The Campus Report: Fall 2019 In Review

Campus Report

The HockomockSports.com Campus Report is an update on former Hockomock League athletes currently competing in collegiate sports. If you would like to submit an update, please e-mail info@HockomockSports.com.

Former Mansfield star Hunter Ferreira, who holds the Hornets’ all-time receptions and receiving yards records, is well on his way to the top of the charts at Nichols College. In his sophomore season, he grabbed 69 passes for 912 yards and four touchdowns. His best game of the year came at the University of New England when he hauled in 12 catches (fourth-most in program history in a single game) for 148 yards. In just two years, he has 97 receptions (sixth all-time), 1,428 yards (sixth all-time), and 12 touchdowns (tied fourth all-time). Another former Hornet Joe Cox is the leader on the defensive side of the ball for the Bison. Cox led the team in tackles with 99, including a team-high and conference-best 68 solo tackles. He forced a fumble against Anna Maria and had an interception at Western New England. His 17 tackles for loss led the entire Commonwealth Conference. His 99 tackles this season is tied for sixth-best in program history. King Philip’s Brett McEvoy (Nichols ’18) is the program’s all-time tackle leader with 385. OA’s Darnele Ryan appeared in six games and has nine total tackles and Mansfield’s Phil Dinov made three tackles in four appearances.

Former HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year Joe Kellett had to watch Boston College’s first-round overtime loss of the ACC Tournament against Notre Dame after being issued a red card in the regular season finale. It marked the first game Kellett missed in his four years in college between BC and UMass Lowell. During his senior year, his first career goal for the Eagles proved to be the game-winner against UMass. He also scored the game-tying goal in a 2-2 overtime game against Virginia Tech. He played all 1,520 minutes of the season for BC during his junior year while starting all 34 games he played for UMass Lowell during his freshman and sophomore campaigns. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, Kellett played the opening 50 minutes in a win over Yale.

For the second straight season, King Philip’s Rachael Veilleux led the Nichols College volleyball team in assists. A sophomore setter, Veilleux has been dishing out sets for the past two seasons, helping the Bison win 12 matches this season. She had a team-high 360 assists (eighth-most in the conference) to go along with 16 aces this season. In her career so far, she has 592 assists.

Franklin Pierce’s Jason Reed earned All-East Region honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for his strong showing at the NCAA East Regional. Reed placed 20th overall at 32:28 and became the first Raven in program history to earn three straight All-Region accolades. Reed finished 14th overall at the NE10 Championship, clocking in at 27:47.6 for the 8k race.

Two former league rivals started every game this season for the Union field hockey squad. Senior Sarah Wilkinson, from Canton, and sophomore Cristina Boudreau, of Oliver Ames, both started in all 16 games this season for the Dutchmen. Wilkinson scored a pair of goals in her final season, once against Morrisville and then the game-winning strike in a win over William Smith. Boudreau scored her lone goal of the game against Rensselaer while recording three assists — all coming in a four-game span.

The Western Connecticut State University will be losing one of its most reliable players to graduation as Oliver Ames alum Melissa Krim wraps up her career with the Colonials. Krim did it all for WCSU, listed as a utility player on the roster because of her versatility. She scored 10 career goals, with eight coming in the past two seasons, and four assists. She scored her first game-winning goal this season in a win over Salem State. In her four years, Krim played in 76 games with 74 of them starts.

Milford graduate Katie Brown closed her career at Salem State with a strong senior season, earning MASCAC All-Conference Second Team honors. Brown, who was featured on HockomockSports.com earlier this season, was the leading goal scorer for the Vikings once again this season. For the second straight year, Brown found the back of the net eight times and added three assists this year for 19 total points. She scored the game-winning goal against Rivier early in the season and then added another winner in a 2-1 win on the road at Endicott. She finishes her career with the second-most points in program history (48) and second-most goals scored (22), just three shy of the record.

Success and Lily Sykes continue to go hand-and-hand as the former Foxboro Warrior is now helping the Tufts women’s soccer program go where it hasn’t gone in over a decade. A regular presence in the midfield, Sykes helped the Jumbos knock off Cortland in the opening round and TCNJ in the second round, sending Tufts to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005. Sykes blasted a shot that was saved in the 8th minute of the game against Cortland, setting up Sophie Lloyd for the opening-goal. Sykes, a four-time EMass All-Star, has started in all 19 contests for the Jumbos this year, scoring three goals with one assist. She scored the game-winning goal on the road at Hamilton. Tufts takes on conference foe Williams in the Sweet 16 on Saturday.

Taunton’s Trevor Wysong continues to lead the pack for the Bridgewater State men’s cross country team. Wysong, who has been named MASCAC Runner of the Week six times this season alone, clocked in (25:56) nearly two minutes ahead of the next runner at the MASCAC Championship Race at Moore State Park to earn MASCAC Runner of the Year honors for the second straight season. After the MASCAC race, Wysong competed in the DIII New England Championships and finished 12th overall in the 8k course, clocking in at 25:11.3 to qualify for the NCAA DIII Championship race (this Saturday) for the second straight year.

Also competing at the MASCAC Championship race, Taunton’s Zac Bentley (Westfield State) finished 10th overall at 28:16, Stoughton’s Cameron Bean (Westfield State) was 12th overall at 28:25, Franklin’s Robert Moreau (Bridgewater State) crossed 15th overall ad 28:35, and Milford’s Anthony DiStauro (Westfield State) took 19th at 28:41. Milford’s Miguel Torres, a freshman for Framingham State, took 22nd overall at 29:02. Mansfield graduate Collin Rice, a sophomore at Westfield State, clocked in at 29:32 for 27th overall and fellow former Hornet Cullen Lancaster (Framingham State) was 33rd overall at 30:32.

On the girls’ side of MASCAC cross country, Milford grad and Bridgewater State senior Jenise Madden was the top former Hockomock runner this season. Madden was second at the MASCAC Championships and went on to place 34th out of a field of 380 runners to lead the BSU women’s cross country team and earn All-New England honors at the 2019 NCAA DIII New England Regional Cross Country Championships held at Bowdoin College. Other top finishes at the MASCAC race included North Attleboro’s Megan Leary (Bridgewater State, 21:14, 12th place) and North Attleboro’s Kyra Siano (Worcester State, 21:29, 15th Place).

Former Franklin standouts Alexis and Victoria Stowell wrapped up their collegiate careers with Assumption, helping the Greyhounds to a 7-4-5 overall record in 2019. Both played the same amount of games in their four-year careers (69) with Alexis (NE10 All-Conference Second Team selection) recording eight goals and six assists in 60 starts. Victoria played a vital role in the midfield with one goal and five assists in 53 starts. In their four years, Assumption won over 35 games.

The Bridgewater State women’s soccer team had its season come to a dramatic end in a double-overtime loss to Worcester State in the MASCAC Final. But a pair of former Hockomock standouts both had strong final seasons for the Bears. Taunton’s Alana Vincent was once again the leading scorer for the club, leading the conference in goals scored with 17. Her seven assists were also a team-high and were third in the MASCAC. Seven of her goals proved to be game-winners. Mansfield’s Katie Bongarzone also started all 19 games for BSU this fall as a key piece of the defense. She added a goal and three assists. Both Vincent and Bongarzone were selected to the MASCAC All-Conference First Team.

Two members of the HockomockSports.com 2015 Best XI were apart of the Northeast-10 All-Conference awards that were announced on Veteran’s Day. Former Oliver Ames captain and member of the 2015 D2 State Championship team Keegan Nutt finished his career with the Skyhawks this fall by being named to the NE10 All-Conference Second Team. Nutt tied for the team lead in scoring despite being a starting defender, scoring five goals and registering two assists for 12 points. He scored twice, including the game-winner off a free kick, against Saint Rose in late October. Another All-NE10 collection and former Best XI selection was Foxboro’s Devante Teixeira, who was named All-Conference Third Team. Teixeira, a senior at Southern Connecticut, led the Owls with 10 points (two goals, six assists) while starting in 14 games.

It’s been a good season for the UMass Dartmouth football team and the hexad of former Hockomock players there. All six have played for the Corsairs, who finished the year at 7-3. Taunton’s Chris Gomes had the biggest year of the half dozen alums, earning MASCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors back in September for his big game against Plymouth State in which he made a key stop on the 1-yard line to help secure a 21-14 win. For the season, the junior defensive back was fourth on the team with 47 tackles, including six for a loss and one sack, grabbed two interceptions, and tied for the team lead with six pass breakups. Attleboro’s Justin Cote was a regular on special teams, returning 12 kicks for a total of 219 yards. North Attleboro’s David Engler appeared in eight games, making a catch against Alred State. On the defense side, Foxboro’s Allston George had 14 tackles and played in all 10 games, North Attleboro’s Luke LaBonte made 11 tackles, including a half a sack, and Taunton’s Sam Krajewski had 10 tackles, an interception, and four pass breakups.

Former four-time Hockomock League All-Star and league MVP Ryan Tomaso is leading the way for the Hartford golf squad during his junior season. Tomaso played in five tournaments this fall with an average round of 73.64 in 14 rounds played. He shot par or better in four rounds and finished tied for second overall at the UConn Collegiate Invitational. He led the team in average for the fall season.

Former Taunton coach and current mentor for the Bridgewater State women’s tennis team Dave Purpura earned seven wins this fall and reached the Little East Semifinals before bowing out to RIC. Three former Hockomock players were in the lineup for Purpura, manning second, fourth, and fifth/sixth singles for the Bears. Taunton’s Olivia Sweeney was the second singles player and picked up six wins in singles action, and teamed up with fellow former Tiger Vanessa Rosa at second and third doubles. The pairing of Sweeney and Rosa won seven matches together, and Rosa had seven singles wins at mostly at fourth singles. Mansfield’s Rachel Tarantino played mostly fifth or sixth singles during the reason, earning 11 single wins and nine wins in doubles action at either second or third doubles.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year and Mansfield Hornet Hannah Reiter has been a stalwart for Dave Clarke and his Quinnipiac women’s soccer team ever set she stepped foot on campus in Hamden. She played in all 19 games this season (all starts), and has played in every single game (56 games) since joining the program in the fall of 2017. This season, she was third on the team with 1,646minutes played, playing an important role defensively for the Bobcats. For her career so far, Reiter has three goals and five assists.

Meghan Dieterle finished her career as a Purple Knight this fall, finishing with 45 appearances for St. Michaels, including 11 starts this season. Dieterle has been a regular in the lineup for SMC for the past three years, scoring a pair of goals as a sophomore and recording four assists during her junior campaign. She tallied her final collegiate point, an assist, in a win over Lincoln this fall. Also patrolling the pitch up in Colchester is Sharon alum Victoria Zambello. A junior forward, Zambello has appeared in 33 games in three seasons, scoring in the win over Lincoln. Franklin’s Grace Gallo is also a member of the Purple Knights.

Down in Pennsylvania, Canton’s Mac Brown scored his first collegiate touchdown for Dickinson in a win over Juniata. Brown, a senior running back, hauled in his first career pass for a three-yard score. A week later, Brown had another catch for 14 yards on the road at Moravian.

Taunton graduate Connor Briggs started at center in all 10 games for Fitchburg State this season. A senior lineman, Briggs helped pave the way for an offense that averaged over 100 yards per game on the ground and had 61 rushing first downs. Attleboro’s William Healy appeared in three games, including on defense where he recorded three total tackles, including two against Plymouth State.

Former King Philip standout Larsen Keys was the only player to start in all 19 games for Western New England this season. A leader for the Golden Bears’ defense, Keys found his way into the attack as well with two goals and two assists this season. Both of the sophomore’s goals proved to be game-winners, the first coming in a 1-0 win over Wentworth and the other on the road at Elms.

Over at Worcester State, former Franklin Panther Henri Guilmette started and played every minute in goal for the Lancers. In 20 starts, Guilmette allowed 27 goals (1.32 GAA) with a .803 save percentage, making 110 total saves in over 1,800 minutes of action. He posted four shutouts and helped the Lancers reach the MASCAC Semifinal.

Bianca Coghi-DeSousa had a solid showing in her one year playing for the UMass Boston volleyball squad. Coghi-DeSousa, who previously played two seasons at Framingham State and once held the program record for aces at Stoughton High, played in 15 matches for the Beacons this fall. In 45 sets, she landed 46 kills and added eight total blocks. The Beacons made the NCAA tournament but fell to Babson, coached by Easton native Eric Neely, brother to Franklin basketball coach CJ Neely.

Defense was a huge reason that the Westfield State volleyball squad went a perfect 7-0 in conference matches and went on to claim the MASCAC championship. Mansfield grad Jess Haradon is a key piece of the defense, ranking third on the team with 281 digs. Only one player has featured in more sets for the Owls this season than Haradon, who has played in 30 matches and 106 sets. She had a season-high 30 digs in a five-set thriller with Clark earlier this season and had a six-match stretch with double-digit kills. With one year to go, Haradon has 848 career digs.




Prinos sisters Diana and Sophia have been key pieces for the Fairfield University tennis. Diana finished the fall season on a three-match win streak, playing once at second singles (winning 6-2, 7-5) and twice at third singles, winning twice in three sets. Diana also picked up three wins this fall in doubles action, teaming up with Paulina Bakaite for first doubles and getting a win in their fall finale over Sacred Heart. Sophia Prinos had a lot of success, taking first place in one bracket at the West Point Invite. She won in straight sets over St. Bonaventure, Lehigh, Colgate, and Marist to get to the final where she defeated Amy Stanley (St. Bonaventure) 6-1, 6-4. She went 2-1 in head-to-head competition, finishing with a 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 win against Sacred Heart at fifth singles.

Up at the University of New Hampshire, Franklin’s Ryan Spelman participated in six races for the men’s cross country team during his senior year. He finished ninth overall in a dual meet between the Wildcats and Maine, clocking in at 26:32.0 for the 8k course. His best 8k time came against Lehigh when he clocked in at 25:55.6, good for 119th overall. On the women’s side, Foxboro’s Nicole Yeomans had a solid showing at the D1 Northeast Region meet, clocking in at 22:19.5 for 165th overall.

North Attleboro’s Vanessa Frost was named to the Commonwealth Coast Conference Second Team following a strong season in the midfield for Salve Regina. Frost was just one of two midfielders that started all 19 games for the Seahawks during the 2019 campaign. Frost scored once (in the CCC Final) and added three assists while Foxboro grad Kayla Ames made five appearances this season, scoring in a win over Dean.

Liz Morehouse was among the top goalies in the New England Women’s & Men’s Athletic Conference in her first year in the cage for the Springfield Field Hockey squad. Morehouse, a former Big Red Rocketeer, started in all 19 games this season, making 87 saves (sixth in the conference) with a 2.06 goals against average (fourth in the conference). She set a career-high with 11 saves against Babson, and then repeated that feat twice more in against Trinity and MIT.

Former Mansfield standout Sarah Mullahy had a successful senior campaign with the Suffolk volleyball squad. A middle blocker, Mullahy ranked third for the Rams with 182 kills (1.77 per set) with an impressive .265 hitting percentage. She was second on the team with 44 blocks, landed 29 aces and even chipped in with 46 digs for the 20-win Rams. A captain this season, she was named to the GNAC All-Sportsmanship squad and had 326 kills in three seasons.

It shouldn’t come as a big surprise that sisters Ashlyn and Emma Gaulin made an immediate impact on the pitch in their rookie seasons with Hamilton College, who had a 10-5-1 overall record this season. Both appeared in all 16 games for the Continentals, with Emma starting all of the games and Ashlyn serving as a reliable super-sub off the bench. Patrolling the midfield, Emma recorded a pair of assists during the season with a helper against Bates and one against Hartwick, both games at home. Ashlyn also had an assist in the win over Bates while scoring off the bench against SUNY Oswego, Colby, Morrisville State (also an assist), and Sage Colleges. The Continentals were undefeated when either Gaulin recorded a point this season.

Franklin’s Madison Kuzio had a busy season as a defensive specialist for the Worcester State volleyball team. She was third on the team with 169 digs, playing in 70 sets this year. A junior, Kuzio has appeared in 66 matches thus far in her career and has 301 career digs to go along with 20 aces.

The workload continued to increase for Franklin grad Megan Adams during the 2019 season. After a redshirt first-year, Adams appeared in five games last season including her collegiate debut for Northeastern against Long Beach State. This year, Adams was the starting keeper for the Huskies, making 15 starts and playing over 1,200 minutes. Adams allowed just 16 goals (1.13 goals against average) while making 48 saves, posting a 7-7 record for the season with four shutouts. She had shutout wins over Towson, COFC, Drexel, and Elon.

Another former Panther and collegiate keeper Cat Robbins, a sophomore, continued to be a regular in net for the Plymouth State women’s soccer team. After nine starts last season, Robbins was once again the go-to option for the Panthers. She started 12 games this season, winning six games, with 41 saves and just a.184 goals against per game. She played over 1,000 minutes and has four shutouts in her career so far.

Two former Hockomock rivals are now team captains for Saint Anselm football. Junior Franklin Holgate, who played at Oliver Ames, and junior Ryan Sullivan, a former Black Knight, are two of the four captains for the Hawks. Holgate finished third on the team in receptions (40), fourth in receiving yards (484), and second with three touchdowns. Sullivan is a leader on the other side of the ball, second on the team with 54 solo tackles and 95 total tackles. He also had four sacks, 7.5 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, and four pass breakups. He earned NE10 Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 6 for his performance against New Haven. In that game, he had 17 tackles, two sacks, and the forced fumble. Also at St. A’s, King Philip’s Michael Riggs appeared in nine games and made 25 tackles, including two for a loss, while Franklin’s Brian Kosicki has started every game at left tackle.

In the same week that Sullivan earned NE10 defensive honors, another former Black Knight was awarded the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week. Brandon Swain-Price, a graduate student with Southern Connecticut, recorded 10 receptions for 201 yards and two touchdowns. He is just the sixth receiver in program history to hit the 200-yard mark in a game, and the first SCSU receiver to reach the mark since 2010. For the season, Swain-Price had a team-high 49 catches for 792 yards and 10 touchdowns, which was second-most in the NE10.

Former Oliver Ames Tiger Jared Mallers wrapped up his collegiate career with Curry College, making 16 appearances for the Colonels with 11 starts. Mallers recorded an assist in a game on the road at the University of New England. North Attleboro grad Joe Hilf made three appearances in his rookie season while Jonathan Sandoval, who donned the Bombardier blue and white early in his high school career, played in three games.

Milford’s Andre Oliveira has fit in nicely with the Framingham State men’s soccer team. A sophomore defender, Oliveira is just one of four midfielders to start in 19 or more games this season, and the only one at his position to do so. Oliveira was in the lineup on Sunday when the Rams knocked off Salem State in the MASCAC Championship, giving FSU its first conference championship since 2011. Taunton’s Austin Botelho has nine appearances this year with a goal against Fitchburg while Attleboro’s Tyler Treichler had made eight appearances off the bench.

Former two-time HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Sydney Phillips continues to find success at the collegiate level. An outside hitter for Bates, Phillips led the team in kills for the season. After featuring in just 10 matches during his freshman campaign, Phillips emerged as the go-to option for the Bobcats during her sophomore year. She slammed down 196 kills in 82 sets played (2.39 per set) and had 29 total blocks and 42 digs for the 16-win Bobcats.

Franklin’s Dayna McCue played in her 173rd and final set for the Connecticut College volleyball team this fall. Appearing in 68 matches in her four-year career, McCue was one of the Camels’ top defensive players. She had 110 digs in her final season, finishing her career with 372 digs. She posted a season-high 17 digs in a 3-1 win over Mitchell at the end of October.

The WPI field hockey team had its best season in over a quarter century, posting a 17-3 record and being ranked as high as fifth in the D3 New England East Rankings, and senior forward and team captain Carly Cidado was a big factor why. A former standout for Oliver Ames, Cidado was second on the team in goals (12) and points (26), helping the Engineers reach the NEWMAC Semifinals. WPI improved every year with Cidado in the lineup, going from six wins her freshman year to 17 in 2019. For her career, Cidado had 20goals and 10 assists, scoring four game-winning goals while starting in 67 of the 70 games she played in.

Former King Philip standout Nina Sitarski is one of the top runners for the Babson Women’s Cross Country team. Her top 5k time was 21:36 at the Keene State Invitational, crossing the finish line 112th overall. At the NEWMAC Championship race, Sitarski clocked in at 27:12 in the 6k race, finishing 111th overall. On the men’s side, Oliver Ames grad Matt Campbell was 65th overall at 29:29 in the 8k race at the NEWMAC championship. He just ran his personal-best in the 8k, clocking in at 28:53 at the NCAA Regionals at Bowdoin.

A senior golfer for the Wentworth Leopards, Franklin graduate Matt Pleshaw played in five tournaments this fall. He had a pair of top 10 finishes, finishing 10th in both the Mitchell Invitational and a tri-match with Eastern Nazarene and Mitchell. His best round of the fall was on the first day of the FSC Fall Invitational when he shot an 80; he finished 50th overall in the tournament.

Taunton’s all-time wins leader Jillian Pagliuca jumped right into the lineup in her first year with Franklin Pierce University. Pagliuca played mostly at fifth singles but also made appearances at fourth and sixth singles. Overall, she picked up six wins in singles action and earned her first doubles win (at third singles, 6-0) against American International in September.

Hannah Friend (Oliver Ames) has etched her name into the Saint Anselm record book, and multiple times too. A senior forward for the Hawks’ field hockey team, Friend is the program’s all-time career leader in points per game (1.19), goals (37), assists (27) and assists per game (0.32). She also set the program record for games played when she started against Assumption on November 8th. She currently has 85 appearances and begins the NCAA tournament on Friday afternoon against East Stroudsburg. Five other Hockomock alums are on the roster at St. A’s and all see regular time on the field. Canton’s Mary Nee, a senior midfielder has started 20 of the 21 games and has six goals and five assists, Oliver Ames’ Kendall Clifford has two goals and three assists in 21 starts, and sophomore midfielder Andrea McNeil of Canton has come off the bench in every game, scoring twice with two assists. Freshmen Maggie Malloy (Canton) and Emma Izydorczak (King Philip) have both played in 10 games this year.

Stoughton grad Molly Turner has played in 17 total matches so far this year for the Stonehill volleyball squad, featuring in 53 total sets. A freshman setter, Turner is third on the team with 236 assists to go with 10 aces and 86 digs. After seeing minimal time for the first month of her collegiate career, Turner has featured regularly since the October 5th match against Malloy, even picking up five starts (including the last two matches). The Skyhawks are set to take on AIC in the NE10 Semifinals on Friday night in Waltham.

Only Hockomock alumni patrolled the net for the Framingham State women’s soccer team this year. Attleboro grad Madison Brown started in all but one game for the Rams this season, playing over 1,500 minutes with 186 saves made, which was tied for the most in the MASCAC this season. She recorded a season-high 18 saves to help the Rams pick up a 3-2 win over Fitchburg State, finishing with double-digit stops in 11 games this season. Franklin’s Calen Frongillo made one appearance in goal during her rookie season, making one save with no goals allowed.

Two former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year selections spent the fall season on the same team at UMass Amherst. King Philip’s Tyler Mann, who transferred in from UMass Lowell, and Oliver Ames’ Nathaniel Cardoza, who earned the honor in consecutive years in 2016 and 2017, patrolled the same side of the field at times for the Minutemen. Mann played outside mid while Cardoza was an outside back. Both scored this season with Mann scoring at Central Connecticut and Cardoza netting the game-winner a week prior at Boston University.

Former Attleboro Bombardiers Tyler McGovern and Brendan Nunes were limited to just three games together at Salve Regina this season. McGovern, the starting quarterback, appeared in all but one game this year for the Seahawks, throwing for 1,464 yards on 117 completions with 49.2% accuracy. He had eight touchdown passes with 10 interceptions. Nunes was limited to just the first four games this year but was one of the top targets for Salve in that time, hauling in 12 passes for 140 yards. Foxboro’s Ronnie Martin played in three games, taking 22 carries for 95 yards (4.3 yards per carry) for the Seahawks.

Former North Attleboro Rocketeer Nick Rajotte has seen his workload increase as the season has gone on for Springfield. After not playing in the first three games, Rajotte played in seven straight games with the team winning five of those games. Has had 12 carries in a three-game span for a total of 158 yards, scoring in all three games. He scored a pair of touchdowns in a big win over Maine Maritime. But in the final game, Rajotte was the feature back with 10 carries for 92 yards. Another former Rocketeer, Nick Raneri, has two appearances at fullback and had three carries against Maine Maritime. On the defensive side of the ball, King Philip grad Terrell Jacobs-Baston is playing defensive tackle and had 12 tackles. He recorded his first sack in the win over Maine Maritime.

Joe Morrison and the University of Vermont men’s soccer team had the season end in heartbreaking fashion for the second straight season. After losing to UMBC in penalties during his freshman campaign in the America East tournament, the Catamounts fell in overtime on the road to Hartford this season. Morrison (a former HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year and two-time Best XI selection from Foxboro) was a regular on the pitch for UVM again this season, appearing in 14 total matches with 13 of them as a starter. He scored a pair of goals, both which turned out to be game-winners. He scored the opening goal against Binghamton and another against Hartford in the regular season meeting. He recorded assists against Harvard, Merrimack, and Binghamton.

The Endicott volleyball team earned the CCC championship this year with a sweep over Roger Williams, and two former Franklin Panthers were apart of the winning squad. Last year’s HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Lauren McGrath dished out 88 assists and landed 27 aces in her first year with the Gulls while also chipping in as a reliable defensive option with 241 digs. She made her collegiate debut in the season-opener against Worcester State. She played in all five sets in a 3-2 win over Amherst with 15 assists and 10 digs. Erin Skidmore, a junior outside hitter, has 25 career kills along with 60 digs.

After guiding Franklin to its first sectional championship last year, middle hitter Hailey Sanders continued her success at the collegiate level with Framingham State. Sanders led the MASCAC in attack percentage (.277), racking up 196 kills on 447 attempts with just 72 errors, and earned All-Conference Second Team honors. Sanders led the Rams and ranked second in the MASCAC in total blocks (68) with 20 solo blocks and 48 block assists. Mansfield’s Lexi Gardner appeared in 10 matches for the second straight season for Framingham, which reached the MASCAC Championship game.

At Bridgewater State, senior goalie Jillian Delaney recorded 172 saves in goal for the Bears’ field hockey squad. A former Foxboro Warriors, Delaney ranked second in the MASCAC in saves, logging over 960 minutes in 16 starts this season. She made 11 saves to help the Bears earn a 2-1 win over Fitchburg on the road, and then turned away 11 shots as BSU edged Framingham a week later. She had a season-high 20 saves on the road at Castleton. Emma Daly, another former Warrior, had two starts and three total appearances at the beginning of the season.

Franklin alum Dylan Kehoe has emerged as one of the top runners for the Merrimack men’s cross country squad, making a favorable impression in his rookie year. The Warriors took first place and repeated as Codfish Bowl champions back in September, which took place at Franklin Park. Kehoe was fifth overall in the race at 27:59 and was the third Warrior to cross the finish line. At the NEC Championship race, Kehoe took 37th overall by clocking in at 27:28.6, the sixth Warrior overall. North Attleboro’s Liam Monahan is also on the squad and ran 28:43.2 back in September at the Shawn M. Nassaney Memorial Road Race at Bryant University.

A pair of Hockomock grads played a vital role in the Regis field hockey team winning four straight games to finish the regular season and an upset in the first round of the GNAC tournament. Stoughton’s Ashley Chipman, a senior forward, started in all 19 contests this season, scoring four goals and adding three assists to finish third on the team with 11 points. She scored a pair of game-winning goals, both coming in that late-season stretch (over Albertus Magnus and Johnson & Wales). Oliver Ames’ Sarah Tetrault, a sophomore defender, joined the starting lineup midway through September and started 14 straight matches, helping the Pride allow just two goals in a five-game stretch at the end of the season.

Down at UMass Dartmouth, a pair of former Hockomock graduates helped the Corsairs earn seven wins this fall. Junior Jordan Martin (Taunton) posted a 3-2 record overall, winning a pair of matches at sixth singles. Martin played with three different doubles partners, going 7-3 overall at second doubles with Michelle Aftandilian, including three wins in Little East Conference action. North Attleboro’s Hana Hershey, also a junior, also played with three doubles partners and earned four wins total, all coming at third doubles.

After missing out on his sophomore season due to injury, Austin Ryan is back on the field for the Bentley football team. The Foxboro grad is second on the team with 36 receptions for 423 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games played, helping the Falcons win the NE-10 Championship. He had three catches for 118 yards and a score in a win over Saint Anselm on November 2nd. King Philip’s Evan Rice appeared in the final three games for the Falcons, recording a pair of tackles plus a tackle for a loss against Franklin Pierce.

The Bridgewater State football team features a handful of former Hockomock League players, including Foxboro defensive back Mark Wilson. Wilson is second on the team in individual tackles (31) and tied for third overall in total tackles (50), averaging 5.6 per game. He has one sack, five pass breakups, and returned an interception for a 46-yard touchdown in a MASCAC win over Worcester State. North Attleboro’s Maxwell Kroll has been in the backfield a bunch for the Bears with five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a blocked kick in nine games played. Freshman Dean Pacini, formerly of Oliver Ames, had 15 tackles in seven games played. Milford alum Michael Casey has been the starting center with North Attleboro’s Austin White to his left as the left guard. North Attleboro’s Thomas Duell, Taunton’s Paul Corrao, Stoughton’s Brendan Walsh, and Canton’s Brian Campagna have all seen time on the offensive line for the Bears, who won the 41st Annual Cranberry Bowl against Mass Maritime to finish the season. Wilson was named to the MASCAC First Defense while Casey and White were selected to the MASCAC Second Team Offense.

Only two players started all 18 games for the Mass. Maritime men’s soccer team this season and Foxboro graduate AJ Bubencik was one of them. A converted forward for the Buccaneers, Bubencik bagged his lone goal of the season in a 3-2 win at home over Becker, which featured King Philip grad Colby Koch and Oliver Ames’ Haendal Louhis, who had an assist.

AIC women’s soccer earned a first-round win in the Northeast-10 Conference tournament over Adelphi in penalty kicks, and Attleboro’s Paige Medeiros was the one who sent the Yellow Jackets into celebration. The teams were tied 0-0 after regulation, and neither side could find the back of the net in two overtime periods to send the first-round game to PKs. The first four Yellow Jackets converted their chances but Adelphi missed its second chance. Medeiros converted the fifth and final shot to give AIC the win. Medeiros logged 1,200 minutes this season, starting in 15 games and appearing in 18 total matches. She scored the game-winning goal in a win over Florida National University.

Former Canton standout and HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Elizabeth Hamilton wrapped up her collegiate career this fall, helping the Johnson & Wales volleyball team earn its fifth straight GNAC Title and an NCAA berth. In her four years with the Wildcats, Hamilton had 332 kills with a .215 hitting percentage. She had 537 digs, 74 aces, and 45 total blocks. She was named to the GNAC Third Team during his freshman year and ranked in the top 20 in kills, hitting percentage, blocks, and points that season.

Shannon Cormier continued to be a steady presence for the AIC field hockey team. After starting in all 18 games as a rookie last year, Cormier was in the starting lineup 17 times this year while making one substitute appearance. She ranked third on the team in points, scoring four goals and adding two assists with over 1,000 minutes played…Foxboro’s Lily Daly made 11 appearances in her first year with Assumption, scoring her first collegiate goal in a win on the road at Mercy College…Oliver Ames’ Dimitra Efremidis was a reliable option off the bench for Bentley, recording an assist against Molloy while making 16 appearances this year.




Former Franklin standout Megan Georges wrapped up her career with the New Haven women’s soccer team, capping her four-year stint with the Chargers with 17 appearances (10 starts) this season. After just seven starts through three years, Georges was a regular on the pitch this fall, playing 912 minutes in the midfield. She found the back of the net against league foe St. Anselm and picked up an assist in a big win over Le Moyne. She played over 2,000 minutes in her career, finishing with three goals and four assists.

Taunton’s Amanda Baptiste factored into the scoring for the UMass Lowell women’s cross country team last week at the NCAA Northeast Regional. Baptiste clocked in at 23:03.5, the sixth River Hawk to cross the finish line, taking 215th overall. At the New England Championships in October, Baptiste crossed the finish line at 19:31 in the 5k course, taking third on the team. On the boys’ side, sophomore Jack Kalil (Milford) finished 24th overall at the UMass Dartmouth Invitational, finishing the race in 26:02.3.

Danny McLoughlin, a sophomore on the Saint Anselm golf team, played in one tournament this fall. A former Warrior at King Philip, McLoughlin played in the Penmen Fall Invitational in Canterbury, New Hampshire. He shot an 85 on the first and third days while posting a low round of 82 in the middle day. He finished tied for 69th overall with a 241.

Canton graduate Griffin Roach has made an immediate impact for the Boston University Terriers. After playing 60 minutes off the bench in the season-opener, Roach went on to start the remainder of games at outside back. While he didn’t register a point, he became a vital piece of the defense this year for BU, logging a team-high 1,494 minutes. BU head coach Neil Roberts just announced his retirement after a 40-year career with the Terriers.

Bridgewater State coach Brendan Adams had a plethora of former Hockomock soccer players to work with this season. Eight former Hock players representing three schools (Attleboro, Milford, and Franklin ) all saw time on the pitch for the Bears. Milford’s Justin Borges was the top producer, starting in all 19 games and leading the team with seven goals and three assists for a team-high 17 points. Freshman Joey Madden, another former Scarlet Hawk, also started in all 19 games and added five assists. Attleboro’s Will Halben appeared in all 19 contests in his first year, with 18 starts, and had one goal (against RIC) and four assists. Milford’s Michael Da Silva made two appearances in net with one start and made five saves. Franklin’s Hatim Bahimi made 16 appearances in the midfield with three starts, recording an assist against Westfield State. Milford’s Tiago Filadelfo, Attleboro’s Nick Hasenfus, and Franklin’s Nasir Brahimi all made five appearances.

James Cooke has been a steady presence for the Buccaneers of Mass. Maritime. Cooke started at left guard in all 10 games for the 6-4 Bucs, who finished their season with a loss in the Cranberry Bowl to BSU. Cooke has helped the offense rush for 162.4 yards per game and had to make a tackle in a win over Maine Maritime in the second game of the season, and for his strong season, he was selected to the MASCAC First Team Offense. Sophomore Jay Fruci (Oliver Ames) appeared in six games this year, taking a handoff against Fitchburg and making a tackle against Worcester State.

Attleboro grad Lexi Pereira continues to do it all at the collegiate level, now a top player on the Curry volleyball squad. A former all-around standout for the Bombardiers, Pereira is now the go-to option on offense for the Colonels. She’s the team leader in kills, putting down 256 for the season (8th in the conference) with 2.98 per set, which ranked second in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. She had a team-high 762 total attacks and was a valuable member of the defense with 204 digs. Elsewhere in the CCC, North Attleboro grad Tori Melanson is among the best net defenders in the league. She is second in the CCC with 79 total blocks, which leads the way for Roger Williams. Her 0.99 blocks per set is a conference-best. She also had 106 kills this season.

Attleboro’s Marissa Dias, a junior defender for the Framingham State field hockey team, was just one of five Rams to start in all 18 games this season. She was also a key piece in the offense, scoring a pair of goals while adding two assists this season. Her goal against Westfield State proved to be the game-winner. Another former Bombardier, Meghan Croteau, started four games and made a total of 16 appearances in the midfield for FSU. At Westfield State, OA grad Katie Vamosi started in six games in net, making 10 appearances total, and made 43 saves, earning a shutout win over BSU. North Attleboro’s Shaylee Maxcy made 15 appearances, earning her first collegiate start back in September.

Canton’s Lindsey Nolte and Milford’s Jessica Palmer finished their four years with the Merrimack field hockey team, helping the Warriors transition to Division I. Nolte started in all 17 games this season, scoring once and adding one assist. She scored her final collegiate goal on the road at Dartmouth; she finished her career with 12 goals and seven assists, starting in 55 of the 57 games she played. Palmer also had a goal and an assist in 17 starts this season, her final goal being the game-winner in a 2-1 win over Bryant. Palmer had 11 goals and three assists in 61 starts and 66 total appearances.

Former Oliver Ames standout Ryan McGarry had a solid sophomore campaign with the McDaniel College golf team. He finished in the top 10 in three of the five tournaments he participated in. His best finish was at the Don Scalf Memorial when he shot a 71 on both days, finishing two-under-par for fourth overall. He finished one-under and fifth overall at the Tom Kinder Memorial and tied for ninth at three-under in the Royal Lakes Fall Invitational. He was named the Centennial Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week in early October for his strong showing at the Royal Lakes tournament.

Last year’s HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Alli Meehan has had little trouble transitioning to D1 college field hockey, having a terrific year for Northeastern. Meehan scored 11 goals, tying for third-most in the Colonial Athletic Association and second-most on the Huskies. She was tied for second in the conference with four game-winning goals and ranked fourth in the league with 28 points (11 goals, six assists). For her stellar play, Meehan was named to the CAA Field Hockey Second Team and the All-Rookie Team. The Huskies fell in the CAA Championship game with Meehan recording an assist.

Former Taunton netminder Kayla Wentworth helped the Endicott women’s soccer team make it all the way to the Commonwealth Coast Conference title game but the Gulls fell 1-0 to the University of New England. In her two years with Endicott, Wentworth started in 33 games with 37 total appearances, making 152 saves with a 0.87 goals against average. She posted a total of 12 shutouts with a record of 19-11-7.

Attleboro’s Nick Lawrence was one of the few bright spots for the Anna Maria men’s soccer team this fall. A junior midfielder, Lawrence appeared in all but one game while starting in 15 of them. He scored four goals, including two game-winners, with one assist for nine points, which was second on the team. He scored the game-winner in the season-opener against Curry and had another winner in a win on the road at Northern Vermont-Johnson.

Canton’s Paolo Ruggeri saw plenty of the pitch in his first season with the Wentworth men’s soccer team. A defender, Ruggeri made seven substitute appearances along with 10 starts for the Leopards, who had a 10-8-2 record and reached the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals. North Attleboro’s Ryan Pasquel made three appearances off the bench during the 2019 season.

North Attleboro’s Amelia Murphy led the charge offensively for the Rhode Island College volleyball team this fall. After landing 280 kills during her freshman year, which was second on the team, the sophomore outside hitter had a team-high 263 kills (2.83 per set) during the 2019 campaign. She added 50 total blocks and 11 aces. She ranked eighth in the Little East Conference for kills, seventh for kills per set, and tied for 11th in blocks.

A key player in the development of the Stoughton High volleyball program, Bridgette Whalen wrapped up her collegiate career with Roanoke College this fell. The Maroons earned 57 wins in the four years that Whalen was on the team. She saw the most action during her senior season, featuring in 29 matches with 78 sets played. She had 20 kills and 33 digs while also being a big part of the net defense for Roanoke, recording 24 total blocks this season.

Former Foxboro two-sport standout Abby Tepper is an assistant coach with the top-ranked and top-seeded West Chester University field hockey team. In her first year with the Golden Rams program posted an 18-1 record, falling in the PSAC Semifinals to Kutztown University. Tepper, who got her coaching start with Oliver Ames, is a full-time assistant that helps in every aspect of the day-to-day operations. West Chester, the top seed in the NCAA D2 tournament, opens with a chance at revenge by taking on Kutztown in the first game.

Taunton’s Mario Wilson and Oliver Ames’ Steven Tasho both played for the Bryant University golf team this fall. Tasho played just three rounds, his low score a 77, and finished tied for 56th at the UConn Collegiate Invitational. Wilson participated in three tournaments for the Bulldogs, with a low round of 73. His best finish was 50th at the Ryan T. Lee Memorial Collegiate Invitational.

Former HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Jake Ragusa continues to shine at the collegiate level for Merrimack. Now playing in Division I, Ragusa was named a Northeast Conference Prime Performance for six tackle game at Lehigh. Ragusa had 3.5 tackles for a loss to help the Warriors get the win. The redshirt junior has 28 total tackles this year, including a sack and eight for a loss. Another Canton grad, Alec Ragusa, is a redshirt freshman. Sharon’s Bryce Smith has broken up three passes for the Warriors this year, including two and an interception at home against Mayville State. He recorded his first career sack against Presbyterian.

The Merrimack men’s soccer team is fairing just fine in its first season at the Division I level, posting an 11-3-2 regular season mark. Brothers Cam and Connor Mullins have both played a role in helping the Warriors have a successful season, which included going undefeated in Northeast Conference play. Cam, a junior defender, has made five appearances this season, all wins, including a season-high 19 minutes against Robert Morris. Connor, a redshirt sophomore midfielder, has one start in 11 games played and recorded an assist in the win over Robert Morris.

Franklin’s Brian Czuba has been a reliable option off the bench for Nichols College during his senior year, making 17 appearances with two starts. He scored the tying goal in the 87th minute against Gordon, a game that the Bison would go on to win in overtime. He concludes his career at Nichols with over 40 appearances and two goals.

Mansfield alum Steph Kemp had a strong first year with the UMass Lowell women’s soccer squad. For her impressive play, Kemp was named to the America East All-Rookie Team, just one of two River Hawks to make the team. Kemp scored her first career goal in October against UMBC and went on to score two more in the match to finish with a hat trick. That game helped earn her America East Rookie of the Week honors. She finished with 14 appearances, including one start, and 417 minutes played.

Attleboro alums Hannah Tarbox and Michelle Sheehan ranked second and third, respectively, in kills for the Mass Maritime volleyball squad this season. Tarbox, a freshman middle, had 62 kills to go along with seven blocks in her first collegiate season. Sheehan, a senior outside hitter, 61 kills, 127 assists, 29 aces, 57 digs, and 11 total blocks for the Buccaneers. Sheehan finished with 184 kills in her four years along 899 assists and 465 digs.

Former Mansfield Hornet Julia Todesco appeared in 18 games for the Tufts field hockey team this fall. All appearances came as a substitute, giving the Jumbos a reliable option off the bench. Todesco scored a pair of goals in a win over Connecticut College and also had an assist in a close win over Hamilton. Tufts had its season come to a close in the third round of the NCAA tournament, falling to Johns Hopkins in overtime.

Gabe Pinhancos, a former midfielder for North Attleboro, had a strong sophomore season for Southern New Hampshire University. The Penmen, who tallied a 9-4-4 record, had its season come to a close in penalty kicks in the NE10 conference quarterfinals against Saint Rose. Pinhancos made 15 total appearances with 10 of them as a starter. He scored his first career collegiate goal in Hockomock territory in Easton in a win on the road at Stonehill.

Former Sharon star Ally Filipkowski became a go-to option for Fairfield University women’s soccer coach David Barrett. After transferring to Fairfield from George Washington following her freshman year, Filipkowski became a reliable reserve for the Stags. She appeared in all but one match this season, helping Fairfield post an 11-6-3 record, and earning three starts. She scored her first goal for the red and white in October in a 2-0 win over Manhattan, finishing off a cross int he 62nd minute to give the hosts an insurance tally.

Derek Pereira, a former Taunton Tiger, made four starts and nine total appearances for AIC in his senior season. He started the first three games of the season and then again against Franklin Pierce, helping the Yellow Jackets make a late push for the NE10 title. AIC knocked off nationally-ranked Adelphi in the opening round but fell to Assumption in the semifinal. Pereira featured in both games, logging 39 minutes in the upset over Adelphi. He had two goals and one assist this season, all coming in a regular-season win over the Greyhounds. He netted the game-winning goal in a 4-1 win.

Framingham State football concluded its regular season with a 47-6 trashing of Worcester State, and all three former Hockomock players now representing the Rams factored in. King Philip alum Brian Donahue had a team-high 12 tackles, including four solo. He was also a regular in the backfield, recording one sack (for a 12-yard loss) and a total of 3.5 tackles for loss. Earlier this season, Donahue forced a fumble against Westfield and Fitchburg. Franklin’s Nick Gordon completed a pair of passes for 25 yards while Taunton’s Noah Leonard also completed two passes from under center. The Rams travel to Wesley for the first round of the NCAA tournament this weekend.

Taunton Gets Right Bounce to Beat KP in South Final

Taunton softball
Taunton sophomore Rylie Murphy celebrates at first after driving in the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


TAUNTON, Mass. – In the bottom of the sixth inning, Taunton put together a rally to try and regain the lead against King Philip (21-4) in Friday night’s Div. 1 South final at Jack Tripp Field. The first two batters reached and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. An intentional walk loaded the bases for No. 9 hitter Rylie Murphy.

The sophomore made her first start of the playoffs, after playing a handful of games and getting fewer than 20 at-bats on varsity in the regular season, and was now up in the biggest moment of the spring against the team’s biggest rival. Taunton coach Dave Lewry admitted that adding Murphy to the lineup was a “hunch.”

It was a hunch that paid off with a South title.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Murphy battled to a 3-2 count against KP starter Elise Pereira, who was only a strike away from escaping the jam, before turning on a pitch and smacking a grounder down the third base line. KP third baseman Jess Bonner dove but the ball hit a mound of dirt in front of her, took a huge hop, and bounced into shallow left field, bringing in the game-winning runs.

“It’s like what you have in dreams, two outs, 3-2 count, bottom of the sixth inning and you just hit it and you don’t even know where it goes and all of a sudden your coach is screaming, jumping up and down and you’re so excited,” said Murphy after Taunton’s 4-2 victory, which earned the program’s first South title since 2007.

Lewry was all smiles as he talked about Murphy and the contributions she has made to the team off the field all season. He said, “A kid who sits the bench all year, cheering for everybody, and comes into this game and gets the winning hit, unbelievable.”

He added, “She’s a kid that puts the bat on the ball all the time. You’ve got to put the bat on the ball to get hits. If you swing and miss or take a called third then you’re not going to get anything.”

The Warriors were far from finished. In the top of the seventh, Bonner ripped a hard line drive to third but Jaime Brown knocked it down and made the play for the first out. Brooke Taute and Brianna Lacy were both hit by pitches from freshman Kelsey White to bring the go-ahead run to the plate.

“Probably the most nervous she got all year was hitting two batters in the last inning,” said Lewry of White. He gathered the team in the circle to settle everyone down. “That’s one of her traits, she’s just so composed,” he added. “She’s amazing, I love her demeanor out there on the mound.”

White got a pop-up in foul ground and a soft liner that shortstop Hanna Aldrich made a nice running catch on to end the game. It meant the Tigers won the season series with KP, after splitting two games in the regular season (and losing the Kelley-Rex title to the Warriors) and fulfilled a mission for the team’s three seniors and for Brown, who was an eighth grader when Taunton made the final in 2015 but lost to Silver Lake.

“Since my eighth grade year, being here and losing, we’ve been working for this for so long,” Brown explained. “It gave you that pit in the bottom of your stomach. There was no other option; we knew we were winning today.”

Taunton took the lead for the first time in the second inning. Kelsey White lined a one-out single to left and her sister Alexa, a junior second baseman, drilled a double down the leftfield line to bring in the game’s first run.

As expected in a rivalry that is fast becoming one of the best in the state, one run was not going to be enough. KP battled back in the top of the fourth to jump in front.

Hailey McCasland led-off with a walk and moved to second on a groundout. Faith Turinese singled to right but the runner had to hold at third. After Turinese stole second, KP coach Norm Beauchemin called for a Pereira squeeze bunt, but Kelsey White fielded her position well to scoop the ball to catcher Kya Enos for the second out.

The Tigers nearly got out of the inning unscathed, but Aldrich bobbled a Bonner grounder to extend the inning and bring in the tying run. Taute followed that by crushing a ball to dead center that was inches from being gone. Instead it was an RBI-double to put KP up 2-1.

“We didn’t beat ourselves tonight and that’s what I’m proud of,” said Beauchemin of the Warriors battling back. “We know we’re going to have a tough game and they expect a tough game on their end as well.”

Taunton almost came right back to tie it after Handrahan started the bottom of the fourth with a double, but she was stranded. In the fifth, the Tigers did even the score. Paige Silvia lined a double to left center and moved to third on a sac bunt by Murphy. Brown grounded a ball to KP shortstop Meghan Gorman, who was playing deep enough to allow the run to score.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been more confident in this team in years. Even when we were down, we knew we could pick it up,” said Brown. When asked about the contributions from the bottom of the order, she added, “We’ve been working on it all season and trying to get that whole lineup going and it’s a perfect timing for all of it to come together.”

In the sixth inning, Handrahan again got things started with a single off the glove of Bonner, who was at full stretch going to her left. Aldrich lined a ball off the leg of Pereira and into no-man’s land in front of second base. Kelsey White’s sac bunt moved the runners into scoring position and Beauchemin called for an intentional walk of Alexa White to give KP a force at the plate.

It worked on the next hitter, as Silvia’s grounder to Bonner turned into the second out when the third baseman gunned down the lead runner. Murphy came up next and with the pressure on, she delivered the hit that decided the South title.

“It wasn’t only the lucky break,” said Beauchemin, “they earned the first two runs and of course they got a lucky break, but such is life. I thought it was two evenly-matched teams coming into this game.”

Lewry said, “It took kind of a bad-hop ground ball to make the difference, but we’ll take it all the time. These kids don’t quit. They’ve got a lot of guts and they hung in there and found a way to come back and do the job.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Murphy tried to reflect on what was going through her mind as she stepped up to the plate in the decisive moment, knowing that this was a chance to not only win the game, but also to give the upperclassman the title that they have been craving since their last final appearance four years ago.

“It’s so overwhelming,” she said. “I’m just so glad that I got to be to be able to be in the game and be around to hit the ball. I just feel so amazing to win.

“I’ve never wanted to win this for them and for everybody so badly in my entire life.”

Taunton (24-2) will face the winner of Methuen and Newton North in the state semifinal on Tuesday night at Martin Field in Lowell.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Fourth Inning Explosion Carries KP To South Finals

King Philip softball
Hailey McCasland celebrates with teammates after scoring a run in the Div. 1 South semifinal against Braintree. KP scored six times in the fourth on its way to a 9-3 win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By Brian Hines, HockomockSports.com Contributor

TAUNTON, Mass. – King Philip has had no problem scoring runs all season, so after their bats were silenced for three innings, the sense was that an offensive explosion was coming.

And that’s exactly what happened.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

After Meghan Duffy doubled and scored on a sacrifice squeeze in the second inning to give the Wamps a 1-0 lead, the Warriors plated six runs in the fourth inning to take the lead for good, on their way to a 9-3 win in Wednesday night’s Div. 1 South semifinal at Jack Tripp Field.

“They obviously never quit and they have a lot of confidence in themselves even when we were down 1-0,” King Philip coach Norm Beauchemin said about his team. “[Braintree has] an extremely good pitcher but they always thought they could come back and score at least two runs.”

The fourth inning rally started with back-to-back singles, then a misplayed ball loaded the bases for the Warriors. Catcher Brianna Lacy laced a one out single, driving in two runs and opening up King Philip’s first lead of the afternoon.

The runs didn’t stop there, as Sydney Phillips scored Lacy two batters later through a sacrifice fly. After another error scored Phillips, Meghan Gorman ripped a single to score two more for the Warriors.

“Today we scored,” Beauchemin said. “It’s not how many hits you get its when you get the hits and today we got the hits when we needed them. We took advantage of whatever mistakes they made, but for the most part our girls played very intelligent today, very intelligent game.”

After surrendering six runs in the fourth, the Wamps continued to fight back, but the Warriors had an answer every time.

In the fifth, Kara Paquin’s RBI double gave the Wamps life, but King Philip answered with two runs of their own after three consecutive singles.

Braintree again added a run in the sixth looking to get back into the game, but King Philip matched them yet again after scoring on a pass ball.

“We kept matching them when they scored,” Beauchemin said. “They wouldn’t be here if they weren’t a good team, plain and simple. You got four really good teams here so anybody is capable of beat anybody at this point.”

The offensive outburst was due to the same approach they’ve followed all year: being aggressive. The Warriors had seven stolen bases and laid down two bunts, both part of the six-run fourth inning.

“We’re aggressive all the time, we’ve got the talent to be aggressive,” Beauchemin said. “We try to do whatever they’ll give us. If it looks like we can put the bunt down we’ll put the bunt down, if it looks like we’ll have to swing away well swing away. We do whatever the other team wants to give us and we have the personnel to take advantage of whatever mistakes the other team makes.”

For as good as King Philip’s offense was, starting pitcher Elise Pereira was very economical on the mound.

The right-handed senior threw an 89-pitch (71 for strikes) complete game for the Warriors. Pereira was able to limit the Wamps damage all game, including ending the Wamps second inning rally with back-to-back strikeouts.

King Philip (21-3) advances to take on league rival Taunton in the Division 1 South Finals on Friday night at 7:00 back at Jack Tripp Field.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Pereira Leads King Philip To Big Win Over Milford

King Philip softball
King Philip’s Elise Pereira (27) is greeted at home plate after her third inning grand slam against Milford. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
PLAINVILLE, Mass. – As the warm weather has rolled in, so have the dominant performances from King Philip’s Elise Pereira.

The senior right-handed pitcher has been superb in the circle over the past few weeks for the Warriors and has also shined at the plate as well.

That was the case again on Tuesday afternoon as Pereira earned the win in the circle and highlighted offensive attack with a grand slam in the third inning, helping King Philip pick up its most impressive win of the season, 12-2, over Milford.

The win snapped the Scarlet Hawks’ 43-game win streak dating back to early 2017. It also clinches the second straight Kelley-Rex title for the Warriors.

“Elise has been phenomenal for the last three or four weeks,” said King Philip head coach Norm Beauchemin. “Her bad games were in cold weather at the beginning of the season. We basically weren’t playing great ball anyways. If you look at her earned run average after the second Newton North game, it’s minuscule. Since then she’s been lights out.”

Pereira allowed two runs on five hits and just one walk in a complete game effort, striking out six. Milford had three of its five hits in the fourth inning and scored both of its runs in that frame. Pereira only allowed three base runners in the other six innings.

“Her off-speed has been strong all year,” Beauchemin added. “That was her pitch last year and she threw it too many times. This year she’s got a lot of confidence hitting the corners, her curveball is working, everything is working. She’s using the whole plate – up and down, side to side. She’s just been lights out.”

“Tip your cap to KP, they played a great game,” said Milford head coach Steve DiVitto. “Pereira was excellent, she kept us off balance all game. We were able to put the bat on the some on the second and third time through but you just have to tip your cap, today was their day. It most certainly wasn’t our day but I’m proud of the way the girls continued to battle and fight. They played a full seven and that’s what you look for at this time of the year.

After a quiet first two innings for both sides, King Philip made a big splash in the bottom of the third. Bri Lacy lined a single into right to lead off and Nicole Carter laid down a sac bunt to move courtesy runner Marjorie Guerrier to second.

A single from Sydney Phillips put runners on the corners and Hailey McCasland reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases with one out. Meg Gorman drove in the first run with a single, keeping the bases loaded. After an out, Pereira hit a sharp line drive over the center field fence at the PAL fields for a grand slam.

Two pitches later, Jess Bonner got a hold of one and launched it over the fence in left for a 6-0 lead. The Warriors loaded the bases again, all with two outs, but Kelley Reichert induced an infield pop up to escape further damage.

“We hit the snots out of the ball,” Beauchemin said “We had 12 hits today….we don’t have fictitious batting averages, ours are earned. Our batting average against [the Davenport] division is 0.489 as a team. And I don’t think we lowered it today. We bat 0.379 against [the Kelley-Rex] so when you compare apples and apples, and oranges and oranges, we’re not a bad team.

“This team likes being the underdogs because they have the toughness that it takes. [Milford] is a tough team too. This [score] is unusual, but we’ll take it. I’d rather 12-2 than 4-3.”

Milford responded in the top half of the third as Kate Irwin raced around to third for a leadoff triple. A sacrifice fly from Emily Piergustavo put the Hawks on the board, and Jess Tomaso followed with a single.

The Hawks had a player ejected on the next play after a close call at first but Shannon Corier came up with a line drive single to bring Tomaso in to make it 6-2 but Pereira got a strikeout to end the inning.

With the ejection, the Hawks were forced to put a field player at catcher for the remainder of the game.

KP’s Brooke Taute reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning and quickly stole second. Lacy connected on an RBI double to make it 7-2. Nicole Carter reached on an infield error and Phillips loaded the bases on a fielder’s choice.

McCasland connected on a single to bring a run in, Carter scored on a passed ball, and Phillips crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly from Gorman to put the hosts up 10-2.

“That’s what we lacked last year…we had a lot of hits but we didn’t get the hits at the right time,” Beauchemin said of his team putting up runs in bunches. “Now we’re getting them at the right time. We have confidence 1 through 9, every girl can put the bat on the ball. We came into this game with 58 strikeouts on the season, now we’re at 59 in 21 games.

“And I think their [Milford] defense showed a little bit. When the ball is hit hard they have a little trouble catching it. It’s much easier when the ball is hit soft to you.”

The Warriors tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pereira got things started with a leadoff walk and courtesy runner Liliana Rolfe went to third on a single from Taute, who quickly stole second. A walk to Lacy loaded the bases and Rolfe raced home to score on a passed ball.

“I say this no matter who you’re playing, you’ve got to treat every opponent the same,” DiVitto said. “If you’re too up for KP and not up for other teams, that’s when you’ll get caught. Our girls are up for each game and today was no different. You want to obviously play a great game against a team like KP but you tip your cap, they had a great game and we didn’t have that timely hit and we made a couple of mistakes here or there that cost us.”

Carter brought in another run with a line drive single to center to plate Taute but Milford center fielder Kate Irwin gunned the second runner down at the plate for the third out.

“I told the girls that this game is on me, it’s my fault,” DiVitto said. “It’s my job as a coach to have them prepared to play. They fought and battled but I don’t think they had their ‘A’ game and that’s on me. As their head coach, that’s on me. But I told them that’s not going to happen again. We’ll have a great practice tomorrow and get ready for Senior Day against another great team in North Attleboro.”

King Philip softball finishes the season 18-3 overall and 15-1 in Hockomock play. Milford (18-1 overall, 14-1 Hock) closes the regular season on Thursday when it hosts North Attleboro.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/22/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
King Philip, 6 @ Oliver Ames, 5 – FinalKing Philip rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to steal a win on the road against Oliver Ames. Sophomore Robbie Jarest had a two-run triple to push across Chris Sawyer and Jeremy Rhines for the tying and winning runs for the Warriors. OA took a 2-0 lead in the fifth before KP cut the lead in half with a Jarest sacrifice fly that scored Timmy Nault (three hits). The Tigers tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth before KP rallied in the top of the seventh. David Morganelli allowed one earned run in five innings of work. For OA, Jacob Levine was 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored and Chris Pearsons went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Matt Muir went 6.2 innings on the mound and gave up only two earned runs for the Tigers.

Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/23 at 4:00.

Softball
Canton, 17 vs. Randolph, 0 – Final

King Philip, 2 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final (8 inn.)King Philip scored its first run on its first hit of the game and plated the winning run off of the final hit of the game to beat Feehan. Sydney Phillips (two hits) put the Warriors up 1-0 with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first. Feehan tied the game in the sixth inning. Brooke Taute drove in Faith Turinese (two hits) with a single in the eighth inning to KP a walk-off win. Elise Pereira pitched a complete game, allowing five hits (all singles) and one walk while striking out four.

Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to Wednesday, 5/23 at 4:00.

Boys Lacrosse
Canton, 12 @ Milton, 3 – FinalSeven different players found the back of the net for the Bulldogs led by senior Dylan Cunningham, who had a goal and two assists. Sam Walsh, Jack Albert, and Jace Emma made solid contributions in front of goalies Jack Connolly and Dylan Coyne.

Girls Lacrosse
Canton, 8 vs. Milton, 18 – FinalCaroline Tourgee and Leah McClellan each scored a pair of goals and both assisted on a goal for the Bulldogs, who also got 13 saves from Vicki Revanche in the loss. Maggie Connolly had a goal and an assist for the second day in a row, Molly Colburn scored a pair of goals, Kaitlyn Goyetch had one goal, and Alexa Maffeo had a pair of assists for Canton.

Foxboro, 18 vs. Hingham, 8 – Final

Mansfield, 18 @ Holliston, 20 – Final

Milford, 13 vs. Assabet Regional, 8 – Final

Oliver Ames, 8 @ Weymouth, 9 – Final

Boys Tennis
North Attleboro @ King Philip – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Mansfield @ Westwood – Postponed to Tuesday, 5/29 at 4:00.
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Girls Tennis
King Philip @ North Attleboro, 3:45
Oliver Ames @ Mansfield – Postponed to Thursday, 5/24 at 3:45.
Milford @ Sharon – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Boys Volleyball
Milford @ Millis, 6:00


Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/21/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Baseball
Attleboro, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – FinalTaunton scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning but Attleboro chipped away with single runs in the third and fourth innings and then scored the winning run in the top of the fifth. Dakota Kirby had a leadoff single in the third and scored when Jon Candiales drew a bases-loaded walk. In the fourth, Troy Gamache led off with a single and scored to tie the game on an RBI double from James Weir. The Bombardiers took the lead in the fifth when Corey McKenna had a two-out single, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from Gamache. Ryan Morry earned the win, allowing two first-inning runs in a complete game effort. Morry allowed six hits — four in the first inning — before settling down, striking out three and walking one.

North Attleboro, 13 @ Foxboro, 3 – FinalNorth Attleboro’s Nate Pearce launched a grand slam in the second inning, highlighting the Rocketeers’ sixth run frame in a win over Foxboro. North scored two runs in the first inning and tacked on five more in the third inning. Nick Sinacola improved to 7-0 on the season, allowing one run on two hits and one walk, striking out six in four innings of work. Matt Seavey earned the save, striking out five in three innings of work. Brendan McHugh went 3-for-3 and Zach DeMattio was 2-for-2 with five RBI.

Stoughton, 9 @ Canton, 5 – FinalStoughton got off to a great start, pushing across six runs in the first inning and never looked back. The Black Knights added three more in the second inning to build a large lead. Evan Gibb got the win on the mound, going 6.2 innings with three earned runs allowed on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Gibb, Ruben Gonzalez, and George Currier each had two hits. James Genest added a two-run single, Robbie Seaman had a double with two walks, and Mike Nazzaro had two RBI and two stolen bases. Jack Brown got his first varsity hit and Tim Kellogg played stellar defense in the field for the Black Knights.

King Philip, 2 @ Franklin, 5 – FinalFranklin senior Jake Noviello scattered five hits, struck out five, allowed two runs and didn’t issue a walk in a complete game effort to lead the Panthers to a win. Steve Luttazi (two doubles, RBI, run) and Jack Nally (RBI, run) each had two hits for the Panthers while Alex Haba (triple, run), Jake Macchi (RBI), and Colby Fitzgibbons (double) each had a hit. Pat Limerick (RBI, run), Jeremy Rhines (RBI), and Ian Zimmerman each had a hit for KP.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final (8 inn.)

Softball
Taunton, 21 @ Attleboro, 6 – Final (6 inn.)Taunton held a one-run lead after five innings but exploded in the sixth for 15 runs to get the win. Kya Enos had four hits, including a double, with five RBI and four runs, Hanna Aldrich (double, home run, six RBI) and Mackenzie Handrahan (two runs) each had three hits, and Liana Duarte went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Jaylin Couto got the win with four strikeouts and three runs allowed in 3.2 innings of work. Kelsey White came on in relief and struck out five with two runs allowed in 2.1 innings of work.

Canton, 0 @ Stoughton, 7 – FinalGina Carafa was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI and a run scored, Karly Estremera and Nikki Coppola each had two hits, and Taylor Levine contributed with a hit and two RBI. Carafa picked up her sixth win of the season, striking out five and allowing only four hits.

Foxboro, 3 @ North Attleboro, 16 – FinalBella Erti struck out sixth, recording her 100th of the season and went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate to pace the Rocketeers to a win over Foxboro. Olivia Capobianco was 3-for-3, including a leadoff home run and had four RBI, Annabelle Hebard added three hits and two runs, and Jaclyn Buckley had two hits and four RBI. Emily Nardelli and Stephanie Inglese both added two hits while Emily Pastore and Katherine Munley had one hit apiece and a run scored.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 9 – FinalBrooke Taute set the tone early with a first-inning grand slam to help the Warriors sweep the season series against Franklin. Sydney Phillips, Jessica Bonner (two-run home run) and Brianna Lacy each had two hits. Elise Pereira pitched a complete game shutout, giving up only three hits while striking out five.

Oliver Ames, 9 @ Mansfield, 7 – Final

Boys Lacrosse
Taunton, 2 @ Attleboro, 12 – Final

Foxboro, 7 @ Xaverian, 17 – Final

Franklin, 17 vs. Dover-Sherborn, 7 – FinalFranklin’s offense had another strong game, picking up a win over D3 powerhouse Dover-Sherborn. Eric Civetti was responsible for 10 of those goals, scoring seven and assisting on three more. Jake Davis (three goals, one assist), and Matt Lazzaro (two goals, two assists) each had four points while Nitin Chaudhury and three assists. Jacob Alexander dominated the face-off X, winning 24 of 28 attempts. Connor O’Rourke made nine saves while Will Davis came in and made two stops.

King Philip @ Westford Academy, 5:00

Mansfield, 11 @ Stoughton, 2 – Final

North Attleboro, 8 @ Scituate, 7 – Final

Oliver Ames, 17 @ Southeastern, 4 – FinalOliver Ames recorded its 12th win of the season, setting a new program mark for regular season wins. The Tigers had 11 different goal scorers in the win with Owen Gallagher leading the way with three goals and three assists.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton vs. Southeastern, 3:30

Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 3:45

Canton, 7 @ Holliston, 15 – FinalLeah McClellan scored three goals and assisted on three others for the Bulldogs in the loss. Maggie Connolly had a goal and an assist, while Caroline Tourgee, Molly Colburn and Rachel Beatty had one goal apiece. Vicki Revanche made 21 saves in defeat.

Foxboro, 13 @ Wellesley, 14 – Final

King Philip, 15 vs. Bishop Feehan, 4 – Final Caroline Klim continued her all-star season with six goals to lead KP to a big win over a potential playoff opponent. Alli Meehan added four goals and an assist and Olivia Tormey had two goals and an assist for the Warriors. KP also got goals from Shayla Weitzman, Jess Sullivan, and Mackenzie Mazur.

North Attleboro, 4 vs. Natick, 18 – FinalJulia Tolfa scored two goals for North but the Rocketeers fell at home to Natick.

Sharon, 13 @ Ursuline Academy, 12 – FinalFor the second time this season, the Eagles rallied from four goals down at halftime to beat Ursuline. Sharon went on an 8-3 run in the second half and won the game on Sabrina Robbins’ fourth goal of the afternoon with just one second remaining. Emma Eberhardt scored five goals to lead the Eagles, adding the 100th of her career in the process. She also had two assists. Rose Wald made nine saves, including six in the second half. Maeve Barbera scored a pair of goals and Cass Barbera and Lydia Chase each had one.

Boys Tennis
Taunton, 5 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final

Canton, 3 @ Stoughton, 2 – FinalStoughton won at first and second singles but the Bulldogs got the win at third singles and swept doubles play to beat the Black Knights. Freshman Minh Duong won 7-5, 6-2 at third singles, the team of Charlie Malloy and Aidas Jakubenas earned a 7-6, 6-3 win at first doubles and Ethan Nguyen and Justin Luk picked up a 6-1, 7-6 (4) win at second doubles. Stoughton freshman Waseem Sablon won 6-1, 6-2 at first singles and junior Erik Anderson earned a 6-2, 6-2 win at second singles.

Foxboro, 0 @ North Attleboro, 5 – FinalNorth Attleboro’s three singles players combined to lose just a single game in a convincing sweep over Foxboro. Richard Bermudez won 6-1, 6-0 at first singles while Christian Bermudez and Jonah Manso each won 6-0, 6-0 at second and third singles, respectively. Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilakumaran pulled out a 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles and senior Alex Rinaldi and freshman Sam Gallagher notched their fourth straight win, 6-3, 6-2, at second doubles.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 5 – FinalKing Philip clinched its second straight Kelley-Rex title with a sweep over Franklin. Marco DiStefano earned a 6-1, 6-4 win at first singles, Nick Putney prevailed 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 at second singles and Jack Cannon won 6-1, 6-4 at third singles. The team of Sean Desroches and Nate Ihley emerged with a 7-5, 3-6, 10-5 at first doubles and Nick Ihley and Aidan Ignatius teamed up for a 6-1, 6-0 victory at second doubles.

Oliver Ames, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final

Sharon, 5 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 0 – FinalSharon swept the first of two matches with Martha’s Vineyard, winning all five matches with proset rules. Fred Bondar won 8-2 at first singles, Andre Olivei earned an 8-6 win at second singles and Danujan Thirumavalavan won 8-5 at third singles. The team of Max Brody and Ashwin Sreevatsa picked up an 8-5 win at first doubles and Arie Chinnappan and Alex Asprevailedaled 8-5 at second doubles.

Sharon, 3 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 2 – FinalSharon earned its second win on the day with a 3-2 proset win. Fred Bondar won 8-3 at first singles, Danujan Thirumavalavan earned an 8-7 (7-1) win at third singles, and Arie Chinnappan and Alex Aspel recorded an 8-2 win at second doubles.

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton earned its second win of the season over the Bombardiers, this time taking all five matches and doing so in straight sets. Junior Jillian Pagliuca won 6-2, 6-2 at first singles, senior Vanessa Rosa picked up a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and freshman Jocelyn Pagliuca walked away with a 6-0, 6-0 decision at third singles. Juniors McKenzie Lucie and Samantha Martin won 6-0, 6-3 at first doubles and seniors Amanda Pugh and Gabrielle Fagundes earned a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles for the Tigers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 5 – FinalCanton freshmen Natalie Keppler and Rachel Kupferman had strong performances on the day with neither losing a game in their respective matches. Keppler (first singles) and Kupferman (second) each won 6-0, 6-0 while sophomore Sarah Hernandez picked up a 6-0, 6-4 win at third singles. Senior Caitlin Matthews and sophomore Stelina Michaelidis won 6-1, 7-6 (6) at first singles and the team of seniors Jenna Moyle and Anjali Mandal earned a 6-1, 6-4 win at second doubles for the Bulldogs.

North Attleboro, 2 @ Foxboro, 3 – Final

King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45

Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – FinalOliver Ames swept doubles play and earned a win at third singles to edge Mansfield. Kristin Bloumbas and Emily You prevailed 7-6 (5), 6-0 at first doubles, Olivia Groebe and Rachel Stryke picked up a 6-3, 6-2 win at second doubles, and sophomore Maura Kiernan dropped just one game in a 6-1, 6-0 win at third singles. Mansfield’s Sarah Doyle recorded a 6-1, 6-2 win at first singles while Elizabeth Elsner emerged victoriously, 6-4, 7-5, at second singles.


Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/15/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Softball
King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 0 – Final (5.5 inn.)King Philip got off to a strong start with three runs in the first inning. Sydney Phillips and Hailey McCasland each had two hits for King Philip while Elise Pereira gave up just one hit in five innings of work. Meg Caron had Franklin’s hit while Emily Valentino struck out two while scattering seven hits in six innings. The game was called after 5.5 innings due to lightning.

Mansfield, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 6 – FinalOliver Ames freshman Emma Varella allowed just two runs, striking out two, in a complete game effort to help the Tigers beat Mansfield. Caroline Mahoney was 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored, Kayla Georgeu was 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI, and Katie Mills went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Sarah Tetrault brought in two runs with a sac fly to right in the bottom of the sixth to extend the Tigers lead to five.

Sharon, 2 @ Ursuline Academy, 7 – Final (6 Inn.)The game was called an inning early due to lightning.

Girls Lacrosse
Mansfield @ Taunton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Milford @ Assabet Regional, 6:30

Oliver Ames, 7 @ Ursuline Academy, 12 – Final – Emalyn Duvall scored two goals for the Tigers while Olivia Piazza, Chloe Kilkelly, Kayla Lozzi, Olivia Carroll and Ella Hogan each tallied one goal.

Boys Tennis
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Brockton, 2 – Final

Taunton, 4 @ Durfee, 1 – FinalTaunton swept singles play and grabbed another win in doubles play to beat Durfee. Francois Hennaux won 6-1, 7-6 at first singles, Brett Beaulieu earned a 6-2, 5-5 (weather) win at second singles, Mike Briggs won 6-3, 6-4 at third singles, and the team of Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kylas picked up a 6-2, 6-3 win at first doubles.

Girls Tennis
Foxboro, 5 vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 0 – FinalFoxboro picked up its second sweep of Dighton-Rehoboth in a week’s time, this time defending home court. Sophia Prinos (first singles), Pamela Nelson (second), and the team of Olivia Dantona and Kendall Milender (second doubles) all won 6-0, 6-0, Kayla Prag picked up a 6-0, 6-1 win at third singles, and the team of Julia Muise and Sarah Prag notched a 6-1, 6-1 win at first doubles for the Warriors.

Oliver Ames, 3 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final

Taunton, 5 vs. Durfee, 0 – FinalTaunton lost just three games in its three singles matches and just two games in its two doubles matches to beat Durfee. Jillian Pagliuca won 6-2, 6-0 at first singles, Vanessa Rosa earned a 6-1, 6-0 win at second singles, and Jocelyn Pagliuca didn’t lose a game in a sweep at third singles. The team of Samantha Martin and McKenzie Lucie won 6-0, 6-2 at first singles and Amanda Pugh and Brianna Fevrier teamed up to earn a 6-0, 6-0 win at second doubles.

Boys Outdoor Track
Taunton @ Attleboro, 3:45

King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45

Mansfield, 90 @ Oliver Ames, 18 – FinalJareme DiLorenzo won a pair of events to help the Hornets win a rain-shortened meet against OA. DiLorenzo was first in the 100M hurdles (15.1) and won the triple jump (42′ 5.5″) to pace Mansfield.

North Attleboro, 106 @ Foxboro, 20 – Final

Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 5/17 at 3:45.

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

Girls Outdoor Track
Taunton, @ Attleboro, 3:45

King Philip @ Franklin, 3:45

Mansfield, 78 @ Oliver Ames, 48 – FinalMansfield’s Amanda Mangano had a day to remember, breaking a school record, setting two PRs, and winning three events in the Hornets’ win over OA. Mangano clocked in at 12.0 in the 100M to break the school record, set another PR in the long jump (17’7), and took first in the high jump (5’2). Madison Haughey had a PR in the 100M hurdles with a winning time of 15.7. Haughey also placed second in the high jump and third in triple jump. Julia Hill won the triple jump (34’10), had a PR in the 400M hurdles (68.6) for second place, and took second in the long jump (15’11). Lily Goulding had a 3′ 2″ PR for a first place throw of 103’2 in the javelin.

North Attleboro, 92 @ Foxboro, 34 – Final

Stoughton @ Canton – Postponed to Thursday, 5/17 at 3:45.

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


Strong Start Helps Taunton Edge King Philip

Taunton softball
Taunton’s Hanna Aldrich (center) is greeted by teammates at home plate after hitting a three-run home run in the first inning. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
TAUNTON, Mass. – After losing the first game of the season series to King Philip on a walkoff home run, it didn’t take long to see how ready the Taunton Tigers were to extract some revenge.

The hosts came out swimming, plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a three-run home run, and then held off a late surge from the Warriors to earn a 4-3 win.

“I think they definitely ready to play tonight, this was an absolute must win for us when you think about the Hock championship,” said Taunton head coach Dave Lewry. “We came out with four runs in the first but kind of struggled a bit after that. We got some base runners but couldn’t come through with the clutch hit. They are a good team…that shortstop [Meghan Gorman] played a tremendous game for them, just tremendous. We just couldn’t get the base hit when we needed it [for insurance]. But the four runs held up for seven innings so we’ll take that.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Junior Jaime Brown had a line drive double to lead off the bottom of the first, Kya Enos gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with an RBI single through the left side, Mackenzie Handrahan took first after being hit by a pitch, and freshman Hanna Aldrich blasted a deep shot to center field for a three-run homer, giving Taunton a 4-0 lead.

“It’s a good spot for her,” Lewry said of Aldrich’s spot in the order. “She’s a clutch hitter for us but I don’t want her any further up in the lineup so there isn’t too much pressure on her. And she’s gotten a lot of big hits for us in the five-hole so I think its a real nice spot for her. And none bigger than tonight. When you hit the ball out to center, you crush the ball. It’s 220 out there, and that cleared by a good 20 feet if possible.”

The Tigers had a chance to add to their lead but KP starter Elise Pereira (6 IP, 8 H, 5 K) settled in nicely, only allowing five hits over the next five innings. And even when Taunton did get a hit, or looked like they might, KP shortstop Meghan Gorman had a handful of highlight reel plays to stall Taunton’s attack.

For example, in the second inning, the Tigers had runners on first (Brown via a walk) and second (Alexa White leadoff double) with just one out. But Pereira induced a pop up to center field and then Gorman robbed Enos of a hit with a diving catch at short.

King Philip got on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Pereira helped her own cause with a one-out double to center and courtesy runner Liliana Rolfe came around to score on an RBI single from Jess Bonner to make it 4-1.


The Warriors had a chance to cut into the lead more when Brianna Lacy singled to get runners on first and second but Taunton freshman Alexa White (5.2 IP, 9 H, 3 K) got a strikeout to escape the jam.

It looked like Taunton was going to add to its lead in the bottom of the fourth when Alexa and Kelsey White had had back-to-back singles to begin the inning but Gorman snagged a line drive and got the tag at second for the force out for an unassisted double play.

Sydney Phillips led off with a double in the fifth and made it to third with two outs, but White once again came up with the right pitch, getting a fly ball that senior centerfielder Liana Duarte tracked down and made the catch over her shoulder just before the fence.

“Liana is clearly our best outfielder, this is her fourth year in the outfield for us, Lewry said. “When a ball is hit to her, I don’t have to hold my breath. And Mack is developing into a real solid left fielder, she keeps the ball in front of her and makes the plays. And Alexa is an infielder who’s learning how to play out there and she’s doing a nice job out there. Liana definitely made some nice plays for us today. A couple of those balls, they could have been trouble and been over her heard but she made the plays.”

But an inning later, King Philip’s offense did cash in, pushing across two runs. Jess Bonner singled and moved to second on a groundout. Lacy reached after an infield throwing error, allowing Bonner to come home to make it 4-2. Courtesy runner Majorie Guerrier stole second and came in to score on a two-out single from Nicole Carter.

Sophomore Jaylin Couto came in to relieve White, inducing a pop up behind the plate that Enos made an acrobatic play on to get the third out.

“It’s hard a decision for me to get used to making because I haven’t had that in the past,” Lewry said of using multiple pitchers. “When you have a pitcher out there, she’s throwing a good game, it’s hard to pull her and put someone cold. You just hope they don’t come in and walk three batters in a row. But Jaylin did her job, she does throw hard, she had some nice stuff. The whole key there was to throw quality strikes and she did that.”

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Alexa White picked up her third hit of the day, her second double, with two outs but Pereira picked up a strikeout to end the threat in the bottom of the sixth.

KP threatened in the top of the seventh when Hailey McCasland drew a walk but Brown made a phenomenal play at third, grabbing a hard hit line drive and getting the double play at first. Faith Turinese singled with two outs, and Guerrier stole second to get into scoring position, but Couto got a fly ball to center for the final out.

Taunton softball (10-2 Hockomock, 11-2 overall) moves into a first place tie with the Warriors with the win, though KP has a game in hand. The Tigers are scheduled to be back in action on Wednesday when it hosts Oliver Ames. King Philip (10-1, 12-3) will try to bounce back on Tuesday when it hits the road to take on Franklin.

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 05/08/18


Today’s games are listed below.

Softball
King Philip, 14 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final (5 inn.)King Philip’s offense exploded for 16 hits as a team with Meghan Gorman and Faith Turinese collecting three apiece. Sydney Phillips and Hailey McCasland (four RBI) each added two hits for the Warriors. Elise Pereira allowed just one hit in five innings of work, striking out nine.

North Attleboro, 14 @ Foxboro, 0 – Final (5 inn.)North Attleboro sophomore Bella Ertia allowed just four hits, didn’t issue a walk, and struck out seven in the Rocketeers win on the road. Erti helped her own cause with a pair of hits, including a double, while Olivia Capobianco hit a home run, Ashley Cangiano had two doubles, and Annabelle Hebard added two hits. Katie Daby had a strong day at the plate, going 3-for-3, Andrea Miceli had a two-run double, and Emily Pastore had a hit and three runs scored.

Milford, 28 @ Sharon, 2 – Final (5 inn.)Emily Piergustavo went 3-for-3, including a grand slam, and scored four runs to lead the Hawks to a big win. Kate Irwin and Jess Tomaso each had three hits in the game, including a two-run home run each. Amanda Wenckus and Megan Hart each had their first varsity hit in the win. Jody Goldenberg scored one of Sharon’s runs and drove in the second.

Girls Lacrosse
Taunton vs. New Bedford, 4:00

Boys Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Taunton, 5 – FinalTaunton didn’t lose a single game in its three single matches in a win over visiting Attleboro. Francois Hennaux (first singles), Brett Beaulieu (second singles), and Mike Briggs (third singles) all won 6-0, 6-0 for the Tigers. The team of Charlie Fiske and Dylan Kullas won 6-0, 6-1 at first doubles while Kyle Dennehy and Alex Pugh paired up for a 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles.

North Attleboro, 5 @ Foxboro, 0 – FinalNorth Attleboro won all five matches in straight sets to secure its 10th win of the season. Richard Bermudez won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, Christian Bermudez earned a 6-0, 6-0 decision at second singles, and freshman Jonah Manso picked up a 6-2, 6-0 win at third singles. North’s first doubles team of Ben Pfeffer and Vikram Senthilakumaran prevailed 6-3, 7-5 while Sam Gallagher and Alex Pfeffer earned a 6-4, 6-0 win at second doubles.

King Philip, 3 @ Franklin, 2 – FinalKing Philip junior Marco DiStefano battled back from a one-set deficit, emerging with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 victory at first singles to help the Warriors edge Franklin in a battle of the top two teams in the Kelley-Rex. KP also picked up wins from Jack Cannon at third singles (6-4, 6-1) and the team of Nick Ihley and Aidan Ignatius at second doubles (4-6, 6-2, 6-3). Franklin freshman Liam Marr won 6-3, 7-6 (3) at second singles and Tyler DiPalma and Derek Wu prevailed 6-3, 6-2 at first doubles.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Milford, 4 – Final

Girls Tennis
Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 5 – FinalCanton swept the visiting Bombardiers by winning all five matches in straight sets. Natalie Keppler won 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, Rachel Kupferman didn’t drop a single game in a 6-0, 6-0 win at second singles, and Sarah Hernandez picked up a 6-4, 6-2 win at third singles. Canton’s Caitlin Matthews and Stelina Michaelidis won 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles while Nyah Claiborne and Rose Hazam prevailed 7-5, 6-1 at second doubles for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro, 4 @ North Attleboro, 1 – FinalFoxboro’s Sophia Prinos didn’t lose a game in a clean sweep at first singles, leading the Warriors to a win on the road. Freshman Pam Nelson added a 6-4, 6-0 win at second singles, the team of Sarah Prag and Julia Muise won 6-4, 6-2 at first doubles, and Olivia Dantona and Kendall Millender paired up to earn a 7-6 (3), 6-3 win at second doubles. North Attleboro’s Azka Siddiq won 6-3, 6-2 at third singles.

Franklin @ King Philip, 3:45

Milford, 2 @ Mansfield, 3 – FinalMansfield earned a pair of wins in singles play, and one more in doubles to edge Milford. Freshman Aryann Khosravani won 6-3, 6-2 at second singles and Sam Sternburg prevailed with a 6-1, 0-6, 7-6 (8-6) win at third singles. The team of Tessa Garufi and Hannah Podolske were ahead 4-0 in the first set before winning by forfeit. Milford’s Julie Rabinowitz won 6-2, 6-4 at first singles and the team of Megan Larouco and Angela Pillarella won 6-4, 6-3 at second doubles for the Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Taunton, 4 – FinalTaunton and Oliver Ames’ two doubles teams battled it out, with one going three sets, the other needing a tiebreaker, but the host Tigers prevailed in both. McKenzie Lucie and Samantha Martin rallied for a 0-6, 6-3, 6-2 win at first doubles, and Amanda Pugh and Brianna Fevrier emerged 7-5, 7-6 (3) at second doubles. Taunton also picked up wins at first singles from Jillian Pagliuca (6-0, 6-0) and second singles from Vanessa Rosa (7-6 (3), 6-4). Oliver Ames’ Maura Kiernan won 6-0, 6-2 at third singles.


Boys Outdoor Track
Canton, 90 @ Foxboro, 46 – FinalCanton’s Cordel Smith won three vents and Marquise Montes took first in two more to lead the Bulldogs to a win. Smith won the 200M (22.8), the high jump (5’11), and the long jump (19’8) while adding a second place finish in the 100M (11.5). Montes was first in the 100M (11.3) and the triple jump (39’9). Colin Messinger took first in the 2 Mile (10:33) and second in the 1 Mile (4:46.7), Riley McDonnell took first in the 400M hurdles (62.3) and third in the 400 (55.3), and Steven Brady was second in the triple jump (36’10”) and third in the 400M (55.3). Canton’s 4×100 relay team (Gersom Rivera, Junior Sainvil, Lucca Terenzio, Montes) and 4×400 relay team (Gerry Sullivan, Chris Milne, Steven Brady, Shane Graham) each placed first.

Stoughton @ Sharon, 3:45

North Attleboro, 90 @ Milford, 46 – Final

Attleboro @ Franklin, 3:45

Taunton, 31 @ Oliver Ames, 105 – FinalOliver Ames’s Jack MacAdam took first place in four events to lead the host Tigers to a big win. MacAdam took first in the 400M hurdles, the 110M hurdles, the long jump, and the high jump. Other first-place finishes for OA included Jason Windvogel (1 Mile), Matt Campbell (400M), Ethan Eckstrom (800M), Kyle Sarney (2 Mile), Jack Mills (Shot Put), Quinn Proudley (discus, javelin), and Kalil Mater (triple jump). OA’s 4×100 (Jared Boone, Chucky Akanegbu, Aaron MacDonald, Kalil Matier) and 4×400 relay (Zane Reservitz, Ethan Eckstrom, Matt Campbell, Jason Windvogel) both placed first.

King Philip, 33 @ Mansfield, 103 – FinalMansfield’s Mike Shannon, Jareme DiLorenzo, and Kevin McCree all won a pair of events to help the Hornets score a big win over King Philip. Shannon won the 400M hurdles (57.56) and the 400M (50.7), DiLorenzo was first in the 110M hurdles (15.3) and the long jump (21’2.5″), and McCree won the shot put (44’10”) and the discus (120′ 5″). The Hornets also swept both relays with the 4×100 relay (Khristian Conner, Greg Waters, Colin Eutsay, Joe Cappelletti) and the 4×400 relay (Dan Knight, Tyler King, Jack Rivard, Nick Horn) each taking first.

Girls Outdoor Track
Canton, 70 @ Foxboro, 66 – FinalCanton freshmen Maddie Rousseau led the way with 18 points while Olivia Rodman notched 14 points in the Bulldogs win over Foxboro. Rousseau won three events, taking first in the 100M, qualifying for states in the 200M, and first in the long jump (15’4.25″) while taking second in the triple jump (31’3.5). Rodman won the 400M (64) and the triple jump (31’6″) while taking second in the 400M hurdles and third in the long jump. Sarah Collins added two wins (400M hurdles and 800M) while Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (31’10”) and discus (74’4″).

Stoughton @ Sharon, 3:45

North Attleboro, 85.5 @ Milford, 50.5 – Final

Attleboro @ Franklin, 3:45

Taunton, 76 @ Oliver Ames, 60 – Final

King Philip, 56 @ Mansfield, 80 – FinalMansfield celebrated Senior Day on Tuesday afternoon, with seniors Julia Harrison and Madison Haughey winning their final matches on the Mansfield High track. Harrison won the 100M and was a member of the winning 4×100 team while also taking second in the long jump. Haughey won the 100M hurdles, took second in the triple jump, and placed third in the high jump. Freshman Tessa Lancaster ran a 13-second PR in the mile to take first (5:38.5), junior Amanda Mangano was a two-time winner (200M, long jump), and junior Julia Hill had a 1’3″ PR in the triple jump to take first. Joining Harrison on the winning 4×100 relay team was Gabrielle Devlin, Emily Quitzau, and Samantha Hindman.