely coming out on top, finishing is the difference between taking home the points or leaving with none.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Mansfield had one great chance in the box and put it away. Franklin had two chances in the box and both went narrowly off target. So, on Monday night at Pisini Field, the Hornets walked away with a hard-fought 1-0 win and stayed unbeaten, while, for the second time in a week, the Panthers lost a close game with one of the two defending Kelley-Rex division champions.

“It’s such a tough opponent, such a tough place, a great coaching staff, so it’s a good win,” said Mansfield coach Kevin Smith.

The first scoring chance of the game fell to the Panthers. Junior Carly Alston sprung senior Hailey Toolin down the right wing and she crossed the ball into the six-yard-box. Junior Anna Balkus had made a late run from midfield and got free right in the center but she tried to redirect the ball with her right foot and could only touch it wide.

Mansfield took a while to get going in the game. Franklin’s pressing in the midfield was causing problems for the first 15 minutes, but eventually the Hornets started to string passes together and create looks on goal.

“They pinched their four midfielders together, so it was 4-on-3,” said Smith. “They went forward and brought more people up and then it was man-up or man-even and we were able to take advantage of that or finally go wide and then find a passing angle. Sometimes it takes a while to see what they’re doing and readjust.”

Melissa Reef had the first shot from distance but it was easily saved by Franklin goalie Breanna Atwood. Bryn Anderson nearly opened the scoring with a free kick from 18 yards out, just to the right of the box. Her shot to the near post was only a foot over the bar.

Franklin continued to worry the Mansfield defense with cutting passes in behind. Calen Frongillo was able to slide a pass through the right channel to again get Toolin, who just beat the offside trap, into space but she could only play a ball through the box that was in between a shot and a cross and that Balkus could not get on the end of.

Alston also freed up freshman Stella Regan to make a run at goal, but Mansfield defender Emily Vigeant showed off her pace (and long reach) to get a toe to the ball just before a shot could be taken. Franklin’s young forwards were giving the Hornets back line a fight, but Vigeant and fellow senior Mikaela Maughn were solid throughout.

“She’s so good. She’s been such an unsung player for us for years,” said Smith about Maughn. About Vigeant, he added, “She’s got great soccer IQ. If she has a lack of speed compared to what she’s up against, she reads it quicker than the other person and it makes her look even faster than she is.”

In the 24th minute, Mansfield struck. A giveaway at the back gifted possession to Steph Kemp in the attacking third and she quickly played the ball out to the left toCassidy McMahon. The duo played a quick give-and-go to isolate the last defender and get McMahon free on goal and the senior picked the bottom corner with a cool finish.

Mansfield had two chances to double the lead in the opening five minutes of the second half. Anderson sprayed a pass out to McMahon on the left wing and she squared the ball into Kemp inside the six, but the senior forward could not get the right contact and it was an easy save for Atwood. Anderson again played provider shortly after to set up Sydney Mulkern, but her chipped shot went over the bar.

Just two minutes later, Franklin had another golden opportunity to get on the board. Sophomore Sydney St. Marie got space to attack down the left wing and she played a perfect low cross into the middle to pick out Balkus, but her side-foot effort was again just inches wide of the bottom corner.

“It was the same thing against KP,” Franklin coach Tom Geysen explained. “I thought our kids handled the pressure pretty well, moved the ball pretty decent, made good choices up front, but when you have it wide open and can’t put it in the back of the net…”

Kemp nearly added a second for Mansfield in the 53rd minute only to be denied by Atwood. After making a tackle on the edge of the box, the forward found room to unleash a shot that looked destined for the top corner, but the keeper was able to get fingertips to it and tip it around the bar at full stretch.

Franklin continued to push until the final whistle, with the physicality from both teams ratcheting up as the seconds ticked down. In the end, Mansfield keeper Caty DeMassi made a couple of routine saves, but was well-protected by the defense in front of her and the Hornets headed home with the two points.

While disappointed to not come away with a result, Geysen was still pleased with the effort of the Panthers against one of the league title favorites.

He said, “I don’t think they (Mansfield) were expecting what they got from us after last year. When we played them the second time last year, we had nobody, but we’ve got kids that if we can just take one more step then we’ll score the goals to be competitive with everybody.”

Mansfield (4-0-1) will next travel to Milford on Friday afternoon, while Franklin (2-2-0) will travel to Stoughton.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

09/14/201809/15/2018

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/14/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Game of the Week – Football
Franklin, 21 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.
First Quarter: No scoring.
Second Quarter: (F) Nick Gordon 28-yard pass to Ryan Driscoll, Parker Chevrant XP good.
Third Quarter: (F) N. Gordon 7-yard rush, P. Chevrant XP good; (F) N. Gordon 6-yard run, P. Chevrant XP good.
Fourth Quarter: No scoring.

Football
Attleboro, 21 @ Dartmouth, 7 – Final
1st Quarter: (D) Dylan Pacheco 8-yard pass to Nathan Oliver, XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (A) Jason Weir 1-yard rush, 2pt failed; (A) Isaac Gudiel 55-yard interception return, Justin Cote 2pt rush.
4th Quarter: (A) J. Cote 4-yard rush, Colby Briggs XP good.

Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 17 – Final
First Quarter: (KP) Cole Baker 35-yard field goal.
Second Quarter: (KP) Ryan Halliday 1-yard rush, C. Baker XP good.
Third Quarter: No scoring.
Fourth Quarter: (KP) R. Halliday 3-yard rush, C. Baker XP good.

Mansfield, 14 vs. Everett, 41 – Final
1st Quarter: (M) Nick Marciano 4-yard rush, Nico Holmes XP good; (E) Dillon Doherty 2-yard rush, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (E) D. Doherty 37-yard pass to Tyrese Baptiste, XP blocked; (E) D. Doherty 51-yard pass to Mike Sainristil, 2pt conversion good; (E) D. Doherty 36-yard pass to M. Sainristil, 2pt failed.
3rd Quarter: (E) D. Doherty 10-yard pass to Eli Auguste, XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Vinnie Holmes 1-yard rush, N. Holmes XP good; (E) Jaden Mahabir 1-yard rush, XP good.

North Attleboro, 19 vs. Bishop Feehan, 23 – Final
1st Quarter: (NA) Nick Raneri 70-yard pass to Ryan Gaumond, Tyler DeMattio XP good; (BF) Safety.
2nd Quarter: (BF) Tim Ambrosia 5-yard rush, XP blocked; (NA) T. DeMattio 25-yard field goal; (NA) T. DeMattio 28-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (BF) T. Ambrosia 1-yard rush, T. Ambrosia 2pt pass to Nick Norko.
4th Quarter: (BF) T. Ambrosia 1-yard rush, William Lynch XP good; (NA) Brendan McHugh 8-yard rush, XP no good.

Oliver Ames, 18 vs. Silver Lake, 28 – Final

Sharon, 7 @ Ashland, 14 – Final

Stoughton, 7 vs. Catholic Memorial, 20 – Final
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (CM) Darius LeClair 1-yard rush, XP no good.
3rd Quarter: (CM) Owen McGowan 7-yard rush, O. McGowan 2pt rush; (CM) Barrett Pratt 2-yard rush, 2pt failed; (S) Jeff Grier 18-yard rush, Josh Cocchi XP good.
4th Quarter: No scoring.

Taunton, 27 vs. Durfee, 7 – Final
1st Quarter: (T) Noah Leonard 15-yard pass to Brayden Merrill, Coby Adams XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) Tryton Zavala 11-yard rush, C. Adams XP good; (T) T. Zavala 4-yard rush, C. Adams XP good; (T) N. Leonard 18-yard pass to Wesner Charles, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (D) Elijah Concepcion 8-yard rush, XP good.

Boys Soccer
Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Attleboro scored three times in the second half to earn a win on the road. The Bombardiers had four different goal scorers on the day. Will Halben opened the scoring on an assist from Mike Russo but Stoughton’s John Neves tied the game going into halftime. Alex Naughton (from Joey Soucy), Justin Lurssen (from Russo), and Hugo Henriquez (from Soucy) scored in the second half for Attleboro.

Franklin, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once in each half to secure two points with a win over visiting Franklin. Simon Cruz opened the scoring in the 32nd minute as the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead into the break. Paul Corcoran made it 2-0 just five minutes into the second half. Alejandro Correal notched his first career shutout.

Taunton, 2 @ Foxboro, 5 – Final

King Philip, 1 @ Milford, 2 – Final – Milford’s Lucas Da Silva scored twice in a two minute span to help the Scarlet Hawks complete the comeback. KP took the lead at the midway point of the second half on a goal from Justin Wilson but Da Silva tied it two minutes later, finishing off a flick from Walisson de Oliveira to make it 1-1. Just two minutes later, Joey Madden’s long throw was flicked on by Leo Coelho and finished by Da Silva to make it 2-1. de Oliveira, Anthony Salvador and Cam Doherty played well for Milford.

Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Mansfield’s Owen Mullahy scored in the final seconds of the game to help the Hornets grab a point on the road. Sharon took the lead in the first half off a free kick but Mansfield cashed in on a long throw to get the tie. Sharon’s Brian Higgins gave the Eagles the lead with a left-footed shot off a free kick. In the final sesconds, Mansfield’s Cam Eddy’s throw was kept in the box by Sam Nugent, and he found Mullahy in close for the tying tally. Nugent, Ethan Brill-Cass, and Colin Caridi had strong games for the Hornets.

Girls Soccer
Stoughton, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro scored three times in the second half to pull out the win. Isabella Salviati scored a goal and assisted on another and Jess Gates had a pair of assists for the Bombardiers. Briley Harnois opened the scoring off a Salviatie assist. Salviati added the second from Gates and then Sam Fasoldt made it 3-0 with a header off a Gates corner. Attleboro coach Steve Santos is Gates controlled the midfield and Sophia Salviati played well in defense. Ashley Macia earned the clean sheet. Stoughton goalie Brianna Buckley had a strong first half, according to head coach Tara Daniels, to keep the game scoreless. Daniels added that moving Gabi Diaz from midfield to sweeper also helped organize the defense.

Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Olivia Rodman opened the scoring for the Bulldogs but Franklin responded within five minutes on a tying goal by Halle Atkinson. Freshman Stella Regan gave the Panthers the lead and then late in the game Sydney St. Marie added an insurance goal to seal the win.

Sharon, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – Steph Kemp had two goals and an assist and Cassidy McMahon had a brace for the Hornets. Melissa Reef, Sydney Mulkern, and Karina Gemiani each had an assist in the win.

Milford, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Chloe Layne scored twice and Avery Snead had a goal and an assist to keep KP perfect in the league. Snead scored the eventual game-winner with a header off a Faye Veillieux corner after 15 minutes. Nine minutes later, Layne scored from the penalty spot to double the lead before halftime. With 20 minutes left, Layne volleyed in a Snead cross to end the scoring. Taylor Butler made five saves for her third clean sheet of the season.

Field Hockey
Attleboro @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Franklin, 1 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Mansfield, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Oliver Ames, 3 @ North Attleboro, 1 – Final – The Rocketeers took the lead on a goal by Abby Calistra, but the Tigers scored three straight in the second half to get the win. Hannah Stryke tied the game off a penalty corner, with Maggie Woods picking up the assist. Kayla Lozzi completed a three-on-one break to give OA the lead and Woods added a goal to her earlier assist when she knocked in a rebound off the goalie’s pads. OA coach Sharon Lawrence also praised the midfield play of Meaghan Rockey and Brynna Courneen and the defending of Emily Han. Kara Ostrander made three saves to preserve the win.

King Philip, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – King Philip raced out to a 3-0 lead at halftime and never looked back in a win over Milford. Nicole Connor opened the scoring with an unassisted tally (23:51), Dana Truini converted a pass from Kate Lindmark (13:32), and Alli Meehan made it 3-0 off of a pass from Connor (1:39). In the second half, Lindmark scored on an assist from Meehan (16:24) and Meegan capped the scoring with 11:50 on a pass from Olivia Kulesza. Grace May and Mackenzie Manning combined for the shutout in net for KP.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – The Black Knights stayed unbeaten with a three-set win (25-10, 25-19, 25-22). Stoughton coach Erica Batchelder said the team “played together and shared the ball.” Mia Bennett had a strong game in the back row and Alexa Quinones had a great overall performance in the win. Attleboro’s Chelsea Calcagni had seven aces and two kills while Hailey Thake added two kills and a block.

Franklin, 3 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Franklin picked up an impressive win over a good Canton team, taking a 3-1 decision (25-21, 13-25, 25-21, 25-9) over the Bulldogs. For Canton, Julia Minichello played great defense with 14 digs and three aces and Nicole Brown was fantastic with 22 assists, 24 digs and four kills.

Taunton, 3 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Taunton secured its second win of the season with 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 19-25, 25-20) win on the road at Foxboro. Jaime Brown paced the offense with 16 assists, five aces and a block while Sam Martin added five kills, an ace and a block for the Tigers. Sam Silveira had a strong all around game with three kills, two blocks, and 11 aces while Mckenzie Lucie solidified the back row with strong serve receive and defensive play (six digs).

King Philip, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – King Philip went on the road and picked up a 3-1 win over Milford (25-23, 21-25, 25-9, 25-14). Grace Ely paced the offense with nine kills and two aces while Catherine Waldeck added nine kills and two blocks, Nicole Coughlan chipped in with five kills, three aces four blocks, Emma Brooks added six aces, and Lillian Carlo led the defense with five digs.

Oliver Ames, 2 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – The Rocketeers took the final set 15-6 to earn a hard-fought 3-2 (25-17, 15-25, 25-23, 17-25, 15-6) victory. Tatian Sotelo led North with eight kills while Emma Gunn added seven kills. Hayley Gaskin had 15 assists, Joanna Collins-Bilyeu added 12 assists and Lizi Buron anchored the defense with 13 digs. Junior Jordan Bosse led the Tigers with 10 kills and three aces in defeat. OA also got 28 digs and three aces from Sadie Homer and four kills, four blocks, and two aces from Jackie Raymond.

Mansfield, 1 @ Sharon, 3 – Final – Mansfield won the third set to prevent the sweep but Sharon finished off the match to earn a 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 25-22) win. For Mansfield, Greenly Kelly had 14 kills, Emily Dardinski added 10 kills, and Sam Sternberg had 14 digs.

Golf
Canton, 155 @ North Attleboro, 160 – Final – Four Bulldogs shot sub-40 rounds to earn the Davenport win. Tommy Dimock shot a medalist round of 38 to lead the way, while Chris Lavoie, Mike Gobbi and Thomas Singleton each shot rounds of 39. Marcus Costa had North’s low score of the day with a 39. Jillian Barend and Matt Wanless each shot rounds of 40 and Justin Strom shot a 41 for the Rocketeers.

King Philip, 169 @ Franklin, 166 – Final – Matt D’Errico shot a 38 to lead the way for the Panthers in a close match at Franklin Country Club. Franklin also got a round of 41 from Quintin Faro and a 42 from Jake Blaney. KP was led by Kayla Shuberth, who shot a 40.

Attleboro, 178 @ Oliver Ames, 153 – Final – Thomas Walsh shot a medalist round of 35 in wet conditions to lead the Tigers to their first win of the season. Tate Hadges shot a 38, Liam Barry shot a 39, and James Walsh finished with a 41 for OA. Attleboro’s low round belonged to Ethan Johnson, who shot a 42.

09/11/201809/13/2018

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 09/12/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Luke Devine scored the game-winner in the 52nd minute to help the Hornets move to 3-0 on the season. Connor Eames came away with a steal just over midfield and passed to junior Peter Oldow. Oldow dummied the pass allowing Luke Savoie to hit a one-timer on frame. The bid was saved but Devine was there to finish it. Mansfield goalie Anthony Salisbury made 12 saves for his first career shutout.

Canton @ Foxboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford sophomore Lucas Da Silva scored his first varsity goal off an assist from Joey Madden as the Scarlet Hawks finished level with Sharon.

Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Steph Kemp scored two goals and had an assist, Bryn Anderson and Sydney Mulkern each had a goal and an assist, and Kylie Tryder scored her first career goal for the Hornets.

Canton @ Foxboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – The Warriors scored twice in the first half to secure the win. Ally Stanton scored the eventual game-winner off a cross by Chloe Layne 15 minutes into the game and then Layne added the second from the penalty spot four minutes later. Taylor Butler made six saves for the clean sheet. Breanna Atwood made nine saves for the Panthers and Franklin coach Tom Geysen said that his team created some good chances and “took some steps forward.”

Milford @ Sharon – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Field Hockey
Mansfield @ Attleboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Foxboro @ Canton – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/26 at 3:45.

King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of goals in each half and had a strong defensive effort to blank Franklin. KP freshman Meghan MacDonald scored less then two minutes into the game on a feed from Kate Lindmark to give the Warriors a strong start. Alli Meehan scored the next three goals for the Warriors, tallying unassisted goals at the midway point of each the first and second half, and scoring off a feed from Dana Truini in the second half. Franklin’s Christina Luccini made four saves and Anna Jardine had nine saves for the Panthers. Marissa Canesi and Maeve Ledwith each had strong games defensively for Franklin.

Sharon @ Milford, 3:45

Stoughton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday at 3:45.

Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/26 at 6:00.

Volleyball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield defended home court with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-20) win over visiting Attleboro. Olivia McGrath had 10 kills for the Hornets while Stephanie Walker and Olivia Fernando combined for 25 assists. Attleboro’s Chelsea Calcagni led the Bombardiers with seven kills and three aces while Ana Leonardo chipped in with eight assists, a kill, and a block.

Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton opened its home slate with a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-12, 25-22) against Foxboro. Canton’s Nicole Brown had an all around outstanding day with eight kills, 12 assists, and two aces while Sydney Gallery added five kills and was strong at the net. Megan McDonough ran the defense defense with 12 digs and added an ace for the Bulldogs.

King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final– Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Stoughton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Stoughton notched its second straight road win to open the season, sweeping North Attleboro 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-9). Molly Turner served well for the Black Knights, recording seven aces and adding four kills and four blocks. Amaya Morris played well from the middle, killing six of her nine attempts.

Taunton, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Caitlin Cavanaugh had a terrific game, leading the Tigers with 17 kills in a win over Taunton. Sadie Homer had 23 digs, Allie Kemp added 28 assists & six aces, Sarah Litwack chipped in with 15 assists and Jordan Bosse finished with eight kills and three aces.

Sharon, 1 @ Milford, 3 – Final

Golf
Sharon @ Canton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Taunton @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
King Philip @ Mansfield – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

09/04/2018

Girls Soccer: 2018 Kelley-Rex Division Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2018 Kelley-Rex Girls Soccer Preview

Attleboro

2017 Record: 4-13-1
2017 Finish: Missed Playoffs.
Coach: Steve Santos

Attleboro improved last season, scoring 18 goals and showing signs of an improved passing game, which head coach Steve Santos has been trying to build over the past few years. An exciting group of younger players added speed to the Bombardiers and the team’s increased depth allowed them to be competitive against even the league’s best teams.

That group has continued to develop and sophomore forwards Isabella Salviati and Briley Harnois will be counted on to provide a consistent threat to the opposition defense. The midfield should be a strength for the Bombardiers this season with a group of versatile players that will set the foundation for the Attleboro passing game. Senior Sam Fasoldt will be joined by juniors Julia Reyes and Ashley Dame, who returns after missing 2017 with a knee injury, and sophomore Jessica Gates. Junior Sophia Salviati will help out in midfield and defense, where Attleboro returns just one starter from last year. Seniors Felicia Laguerre and Ashley Lauzier will be at the heart of the defense in front of goalies Taylor Drake (senior) or Ashley Macia (junior).

“The team looks good and is playing some good passing soccer,” said Santos about the Bombardiers in the preseason. “As a team, our speed is where we need it to be to keep teams on their heels and not let them dictate play.”

Franklin

2017 Record: 10-8-2
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round.
Coach: Tom Geysen

Franklin battled injuries throughout the 2017 season and those injuries tested the Panthers depth, but heading into a new season head coach Tom Geysen is confident that this year’s squad can withstand the rigors of Hockomock play. The Panthers will be tested early, with King Philip, Mansfield, and Canton in the opening four games.

Versatility will be a key for the Panthers this season with players capable of slotting into different positions. One of those players is junior Anna Balkus, who can play up top or drop back into the midfield depending on the formation. Sophomore Sydney St. Marie will also play up top and Geysen said that she has shown real progress from last year. Junior Carly Alston will be in the heart of the midfield, while senior Halle Atkinson will give Franklin an outlet on one wing and sophomore Erin Qualie, fresh off an impressive rookie campaign, will be on the other. Defensively, Franklin will count on third-year center back Grace Gallo, fellow senior Maddie Stewart, and junior Sabrina Addi, who moved from the midfield to defense last fall. Athletic junior Breanna Atwood will jump into goal and continue Franklin’s run of strong goalkeepers.

“We have a good nucleus of kids coming back and kids moving around to new positions,” said Geysen. “There are a lot of freshmen with potential to develop into strong players. Everyone had a good attitude and has been working hard.”

King Philip

2017 Record: 20-2-2
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 state semifinal.
Coach: Gary Pichel

King Philip put together a dominant season in 2017, winning a league title for the first time since 2002 and then winning the Div. 1 South title as well. The Warriors scored 18 more goals than any other team in the Hockomock last year and also allowed fewer goals than all but two teams. With a loaded roster back this fall, KP has its sights set on even more in 2018.

Expectations are sky high for the Warriors this season because of the return of junior forwards Chloe Layne and Avery Snead, the reigning league MVP and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year. Layne and Snead were the top two scorers in the Hock last season and they continue to develop and improve. KP wasn’t a two-player team and they will also count on senior Abby Baker in the midfield along with wingers Makayla Griffin and Ally Stanton to provide outlets when defenses crowd the forwards and close down the middle of the park. Junior Olivia Berry will be in the heart of the defense and look to provide the leadership and physical play of graduated defender Emma Corcoran. Junior Faye Veilleux also stepped in at the end of last season and showed her growth as a defensive presence in midfield.

KP coach Gary Pichel said, “The team’s strength’s lie in the ability of our offense to create a great deal of scoring opportunities. There is a relentless desire to push hard up top and keep it there through pressure on ball at all times. We are fortunate to have players that have the ability to do so on a consistent basis.”

Mansfield

2017 Record: 13-2-2
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round.
Coach: Kevin Smith

While King Philip earned a lot of attention for their run to the state semifinal, Mansfield was equally as strong in the league last year. The Hornets matched the Warriors step for step and earned a share of their second straight Kelley-Rex division title. With a number of players back again this year, Mansfield looks ready to battle for a three-peat and make a deep tournament run.

The Hornets feature 13 seniors on this year’s roster, so experience won’t be an issue. Melissa Reef and Bryn Anderson headline the midfield group, with Reef providing cover for the back line and Anderson acting as the fulcrum that gets the offense in motion. The defense will be spearheaded by Emily Vigeant, who has been on the top defenders in the league for the past couple of seasons. She is joined by versatile and physical defenders like Mikaela Maughn, Kerina Geminiani, and Erin Daniel. Goalkeeper Lauren Whitman will be back between the sticks this season.

There will be plenty of depth in the Mansfield attack this fall with Stephanie Kemp, Sydney Mulkern, Amanda Mangano, Cassidy McMahon, and freshman Maria Sevastos all expected to contribute. “We will be hoping to spread out the offense amongst multiple attackers,” said Mansfield coach Kevin Smith.

Oliver Ames

2017 Record: 11-8-0
2017 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South first round.
Coach: Britt Sellmayer

Oliver Ames had a number of new faces last year, but the Tigers were still able to earn a postseason appearance and were the only team in the league to beat King Philip during the regular season. With another year of experience, OA should be ready for another postseason run.

Defense should be a strength for the Tigers this season with plenty of varsity experience on the back line, including seniors Gabriele McLaughlin, Maeve Hogan, and Brianna Gibson. The defensive unit will help sophomores Emma O’Donnell and Emily Meyers get comfortable in goal, as they try to replace EMass all-star Regan Benton. Junior Abby Hodges will be a key component in the OA midfield this season. Junior Erin Holmberg and senior Maggie Ault will be up front for the Tigers, who will hope to improve on the 31 goals they scored last year.

OA coach Britt Sellmayer said, “We have a good mix of experienced players and younger players that have potential to develop into a good team. The key will be replacing one of the best keepers in EMass in Regan Benton. We are counting on the seniors in the back line staying healthy and providing leadership.”

Taunton

2017 Record: 5-13-1
2017 Finish: Missed playoffs.
Coach: Edith Dixon

It has been a few seasons since Taunton made history with a trip to the postseason and a road playoff win at Wellesley, but the program is continuing to build and head coach Edith Dixon expects the Tigers to be an “interesting” team in 2018 with a mix of youth and experience.

Taunton will clearly miss leading scorer Sam Tichelaar and defensive stalwart Kayla Felix, who both graduated after last season, but there is a lot of talent for the Tigers to build around. Grace Pimenta will be back between the pipes and her aggressiveness off her line will help the Taunton defense. Maggie Sullivan will be counted on to be the field general in midfield and Dixon praised her “never-ending motor.” Up front, speed will be a strength for the Tigers, who are hoping to use it to create numerous chances in transition and being aggressive attacking the opposition goal.

Dixon said, “ The best part about this team is their amazing attitude as a group. Everyone has bought into the team concepts and wants to contribute everything they have towards the team goals. This is the first season I’ve had at Taunton where there are no superstars, just 11 players all working together with great synergy.”

02/09/2018

Hill Hits Milestone, Hornets Clinch Title at Franklin

Mansfield girls basketball — Senior center Meg Hill celebrates with her teammates after scoring her 1,000th career point in the Hornets’ win at Franklin that clinched at least a share of a third straight league title. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

FRANKLIN, Mass. – Mansfield had a lot on the line when it traveled to its biggest rival on Friday night. A win against Franklin would clinch at least a share of a third straight league title for the Hornets, while senior center Meg Hill was only seven points away from reaching 1,000 for her career.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

With a layup off a feed from Mady Bendanillo late in the first quarter, Hill (17 points, nine rebounds) made quick work of her accomplishment, but the Hornets needed to battle to the end to pull out a 62-48 victory that sealed a three-peat of Kelley-Rex titles.

“We had a chance to come over here to get a share of the title with a 1,000-point scorer, lets get it all done tonight,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “I’m glad it’s over and now we can relax and a win against KP to win it outright takes a little pressure off when we play OA (in the league finale).”

Hill got on the board off the opening tip, as Franklin allowed the Hornets to take a quick lead in order to get points for senior forward Kate Morse, who is out for the season with an injury.

Ann Maher got off to a red-hot start from the outside to help Mansfield stretch the floor and open up an early lead. She hit the first of three from beyond the arc in the quarter off a Hill feed and then Hill knocked down a jumper for a 7-2 advantage. After the Panthers tied it up, another Maher three was followed by another jumper by Hill.

Ali Brigham (11 rebounds) hit a jumper, the first two of her team-high 16 points, but Maher again was able to answer with another shot from long distance. Sitting just one-point from 1,000, Hill reached the milestone with a transition basket, off a feed from Bendanillo (eight assists).

Hill, who became just the second female player in Mansfield history to reach 1,000 points, passed the credit for her milestone on to her teammates. She said, “I don’t shoot on my own. I don’t dribble the ball. So, passes from them are really how I get my points and I really couldn’t have done it without them.”

After a timeout to celebrate Hill’s career mark, Bendanillo closed out the first with a three for a 20-9 lead. The Hornets finished with nine threes as a team.

“We knew Maher was a good shooter and you try to rotate the defense to her and Meg and other set some good screens and she knocked down some quick ones but I thought it was the supporting cast that really shot well for them and really made the difference tonight,” said Franklin coach John Leighton.

Franklin did not back down and rallied in the second quarter. Mansfield tried to switch up defenses to limit Brigham and Bea Bondhus, but Breanna Atwood (10 points) banked in a three-pointer and got behind the defense for a layup off a feed by Megan O’Connell. O’Connell also scored six in the second, finding space at the high post.

“Our kids battled back,” said Leighton. “The shots kept falling for them but we kept battling back and working to get twos. It was a slog, but we stayed with it. I thought at the end of the first quarter we’d find out really quick who we were and we rebounded pretty well.”

Bendanillo (eight points) drilled a second three and Hill scored on an offensive rebound, but O’Connell’s drive in the final minute cut the lead to just 29-26 at halftime.

“She got it done early,” said Redding of Hill getting to 1,000 points, “but then after that they started to come on and had a great second quarter, but I thought we really came out in the third and reestablished ourself with a good inside-outside game.”

The Hornets broke the game open in the third quarter. Maher (15 points) hit the fourth of her five three-pointer on the night to get it started and Hill hit another jumper. Sydney Mulkern (nine points) scored five points in quick succession and suddenly it was a 13-point edge.

Bondhus (10 points) hit a three to get back within 10 but Mansfield showed its depth with Steph Kemp hitting a jumper, Emily Vigeant driving to the basket for two, and Erin Daniel draining a three to push the lead to 48-35 heading to the fourth.

Redding said, “We got a lot of points not by design. We just made smart passes against traps and found open people out of the offense.”

Both teams found scoring a struggle at the start of the fourth and Franklin was able to chip away at the lead, getting it as close as 56-48 after Bondhus finished in traffic, but the Hornets went 6-for-6 from the line to close it out.

“I thought Bea and Ali were super-aggressive in the fourth quarter and we needed them to be,” said Leighton. “All the shots didn’t fall but I thought we got the looks that we needed and we got some defensive stops that we needed.”

Wins at Franklin are always welcome for the Hornets. Four years ago a loss at Franklin cost Mansfield a share of the league title and the Panthers handed the Hornets their only league loss on the same court last season. So, Redding was pleased to walk away with the victory on Friday.

“Any win at Franklin is a tough one,” said Redding. “Both teams switching up defenses left and right and it seemed like both teams had answers. Ali played great, Meg played great, it was a great battle between two of the best teams in the Kelley-Rex.”

In between celebratory photos with teammates, family, and friends, Hill turned her attention not to the points she has scored in her career but to the fact that she has been part of three straight league championships. She said, “That’s what I really wanted. This is just a sidenote, but three league titles that’s really cool. I’m glad to be part of that.”

Mansfield (15-4, 13-1) can clinch the outright league title on Tuesday at King Philip. Franklin (11-7, 9-5) will try to bounce back when it travels to Attleboro.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

01/19/201801/20/2018

Hornets Clamp Down on OA to Gain Division Lead

NORTH EASTON, Mass. – In the three game leading into Friday night’s first-place showdown with Mansfield in the William F. Nixon Gym, Oliver Ames senior forward Kayla Raymond had averaged 32 points per game. But defense has been the cornerstone of back-to-back league titles for the Hornets and they came out intent on keeping the Stonehill-commit quiet.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Using a box-and-one defense and taking advantage of a roster filled with athletic wing defenders, Mansfield held Raymond to just six points on the night and the Tigers to only seven points as a whole in the first half to win 44-31 in the first of two meetings between the teams this season.

“We have the highest respect for Kayla and you have to start your defense with slowing her down,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “We’re fortunate that we have Maggie [Danehy], Steph [Kemp], Emily [Vigeant], Sydney [Mulkern], four different people that can run around and are long enough and quick enough to keep it out of her hands.”

He added, “We’re really good defensively when we can zero in on one player and take her out and then rebound when other people miss.”

The game plan worked to perfection in the first half. Mansfield held OA scoreless for the opening five minutes of the game, allowed only one made field goal in the first quarter and three made shots in the first half to build a 24-7 lead at the break.

“It disrupted us and we’ve got to be better at recognizing that other people can do things too,” said OA coach Laney Clement-Holbrook of Mansfield’s ability to deny Raymond touches. “We depend on Kayla all the time and the other kids have to gain the confidence in their ability to do what they’re capable of doing and we didn’t do that in the first half.”

Mansfield also got off to a strong start offensively with Ann Maher scoring all eight of her points in the first, including a pair from beyond the arc, and Meg Hill getting five of her game-high 16 points. Hill, who will team up with Raymond at Stonehill next year, also added nine rebounds and five blocks, just missing out on another double-double.

In the second quarter, Meg Holleran came off the bench and scored four points for the Tigers, one layup off a Raymond assist that momentarily looked like it might get the hosts going and a second after Katie Flynn pulled down and defensive board and sprung Holleran on the break.

“She did a good job,” said Clement-Holbrook of Holleran. “She scored some points, she was physical inside, but we just weren’t disciplined offensively.”

Those were the only baskets of the quarter for OA, while Mansfield continued to get the ball into the paint with Hill scoring off assists by Maher and Kemp and Danehy (10 points and nine rebounds) scoring five in the quarter. Hill capped the half by knocking down a long jumper to make it 24-7.

The second half was much better from the Tigers, although OA only managed two made shots in the third quarter as well. Alex Sheldon scored all five of her points in the third and Raymond got on the board, going 3-of-4 from the line. Holleran (10 points) also knocked down one of her two second half threes but Mansfield matched the Tigers in the quarter.

The Hornets were sparked off the bench by Mulkern (10 points), who knocked down a three after Mady Bendanillo swung the ball around the perimeter and added four more points in the fourth as well.

“We did a good job getting Meg looks and then they did a good job doubling in the second half and Sydney Mulkern really stepped up,” said Redding. “They left someone open and it ended up being her a few teams. We’re good enough when they double Meg to keep people honest and give her room to score in the paint.”

OA was not able to close the gap in the third, despite having moments when it seemed as though the momentum may have swung to the Tigers.

“In the second half, we made a few adjustments and I think we got some positive things out of those adjustments,” said Clement-Holbrook. “[Ally] Scolnick had three threes that went in-and-out and I think if those go down it would have changed momentum a little.”

Erin Holmberg scored five of her seven points in the fourth, including a three on the game’s final shot, and Holleran knocked down her second three of the night. Raymond finally got a clean look and hit a three for her only made field goal in the game.

Hill scored twice in the fourth, both on assists from freshman Ashley Santos, to keep the Hornets ahead by a comfortable margin, as OA never got closer than 13 in the second half.

Clement-Holbrook said of her relatively inexperienced roster, “Those kids in those moments where there’s a lot of pressure on them, they’ve just got to be equal to the task and they’ve got to handle it. I have a lot of kids who haven’t played at this level, so they’ve got to be able to handle the bright lights.”

With the win, Mansfield moves a full game ahead of OA and Franklin in the Kelley-Rex, but Redding knows the Hornets still have a lot of work to do to clinch a three-peat. He explained, “It’s good to get to the halfway point controlling your own destiny. We’re in a good spot but there is a lot of basketball left to play. It’s going to be a good race to the end.”

Mansfield (9-4, 7-1) will travel to Sharon on Tuesday, while Oliver Ames (7-3, 6-2) faces a trip to Milford.

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12/22/201712/22/2017

Bendanillo Career High Lifts Mansfield Over Feehan

MANSFIELD, Mass. – Trailing by two points entering the fourth quarter, Mansfield knew that it would need a spark on the offensive end to come out on top against non-league rival Bishop Feehan in Friday night’s meeting in the James Albertini Gym.

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The Hornets put the ball into the hands of junior point guard Mady Bendanillo and she delivered, personally outscoring the Shamrocks 15-12 in the final eight minutes. With Bendanillo leading the way, Mansfield, which had scored 36 points over the first three quarters, put up 30 as a team in the fourth.

Bendanillo finished with a game- and career-high 22 points and added five assists to lead the Hornets to a 66-50 victory over Feehan, which head coach Mike Redding said afterwards was his first coaching win against the Shamrocks.

“She put on a show tonight,” said Redding of Bendanillo. “She was money at the free throw line (9-of-10 in the fourth quarter), hit some big threes, and handled the ball. I think she played more minutes than anybody and never gets tired, never takes a possession off, and she’s definitely coming into her own getting confidence scoring.”

He added, “We know Meg’s going to get some points inside, Ann will hit some threes, but when Mady goes for double digits then we become a really good basketball team.”

Bendanillo got the fourth quarter started with a three-pointer to give the Hornets a one-point edge. After she hit a pair of free throws, junior Maggie Danehy got into the act with a baseline drive and finish to make it 43-38. Feehan scored, but Ann Maher (12 points and four assists) nailed a step-back three from the left wing to push the lead to six.

The speed of Bendanillo allowed her to break the Feehan press and turn any rebound into a quick break and her ability to get to the rim led to five different trips to the line in the quarter. She buried a three (her third of the night) off a Steph Kemp assist for a 51-43 lead then assisted on a Maher three that pushed the lead to nine.

Meg Hill (14 points and 10 boards) had a pair of baskets in the fourth, one off a Maher assist and the other on a putback, and Danehy added a layup, as the Hornets stormed to the final whistle.

“It was just a lot of different contributions when we needed it,” said Redding about the difference on this night compared to other meetings with Feehan in the past. “Where in the past we may have gone flat for a couple minutes and no one would make a play. Tonight we had a bunch of kids making plays to extend it and make it comfortable.”

The game looked similar to recent meetings between the two teams midway through the second quarter. With the Hornets struggling to make shots and with Hill, who had kept Mansfield in the game with eight points in the first quarter, on the bench with her second foul, Feehan built a 24-12 lead and looked poised to break the game wide open.

Instead of the game getting out of hand, the Hornets grabbed hold of the momentum and closed the half with a 14-4 run. Erin Daniel (seven points) drained a three that cut the lead to seven and Bendanillo followed with a steal and layup and then a three off an assist by her twin sister Kara.

After a Kemp steal, Kara Bendanillo scored her only basket of the night to tie the game at 26-26. Although Feehan added a bucket to lead at the break, it was the Hornets that went into halftime happier.

“When Meg got her second [foul], we sat her and said okay we just have to survive these last two [minutes] and we went on an 8-0 run with the subs,” Redding explained. “That really kind of set the tone going into the second half.”

He continued, “All of a sudden we have that run and it’s a ballgame and we came out with some confidence to start the second half.”

Sydney Mulkern hit a three after the break, her only points of the game, to give Mansfield its first lead since it was 2-0. Nicole Smith (15 points) answered with a three for the Shamrocks, but Maher stepped into a kick out pass by Hill to bury a three on the next possession. Daniel added four points in the quarter to keep the Hornets within two heading to the final eight minutes.

“It was a great game,” said Redding. “We’ll have out hands full over there and this will probably end up being the first of three of them. So, they’re all going to be fun to watch. It’s a high level of basketball for both teams.”

Mansfield (4-1, 2-1) will get a few days off before facing Franklin on Dec. 28 with a rematch against Bishop Feehan slated for Jan. 3.

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