Field Hockey
Attleboro, 7 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Attleboro earned its second win of the season and a sweep of Milford with another shutout win. The Bombardiers had 11 players find the score sheet with Amanda Burns and Shae Salisbury leading the way with two goals apiece. Sarah McMahon and Campbell Compton each recored a pair of assists while Laura McVeigh, Madison Ellis, and Kaelin Coleman all found the back of the net once for Attleboro.
Sharon, 0 @ Canton, 7 – Final
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Foxboro, 1 – Final – Oliver Ames and Foxboro split the points on Thursday afternoon, settling for a 1-1 draw at Sam Berns Field. Oliver Ames’ Sofia Anestam scored in the second quarter off of an assist from Georgia Costello. OA goalie Peyton Phillips made nine saves to help the Tigers earn a point on the road.
King Philip, 0 @ Franklin, 2 – Final – Franklin scored twice inside a four-minute space in the opening quarter and held off King Philip the rest of the way to get a key win. Amanda Lewandowski scored both for the Panthers, opening the scoring at 7:07 on an assist from Stephanie Bell and then doubling the lead just over three minutes later. Neilee Hess made five saves in the win for the Panthers. Head coach Michelle Hess praised the defensive play of Kendall Jones and Kate O’Rourke, and added that Sara Carney had a stellar outing in the midfield. KP senior goalie Makenzie Manning kept the Warriors in it with 18 saves and head coach Lisa Cropper said both senior Ali Beltramini and freshman Kelly Holmes played well.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Stoughton, 3 – Final – Stoughton nearly stole a point with a late fourth quarter surge earlier in the week in its trip to North Attleboro. This time around, the Black Knights completed the comeback. Trailing 2-1 late in the fourth quarter, Haley Nelson scored her second goal of the game to knot the score at 2-2 with 2:30 to go. Just 30 seconds later, Zofia Bangs deposited the go-ahead goal to give Stoughton a win at home. Lena Allie had 10 saves in net for Stoughton while head coach Dan Mark lauded the excellent defensive performances from Cate Downey and Julia Driscoll.
Taunton, 1 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Taunton scored a fourth quarter goal to pull out a second straight draw against the Hornets. Mansfield jumped into the lead in the second quarter with freshman Lola Varricchione knocking in a loose ball in the crease. Alexandra Burnham picked up the assist. Taunton goalie Emily Gannon made a number of saves and defender Jocelyn Pagliuca stopped several Mansfield breakaways to keep it a one-goal game. In the fourth quarter, Alana Tavares slipped a pass through to Ashley Amaro and the junior forward got a touch past the last defender and raced half the field before scoring the tying goal.
Golf
Milford, 183 @ Attleboro, 177 – Final
Sharon, 168 @ Canton, 154 – Final – The Bulldogs had five golfers shoot 40 or better on Thursday afternoon at Blue Hill Country Club leading to a win over Sharon. Owen Donovan and Will Gefteas were the match co-medalists, each carding a round of 37. Mike Leonetti, Conor Hunter, Nate MacDonald, and Aiden French each shot a 40 in the win. For Sharon, Nathan Daley had a team-low round of 39, Eric Carter added a 41, and both Rosie Leonard and Noah Glassman carded a round of 44.
Oliver Ames, 175 @ Foxboro, 164 – Final – Foxboro earned a key division win at home at Foxboro Country Club against Oliver Ames. For OA, senior Logan Domenico had a team-low round of 42, senior Sam Kagan added a 43, and both freshman David Rogers and junior Jake Kaplan came into the clubhouse with a round of 45.
Franklin, 158 @ King Philip, 166 – Final – Franklin picked up its sixth straight win to open the season, earning its second straight close win over division foe King Philip. Jack Paterson and Brian Sandham led the way for the Panthers at Wentworth Hill Country Club, both shooting a team-low round of 38. Pat Dolan and Nolan Norton each added a 41 in the win. Mike Matheson was the match medalist, leading KP with a low-round of 37 while Jared Curran chipped in with a 40 for the Warriors.
Mansfield, 163 @ Taunton, 194 – Final – Mansfield continued its unbeaten start to the season with its second straight win over the Tigers, this time at Segregansett Country Club. Joe Gormley had the low-round for the Hornets, coming off the links with a 38 while Nate Morreale was right behind with a 39. Ryan Doherty added a 42 and Hunter Tang added a 44 in the win.
Stoughton, 179 @ North Attleboro, 161 – Final – North Attleboro defend its home green at Heather Hill Country Club, taking down visiting Stoughton behind a match-medalist round of 39 from sophomore Jake Gaskin. Tyler DeMattio added a 40 for the Rocketeers while both Sam Gallagher and Dillon Harding chipped in with a 41. Anthony Hern paced the Knights with a 42, Jonah Hochberg and Max Huminik each came in at 45 and Jake Curtis finished with a 47.
Boys Cross Country
King Philip, 41 @ Franklin, 18 – Final – Nicholas Calitri broke his own course record, setting a new time of 15:56 as he crossed first in Franklin’s win over King Philip. Griffin Sieczkiewicz (16:19) took second overall on the 3.05 mile course and Josh Anderson (16:21) rounded out the top three for the Panthers. Declan Walmsley (fifth, 16:52) and Clancy Golden (seventh, 17:21) also scored in the Panthers’ win.
Mansfield, 32 @ Taunton, 23 – Final – Taunton swept the top three spots in the race to earn its first ever win over Mansfield since joining the Hockomock League. Senior Nolan Tavares won the race in 17:11 while classmate Ty Cali (17:29) took second and freshman Brayden Cali (17:43) was third overall. Junior Ryan Strawbridge (17:51) and Andrew Cali (17:51.5) also scored for the Tigers.
Girls Cross Country
King Philip, 48 @ Franklin, 15 – Final
Mansfield, 24 @ Taunton, 32 – Final – Mansfield had the top three finishers in Thursday’s race, all finishing within a minute of one another to get a win over Taunton. Abigail Greenberg crossed the finish line at 20:39 to take first place for Mansfield while Tessa Lancaster (20:41) and Emma Lamson (21:26) took second and third, respectively. Cassidy Rice (seventh, 23:07) also scored for the Hornets. Senior Lily Valcovic was the top runner for the Tigers, taking fourth overall in 21:48. Eighth graders Colby Dunham (fifth, 22:16) and Emersyn DePonte (sixth, 22:52) had strong showings for Taunton.
2019 Boys Record: 1-5 2019 Girls Record: 0-6 Coach: Martin Tighe
The Attleboro boys cross country team has one of its best group of returners, perhaps one of the strongest teams in quite some time. And on the girls side, head coach Martin Tighe has one of the best runners in the league in senior Kelly Neuendorf, a top finisher at last year’s Hockomock League Championship meet. The Bombardiers host opponents at the Highland Park Cross Country Course, which was designed by Tighe and Bishop Feehan coach Bob L’Homme.
Senior Nathan Seybert will be in the mix for one of the fastest runners in the Hockomock League this season. In six dual meets last season, Seybert finished in the top three each time, taking first against both Feehan and Taunton. Tighe notes that Seybert will run around 16:10 or better this season. Attleboro also had Ethan Sylvia, Neil Bowie, Shane Cataloni, and Zachary Stromfors have strong finishes at the league championship meet last year.
On the girls side, Neuendorf is fresh off a top 10 finish at the league championships, clocking in at 20:28.32. She was first in the dual meet against league champion Franklin and finished no worse than third in the six dual meets. Other top runners from the league championship meet last season included Kimberly Esteban, Jazlyn Miller-Villanueva, and Diana Blouin.
“I’m looking forward to the X-C season as are many athletes and coaches,” Tighe said.
2019 Boys Record: 2-4 2019 Girls Record: 1-5 Coach: David Hiltz
Both the Canton girls and boys have spots to fill in their starting lineup but both squads have top runners back on the course this season. The Bulldogs call Pequitside Farm home, a 3.01 mile course that is mixed with trails, grass, and hills that make it one of the more challenging courses in the Davenport.
The boys squad graduated four of the top seven from last season but bring back its three captains in senior Jack Hernon, senior Elias Jabbour, and junior Kyle Downing. Downing was Canton’s top runner throughout last season, culminating in team-best finish at the league championship meet. After the top three of Downing, Hernon, and Jabbour, the Dogs have four spots in the lineup up for grabs. Sophomore Matt Hart, who had a solid freshman season, is a candidate for a breakout year.
“The boys have a good mix of returners with some new faces who have joined,” said head coach David Hiltz. “If we can build some depth with our four and five, run consistently, and stay healthy we should compete within each meet and strive for that third dual meet win (after a 2-3 finish last year).”
The girls have a strong core of three returners, led by senior captains Marie Messinger and Jesse Hart. Messinger was Canton’s top runner at Hocks in 2019 while Hart had strong showings against both Foxboro and Stoughton a year ago. Sophomore Johanna Bouwmeester had a breakout season as a freshman a year ago, including 41st place at Hocks. With four spots in the lineup open, it’s been a mix of other returners as well as some first time runners and freshmen competing for the openings.
“Although graduating senior leadership, there is a good mix of youth and experience that will make the top seven,” Hiltz said. “Similar to the boys, building depth in the four and five spots will determine how successful the team is this fall, with those spots going to some younger runners. A goal of the team is to increase the dual meet wins, and this year with three home meets and strong senior leadership should help in that process. Staying consistent and healthy will be key to their success this season.”
2019 Boys Record: 1-4 2019 Girls Record: 3-2 Coach: Wayne Relleva
With Joe Cusack taking over as athletic director this past school year, Wayne Relleva takes over as head coach for the Warriors’ cross country teams. Relleva will have a pair of young squads with just four seniors on the boys team and just one on the girls side.
Hosting teams at the Payson Road Fields, the Warriors are hoping home course advantage can lead to a strong start to the season as Foxboro hosts its first two meets. The boys squad features 19 total runners with senior captain Liam Cody leading the way. Relleva is also looking for junior Nicolas Olson and sophomore Brooks Stone to play big roles for the Warriors this season.
“For the season, I’m hoping to be highly competitive, improve, and win some races,” Rellava said. “Being as young as we are we have lots of room to grow over our five race season.”
Captain Amy Conley is the lone senior on the girls team and will lead the way for 10 sophomores and a freshman. Half of those sophomores are returners from a season ago, including Aine Fitzpatrick, who could be a major factor in the lineup this season. Relleva is also looking for sophomores Emilia Lacy, Mabel Linck, and Sophia Sougaris to factor into the scoring this year.
“I’m excited to see how this young team grows and comes together over our season, it should be fun to watch,” Relleva said.
2019 Boys Record: 5-0 2019 Girls Record: 4-1 Coach: Nick Bailey & Paul Trovato
Both of Franklin’s cross country squads are coming off league titles and will be looking to replicate that success in 2020. The boys team has won three straight Kelley-Rex titles and have a strong group of runners back this year to try and make it four straight. The girls bring back a pair of Hock all stars from last year’s squad that finished second at Hocks.
“With a strong senior and junior class the 2020 Franklin Boys XC team is looking forward to some tough competition once the races get underway,” said boys head coach Nick Bailey. “This team has put in the hard work necessary to be competitive in the Hockomock League and they have adapted well to social distancing guidelines we are all part of.”
Franklin will be hosting opponents on a course around the high school instead of Dacey Field. The course is a relatively fast course with a mixture of roads and fields that is 3.1 miles long. Senior Nicholas Calitri will be one of the top runners in the entire Hockomock League, fresh off a third place finish at the league meet a year ago. He will be joined by senior Declan Walmsley, who factored into the scoring in the dual meets last season and took 12th overall at the league meet, senior Josh Anderson (54th at Hocks), and junior Griffin Sieckiewicz (33rd at Hocks).
“Quite a few athletes on the team have made some great improvements since their last races all the way back in February and March and have adapted well to the new challenges that have come with the Fall 2020 season,” Bailey said. “One way or another, this will be a memorable year for our cross country team”
All-Hock selections Sydney Brady (10th at Hocks) and Caitlin Casey (18th) lead the way for the Panthers, who shared the division title with OA last year. Brady is a captain along with classmates Sydney Hawkins (who took 10th at Hocks) and Liz Petit. Juniors Charlene Peng and Liliana Duffy will bolster the Panthers lineup following successful sophomore campaigns, both finishing inside the top 30 at Hocks. RuthAnn Mulvey, a sophomore, and Angelina Perez, a senior, make the Panthers one of the deepest squads in the league.
“Last season the team finished second at the Hockomock Championship Meet. This team has a strong group of dedicated runners who are working hard and should be competitive in the Kelley-Rex Division,” said head coach Paul Trovato.
2019 Boys Record: 3-2 2019 Girls Record: 3-2 Coach: Scott Kramer & Lauren Farkash
The King Philip boys and girls cross country teams are in different situations heading into the 2020 season. The girls return their top three runners from last year’s Hockomock Championship race; all three finishing in the top 30. The boys team, however, graduated four of its top five runners from the same meet, including the Gatorade Runner of the Year Mike Griffin and Michael Norberg, who was fourth at Hocks.
But neither team is paying much attention to the past with the focus on the five-race season ahead. Senior Jovan Joseph will pace the pack for the boys, gaining plenty of valuable experience from last year’s group. Joseph is coming off a strong junior campaign that finished with a top 20 finish at the league meet. Head coach Scott Kramer is looking for a combination of juniors and sophomores to fill out the rest of the lineup. Liam Noke, Andrew Noke, Brandon Berdos, Ryan Andrews, and Matt DiFiore will all compete to be in the scoring for KP.
“The returning guys had a great summer of training,” Kramer said. “Captains Jovan Joseph and Sam Evans really ran a great program and it will be tough for any newcomers to get in the pack for us.”
KP has moved the finish line of its 5K course at the Rice Complex in Wrentham but the distance hasn’t changed. The King Philip girls squad, coming off a fourth place finish as a team at Hocks, has its top three runners back in juniors Maya Evans and Meg Sherwood as well as senior Ava Pisani. All three had strong seasons in 2019 with Evans emerging as one of the top competitors in the Hock as seen by her fourth place finish in 19:51.50 at Hocks. With some open spots in the lineup, head coach Lauren Farkash has been happy with the depth so far in training. Leah Burke and Kat Precobb are returners from last year while freshman Bridget Swezey could make an immediate impact.
“My goal this year is to just provide the girls a sense of normalcy during these unusual times,” Farkash said. “Our focus is creating good memories, strong bodies and minds, and having fun! We are not worrying about PRs or win/loss records, their enjoyment of the sport and their physical and mental health is most important!”
2019 Boys Record: 2-3 2019 Girls Record: 3-3 Coach: Ian Flanagan & Carolina DiBiase
Both the Mansfield boys and girls team are aiming to get back atop the Kelley-Rex division this season. After a 14-year run as league champs, Mansfield has been on the outside looking in over the past three seasons and will be relying on some new faces to lead the way this year. On the girls side, the Hornets have a handful of top runners back from last season to try and challenge for the division title. Mansfield will host teams at the Plymouth Street Soccer Fields (5K).
The Hornets lost their top three runners from the Hockomock Championship meet to graduation so head coach Ian Flanagan will be looking for new faces to step up. Mansfield is loaded with upperclassmen who had strong offseasons and run similar times. Junior Collin Stevens finished at 17:43.61 to take 31st overall and will be one of the top runners for the Hornets this season. Seniors Tim Corkery, Ryan Rispoli, and Trevor Flint, as well as junior Chris Leonard, will help round out a well-balanced lineup.
“We have some big shoes to fill from last year losing three of our better runners but the guys on this team are hard workers who are up for the challenge,” Flanagan said. “We also have some promising young guys who will really benefit from this season and will impact some meets this year.”
The girls are under new leadership this season as Carolina DiBiase, who has coached at MHS in the past, takes over for longtime coach Derek Ellis. DiBiase has one of the top runners returning this season in senior captain Tessa Lancaster, who crossed the finish line sixth at the league championships last year. Senior Emma Lamson is the other captain on the team and one of the top runners on the team (22nd at Hocks) as well. Senior Abby Greenberg and junior Cassidy Rice will be runners to watch this season while juniors Sophia Allen and Alanna Conley and freshmen Jen Mullert will help push the pack. Senior Anne Riley and sophomores Alexis DiVasta and Devin Anderson return as starters from last season.
“I am looking forward to seeing what they can do this season,” DiBiase said. “I have taken a break and have really enjoyed getting back into things. The girls look strong and they are ready to run and improve each week.”
2019 Boys Record: 4-1 2019 Girls Record: 3-2 Coach: Dan Gordon & Glenn O’Connor
Expectations are sky high for the Milford girls cross country team as the Hawks are aiming to soar above the competition in the Kelley-Rex division. Meanwhile, the boys might have a small squad but it includes some strong runners eager to make some noise against new competition.
The Milford girls have good reason for such high expectations with a strong group of top runners from the Hockomock League leading the pack. Senior Emma Lawrence will be among the top runners in the region after a strong offseason. In her first season running cross country, Lawrence had a remarkable year that included a 5th place finish at Hocks. She will be joined by sophomore Sydney Kalil (48th at Hocks) and a pair of indoor track league champions in Sarah Flanagan and Kerry O’Connor. Flanagan won the 300M race and O’Connor, who clocked in at 22:38.00 at last year’s league championship meet, was the Hock champ in the 600M. Maren Halpen, Haley Jansons, Eva Parsons, Kate Pease, Fiona Jordan, Stephanie Goulet, and senior captain Brittany Silverman will make the Hawks one of the deepest teams in the league.
“We’re so glad we have a season,” said Milford head coach Glenn O’Connor. “Nobody is going to happy to see the Lady Scarlet Hawks on their XC schedule.”
Dan Gordon takes over as head coach for the boys team, which has reason for optimism after some strong preseason times. Junior James Comisky is back after a strong sophomore campaign and will pace the pack for the Hawks this season. In a preseason 5K scrimmage against Mansfield, Comisky was the top finisher. Sophomore Mark Butters has grown a lot as a runner from his debut season last year and will be a key piece for Milford this season. Captain Jack Jansons will be one of the leaders for the Hawks this year.
“I am looking forward to having a safe, fun, and competitive season,” Gordon said. “My goals are that everyone leaves faster and more knowledgeable about how to race well when it matters most.”
2019 Boys Record: 3-2 2019 Girls Record: 3-2 Coach: Anne Marie McGrail
North Attleboro could be set for a breakout season for both the boys and girls teams this season. Five of the seven Rocketeer boys who scored at the league meet last season were either juniors or sophomores while only two seniors scored on the girls side, meaning North Attleboro should have a deep squad for the 2020 season.
Juniors Christopher Galligan and Griffin Goueck placed 39th and 53rd, respectively, at the league meet last season while junior Mark Carlson, junior Casey Poirier, and senior Jack McLaughlin all clocked in under 19 minutes.
On the girls side, Natalie Kaiser (32nd at Hocks) and Olivia Forbes were lost to graduation but the other six to factor into the scoring were juniors, sophomores or freshmen. Senior Melissa Sapini had North’s top placement for the girls last year when she clocked in at 21:11.52.
2019 Boys Record: 5-1 2019 Girls Record: 5-1 Coach: Kyle Sousa
The Kelley-Rex division could run through Easton this season, for both the girls and the boys. The girls split the division title with Franklin last year but bring back two of the best runners in the league and are poised for a repeat. The boys didn’t win the division but had a stellar showing at Hocks and took first place as a team with five runners in the top 20.
Of those five, the boys have three runners back – senior Kyle Sarney, junior Owen McMorrow, and senior Nathan Reservitz. Sarney will look to build on his fifth place finish at Hocks and be in the mix for one of the fastest runners in the Hock. McMorrow (13th) and Reservitz (17th) weren’t far behind so the Tigers will have a strong nucleus to lead the pack. Head coach Kyle Sousa described the boys team as a seasoned group with a lot of competitive experience.
Catherine O’Donnell and Meghan Reardon highlight a strong girls team for the Tigers. The duo finished in succession at the league meet with O’Donnell clocking in at 20:05.32 for seventh place and Reardon just a couple of seconds behind for eighth overall. Sousa is hoping that a very deep squad will translate to some dual meet wins in the quest for a second straight division title.
“Everyone around the Hockomock League and the state at large knows that the 2020 Season is going to look different than any season before it,” Sousa said. “Now more than ever, we are training through unpredictable adversity, and adapting in real time to the daily curveballs that some with a global pandemic. Never have I been so impressed by the commitment of the young men and women of Oliver Ames Cross Country. Their focus is unwavering — their commitment resolute. We are so grateful to be able to compete this fall. The Hockomock League is one of the premiere cross country leagues in the state, and we are hungry to cut our teeth on the exceptional competition in front of us. It is going to be a tough and gritty season in the Hock and we hope to be right in the thick of it.”
2019 Boys Record: 5-0 2019 Girls Record: 5-0 Coach: Tim Cimeno & Katelyn Decknick
There will be a big hole on the sidelines this season as the Eagles are set to start the 2020 season without coach Alan Conway, who passed away at the beginning of September. Conway was incredibly well-liked around the Hockomock League by runners and his peers.
On the course, the Eagles will be looking to defend their Davenport division titles as both the boys and girls earned a banner during the 2019 season. The girls will rely on a mix of veterans and new faces as they navigate a competitive field. It will start with junior Daphne Theiler, who was second overall at the league championship meet last season (19:41.21). Theiler will be joined by seniors Margaret Li and Berta Faktorovich, two runners are placed in the top 35 at Hocks. The Eagles also have some great new first year runners including sophomores Hannah Li and Grace Hu, as well as freshman Eva Olszewski.
“The girls team is hard working and there is great team spirit,” said head coach Katelyn Decknick. “As defending Hock Champs, we look strong. The team has a nice blend of well established talent and new runners hungry to race.”
The boys squad is returning five of their top seven runners while there are plenty of new faces (60 total on the team) eager to battle for a spot in the lineup. Seniors Sid Reddy (25th at Hocks), Mark Starovoytov (26th), Bradley Weiss (34th), and Jordan Saks, plus junior Balint Mihajlovits will lead a balanced and deep group of runners. New faces to watch include Matthew Lally, Ashmith Yeruva, and Jack Bates. Sharon will host home meets at Deborah Sampson Park (2.83), a flat and fast course.
2019 Boys Record: 0-5 2019 Girls Record: 0-5 Coach: Dave Barbato & Alexis Van Voorhis
There is a lot of potential when it comes to the Stoughton boys and girls cross country teams. The Black Knights made big strides as the season progressed a year ago and head coaches Dave Barbato and Alexis Van Voorhis are hoping that trend continues in 2020.
The girls lost their top runner in Rebecca Lally to graduation so the Black Knights will be relying on Elaine McCarty and Danielle Lawrence to pace the pack this season. Van Voorhis said both runners have looked strong in the two weeks of workouts and is expecting McCarty and Lawrence to work together throughout each race. Stoughton has a deep roster this year than last season and will be looking for Avrie Martin and freshman Lilly Branco to translate their track skills to the cross country course. Junior captain Jessica Maddalena is a key piece but will miss the season due to injury.
“If I were to use one word to describe this team and our season, it would be potential,” Van Voorhis said. “I have hope for every single girl on this team, that if we put in the work, this team could potentially emerge stronger and more determined than when we started. They are all fantastic people, and I am looking forward to seeing everyone’s improvement throughout the rest of the season.”
The boys team is hoping a year of experience will translate into better times as the Black Knights host opponents on a new course this season. The new course goes around the grounds of the new high school; it’s mostly flat (5K) and should be fast. The squad features four returning runners including captain Bob Currier, Colin Ozturk, Mike Henriques, and Aiden Castillo.
“The strength of their team lies with these juniors,” Barbato said. “If they can be tough, if they think they can be good and if they learn they belong up near the best from other teams Stoughton could win more than they lose.”
2019 Boys Record: 0-5 2019 Girls Record: 2-3 Coach: Jessica Ouellette & Mike Kelley
With a mix of top runners and a deep roster, the Taunton girls team enters the season with high hopes. And there is equal optimism on the boys side with a large group of talent back for the 2020 season.
The girls team features some of the top returning runners in the Hockomock League and a deep roster is providing head coach Mike Kelley with a range of options in his lineup. Senior captain Lily Valcovic and junior Nia Mainer-Smith have emerged as the top two runners for the Tigers this season while senior captains Livvy Weber and Olivia Dias give Taunton plenty of depth of experienced runners. Kelley’s roster got a big boost with a large eighth grade class, including Emersyn DePonte and Colby Dunham, who have quickly established themselves in the top five on the team.
“We’re much deeper than last year, to the point where we’ll be trying to displace other team’s fourth and fifth runners with our sixth and seventh,” Kelley said. “Being able to run in larger packs also takes pressure off individuals. The veterans have been terrific setting the example. We have four eighth graders in our varsity top ten, so the future is bright.”
On the boys side, the Tigers only lost two of their top 10 so there will be plenty of competition in-house and head coach Jessica Ouellette is hoping that translates to some success in the dual meets. Senior captains Ty Cali and Nolan Tavares return as the top two runners, as well as junior Ryan Strawbridge and sophomore Jack Pawlowski, who have put in some serious training over the summer. The Tigers have two runners to watch this year in freshmen Brayden and Andrew Cali, whose PRs last year are 17:39, and 17:50, as eighth graders.
“This is one of the stronger teams Taunton Boys XC has seen,” Ouellette said. “I’m hopeful that we can have our number three runner make a jump to sub-17 to solidify a fast 1-2-3. We have some promising younger talent as well as strong seniority up front. We have a great group of guys, who are motivated to work hard and work together to win.”
Over the past couple of months, our staff has reviewed hundreds of championship-caliber Hockomock League teams from the past decade (Fall 2010 through Winter 2020) and selected its Top 20 “Teams of the Decade.” During that process, we came across so many talented teams that accomplished so much. Below is a list of teams that just missed out on the final list but stood out for their postseason performances.
2019 Taunton Baseball
Record: 21-7 Division 1 State Champions
The stars aligned perfectly for the Tigers when the postseason rolled around. Although Taunton finished in third in the Kelley-Rex division in the regular season (behind Super 8 selections Franklin and Mansfield), the Tigers took full advantage of their opportunity in Div. 1 South. At 11-7 midway through May, Taunton won four straight to finish the regular season at 15-7 for the fourth seed in the D1 South bracket. After dispatching Marshfield, the Tigers rallied to stun Catholic Memorial with a seventh inning rally, scoring the game-winning run off a bunt from Lucas Martins. Taunton followed with a shutout of Catholic Conference power Xaverian before taking down Hockomock rival Attleboro, 6-1, to win the South.
The magic continued for Taunton, head coach Blair Bourque, and its playoff hero Nic Notarangelo in the D1 State Semifinals. Against a powerful Lincoln-Sudbury side (21-2 entering the game), the Tigers fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning. Logan Lawrence had a huge game, hitting a two-run home run in the first and pitching four scoreless innings in relief. Notarangelo smacked a hard hit to right to score sophomore Ty Cali in the bottom of the ninth inning for the game-winning run. Taunton capped its magical run with a 5-3 win over Shrewsbury and 6’8 Boston College-commit John West. Josh Lajoie made his first start of the playoffs, senior Evan Melo put a cherry on top of a special individual postseason by driving in the game-winning run, and both Notarangelo and Lawrence – as they had done all tournament – made key plays in the final innings to help Taunton secure its first-ever Div. 1 State Championship.
2016 Franklin Boys Hockey
Record: 18-4-5 Division 1 State Champions
Just one year removed from a historic trip to the Super 8, and after graduating 21 seniors, Franklin showed off the depth in its program and erased its demons at the TD Garden, ending a three-decade wait for a second state title. A team without a true star, Franklin’s depth and its work rate were its greatest strengths. The Panthers were 12-3-5 and the fourth seed in Div. 1 when the playoffs began, but it felt like a wide open bracket. The tournament run began with a 2-1 win against Wellesley, followed by a 1-0 win against Walpole in a jam-packed Pirelli Rink.
After dispatching a third straight Bay State Conference team, Newton North, in the semifinal, Franklin avenged a late-season loss against highly-regarded Marshfield. In the state title game at the TD Garden, a place where Franklin and head coach Chris Spillane had come up empty three seasons in a row earlier in the decade, the Panthers led 3-1 heading into the third period against St. Mary’s (Lynn), a team that just missed out on a Super 8 berth. The game went to double overtime before senior Jake Downie assisted on sophomore Luke Downie’s dramatic game- and title-winner and secured a first state title since 1983.
2018 Franklin Baseball
Record: 21-5 Division 1A (Super 8) State Champions
It was a season that started with high expectations and ended in history, but it was hardly a straight and easy path for Franklin. Few will remember because of how the season ended, but the Panthers opened the season by being shutout by Foxboro, were swept by Taunton, and finished a game behind Mansfield in the league. Through it all, Franklin put together a good enough resume that it was selected for the Super 8 for the first time in program history. The Panthers (21-5) entered as the No. 7 seed, but once the playoffs began everything seemed to fall into place.
Thanks to the dynamic duo of Jake Noviello and Bryan Woelfel and a lineup filled with clutch hitters, Franklin beat Wachusett in the opening game and then proceeded to beat St. John’s Prep and Central Catholic (twice). The final three games were all one-run wins. In the Super 8 finale against the Raiders, head coach Zach Brown brought Noviello into the bottom of the eighth in a tie game with runners at second and third. He struck out three of the next four batters (hitting one in between) to somehow keep it tied and in the top of the ninth Evan Wendell’s perfect suicide squeeze plated Steve Luttazi with the title-winning run.
2016 Foxboro Girls Tennis
Record: 19-2 Division 2 State Champions
The third time proved to be the charm for the Foxboro girls’ tennis team. After coming up short in the state final in 2014 and 2015, the Warriors took a 3-2 decision over Wayland to clinch the title. The Warriors dropped two matches all season, both 3-2 to eventual Davenport division champion Sharon, as Foxboro finished second in the division at 14-2. The sister combination of Diana Prinos at first singles and Sophia Prinos at second singles gave Foxboro a huge advantage while junior Lexi Nelson was such a steady presence at third singles.
Behind interim head coaches CJ Neely and Jon Montanaro, the Warriors earned the fourth seed in the Division 2 South bracket and survived an early scare with a 3-2 win over Westwood. The second doubles team of Michaela McCarthy and Morgan Krockta helped the Warriors knock off a strong Hingham team in the quarterfinals and Foxboro swept singles action in both the sectional semifinals and finals to defeat previously unbeaten and top-seeded Apponequet and Hopkinton, respectively. After dropping a singles match in the state final, the Warriors had to show off their depth as a team and the first doubles pairing of sophomore Kayla Prag and freshman Julia Muise pulled out a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 win to secure the title.
2012 Sharon Football
Record: 10-3 Division 3 Eastern Mass. Champions
It’s hard to think of a more special individual season than the one the Sharon football team had in 2012. To put things in perspective, the Eagles had just won seven games over a seven-year span in the previous decade and its last winning season came in the late 1980s. Head coach Dave Morse led Sharon to four wins in his first year in 2011 but that turned out to be just a preview of what was to come. The Eagles had a special group of players come together and accomplish something a lot of people thought they would never see: bringing a Super Bowl title back to Sharon.
While it wasn’t a perfect season, the Eagles got it done against division foes. Sharon knocked off Canton in overtime, scored with under a minute left to stun previously unbeaten Stoughton, and used a gutsy fourth-quarter fourth-down conversion touchdown to secure a win over Foxboro and clinch its first Davenport division title. In the playoffs, the Eagles held on for a 7-6 win over Pembroke when the Titans’ two-point conversion with a minute to go fell short. In the Super Bowl, senior running back Sean Asnes capped a terrific season with a pair of touchdowns as Sharon notched a 12-3 win over Wayland in a freezing cold game at Bentley University.
2018 Mansfield Boys Basketball
Record: 27-2 Division 1 State Champions
Mansfield’s playoff run during the 2017-2018 season was as close to perfect as you can get in basketball. The Hornets were very good during the regular season, but they were close to unstoppable once the state tournament rolled around. Mansfield suffered two setbacks during the season, one in December to BC High and a 15-point loss on the road to rival Franklin in January. Head coach Mike Vaughan has said that second loss might have been the spark that ignited one of the most impressive playoff campaigns of the decade. With seven seniors (John McCoy, Tyler Boulter, Ryan Otto, Nick Ferraz, Alex Ferraz, Justin Vine, Sam Hyland) and a trio of talented juniors (Damani Scott, Tommy Dooling, Khristian Conner), the Hornets made the most of the playoff opportunity.
The top-seed in Division 1 South, Mansfield rolled through the bracket — and we mean rolled. Mansfield beat all four of its opponents by double figures, dismissing Newton South (76-49) in the first round, avenging its loss to BC High (71-58) in the quarterfinals, eliminating a very good Newton North (70-50) team in the South semis, and beating a talented Brockton (79-65) squad to win the South championship. The momentum continued as the Hornets secured a spot in the state final with an impressive win over Everett (73-65) at the TD Garden. In the D1 State Championship, the Hornets capped a terrific postseason run by taking down rival Franklin (67-54); the matchup marked the first time a pair of teams from the same league met in the D1 final.
2017 Franklin Boys Basketball
Record: 22-5 Division 1 State Finalists
This Franklin boys team might not have won it all, but it packed some of the most memorable games into its great postseason run. The Panthers were good throughout the regular season, and they certainly had their fair share of impressive wins including one over league champ Mansfield, one over a very good Cardinal Spellman team, and concluded the regular season with arguably its best win, a 70-53 decision over a good Tech Boston team. But there were five losses too, including on the road at Canton, and early season tilts against Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial.
The wins over Spellman and Tech Boston to finish the regular season were a clear sign to head coach CJ Neely that this squad was ready to make some noise in the state tournament. Junior Jalen Samuels helped the hosts knock off upset-minded Acton Boxboro in the opening round and senior Connor Goldstein gave Franklin a needed spark in its semifinal win over St. Peter Marian. In the Central final against perennial power St. John’s Shrewsbury, freshman Chris Edgehill sank a huge three with just over a minute left in overtime and then hit two from the free throw line in the final seconds to help secure Franklin’s first sectional title. In the state semifinal against Springfield Central, the Panthers snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with an improbable 8-0 run in the final 20 seconds to force overtime. Four minutes later, Franklin was on its way to its first state championship. Although the Panthers ran into a juggernaut in Cambridge, the run that the Panthers had leading up to that point was a very memorable one.
2018 North Attleboro Baseball
Record: 22-2 Division 2 State Champions
North Attleboro rolled through the regular season, finishing 14-2 in the league and 18-2 overall. Big Red ended a 12-year wait for a league title and took the top seed in Div. 2 South. North’s run to a first-ever state title was hardly a surprise, but the way that the Rocketeers rolled through the South bracket was more than impressive. North scored at will over the first three games of the tournament, out-scoring its opponents 41-4, including a 20-2 win against Dartmouth in the semifinal and a 19-2 win against Oliver Ames in the final.
Behind the pitching of Nick Sinacola and the clutch bat of Zach DeMattio, the Rocketeers were unstoppable heading into the final against Beverly and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the state championship game (all four runs driven in by DeMattio). The Panthers got to Sinacola for three runs in the fifth to cut the lead to just one run, but he settled down, with the help of his defense, to get through a scoreless sixth and seventh inning and becoming the second Hockomock League baseball team in a week to win a state title.
2018 Taunton Softball
Record: 26-2 Division 1 State Champions
Taunton had lost in the first round in each of the past two postseasons, both times on its home field and both times to league opponents (King Philip in 2016 and North Attleboro in 2017), but the Tigers put it all together in 2018 to erase those playoff struggles. Always one of the most feared lineups in the state, the Taunton offense exploded for 44 runs in six playoff games. The Tigers, under the guidance of legendary coach Dave Lewry, scored nine runs against Dartmouth and Bishop Feehan, six against Newton North, and 13 in the state final against previously unbeaten Wachusett.
The toughest, and arguably most memorable, game of the playoff run was the Div. 1 South final against KP. The Warriors won the league title and had also scored 21 runs in three games to get to the final. After rallying to tie the game in the fifth, Taunton scored the game-winning runs on a single down the third base line by surprise starter and No. 9 hitter Rylie Murphy. KP got the tying runs on base in the seventh, but freshman starter Kelsey White escaped the jam and the Tigers went on to win their first state title in 11 years in blowout fashion (13-2 over Wachusett).
2016 King Philip Softball
Record: 24-4 Division 1 State Champions
There is nothing unusual about King Philip softball going on a playoff run, after all this was the program’s third state title in seven seasons, but the Warriors entered the season as the No. 7 seed in Div. 1 South, had lost the Kelley-Rex title to Taunton, ending a run of nine straight league championships, and lost four times during the regular season. Once the playoffs began, the Warriors flipped a switch. Thanks in large part to a dominant run of games from starting pitcher Kali Magane, KP allowed only two runs in six playoff games and outscored opponents 29-2.
The Warriors beat Taunton in the quarterfinal, winning the season series against the Tigers, and avenged an extra-inning loss from 2015 by beating defending South champion Silver Lake in the final. Magane saved the best for last, striking out 13 and tossing a one-hit shutout in the state title game against Doherty. Magane finished the season by striking out the side in the seventh and closing out an unlikely championship campaign.
Below are the official 2020 Hockomock League Boys Indoor Track All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
David Peters, Stoughton
Hockomock League All Stars
Jonathan Chery, Canton
Zach Goldstein, Canton
Junior Sainvil, Canton
Cameron Sanchez, Canton
Deyontai Dennis, Canton
Nick Calitri, Franklin
Tyler Brogan, Franklin
Ryan Proulx, Foxboro
Michael Griffin, King Philip
Michael Norberg, King Philip
Eric DeLorenzo, King Philip
Nathan Farkash, King Philip
Noah Hurd, King Philip
Jovan Joseph, King Philip
Owen Mullahy, Mansfield
Andrew Williams, Mansfield
Jack Rivard, Mansfield
Emmett Ruote, North Attleboro
Kyle Sarney, Oliver Ames
Evan Connor, Stoughton
Anthony Pizzano, Stoughton
Clayton Rahaman, Stoughton
David Peters, Stoughton
Nathaniel Peters, Stoughton
Elisha Claude, Stoughton
Mark Edge, Stoughton
Christopher Ais, Stoughton
Jordan Emile, Stoughton
Patrick McManus, Sharon
Mason Benton, Sharon
Steven Westgate, Taunton
Honorable Mentions
Ethan Crosby, Attleboro
Kyle Downing, Canton
Adam Connolly, Foxboro
Camden Harrington, Franklin
Sean McCombs, King Philip
Mike Mullahy, Mansfield
Anthony Ghalbouni, Milford
Nick Taylor, North Attleboro
Rory McLaughlin, Oliver Ames
Mark Starovoytov, Sharon
Christian Ais, Stoughton
Ty Cali, Taunton
Wrestling
King Philip, 30 @ Franklin, 45 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this meet. Despite having to forfeit three weight classes and starting the match down 12-0, Franklin rolled to a win that clinches the outright league dual meet title. It is the third Kelley-Rex title in the last four years for the Panthers. Drew DiFillipo started the comeback at 120 with a 10-2 win that cut the KP lead to 12-4. Devin Bramson got the hosts within two with a first round pin at 126 pounds and then a forfeit at 132 put the Panthers ahead 16-12. Jackson Kelley wasted little time putting the Warriors in front with a first round pin, but Alex Fracassa put Franklin ahead for good with a 10-2 win at 145. Following a KP forfeit at 152, Dom Sackley added six more points with a first round pin. At 170, Liam Cogavin jumped ahead 7-2 after two periods, but Cole Ricci battled back in the third with a takedown cutting the lead to three and then forcing Cogavin to hold on for the win and three points. Dylan Nawn put Franklin ahead 41-18 with a second round pin at 182, but Shawn Conniff answered back with a first round pin at 195. It was Conniff’s 130th career win and his 100th career pin. He is now two wins shy of the program record. Matt Walker closed out the meet with a 13-2 win at 220 before another forfeit at 285.
Swimming
Hockomock League Dive Championships, 4:00 (@ Massasoit)
Boys Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 61 vs. Attleboro, 39 – Final – Oliver Ames took first and second in three events and had six more first place finishes, including one relay, to earn a win over Attleboro. Junior Kyle Sarney clocked in at a league-best 9:44.64 to win the 2 Mile and sophomore Owen McMorrow (10:01.38) was second (third best in the Hock), senior Rory McLaughlin (4:40.07) and junior Nathan Reservitz (4:46.44) took first and second in the 1 Mile, and sophomore Ashton Hart (6.92) and junior Jaiden Daly (6.93) were the top two finishers in the 55M to lead OA. Hart also won the long jump (19-07.75), junior Ryan Petrillo was a double-winner, taking first in the high jump (5-10.00) and 55M hurdles (8.41), junior Jimmy Keane won the 1000M (2:49.88) and senior Ryan Hilliard crossed first in the 300M (37.87). Attleboro junior Nathan Seybert won the 600M (1:29.47) with classmate Joey Soucy taking second (1:32.81), and junior Ethan Crosby won the shot put (46-02.00).
Milford, 46 vs. Canton, 54 – Final – Canton swept both the 55M dash and the 300M race, taking first in three other events to earn a win over Milford. Jonathan Chery had another stellar showing, winning both the 55M (league-best 6.61) and the 300M (36.87). Junior Sainvil (6.76) and Cam Sanchez (6.87) took second and third, respectively in the 55M dash while Zachary Goldstein (37.12) and Andrew Butler (40.03) did the same in the 300M. Sophomore Kyle Downing won the 2 Mile (10:36.77), junior Deyontai Dennis took first in the high jump (5-10.00), and senior Nate Quan won the long jump (18-03.75). Milford senior Max Manor was a double winner, taking first in both the 1000M (2:52.70) and the 1 Mile (4:52.56).
Foxboro, 34 vs. North Attleboro, 65 – Final – The Red Rocketeers registered sweeps in both the shot put and the high jump on their way to a win over Foxboro. Emmett Ruote took first in the shot put with a toss of 43-08.25 while Joseph Beckett (39-10.00) and Jack Perriello (37-03.50) were second and third, respectively. Nick Taylor (5-08.00) took first in the high jump with Colby Feid (5-06.00) and Isa Siddiq (5-02.00) following. Kyle Robinson was a double-winner for the Big Red, crossing first in each the 1 Mile (4:59.14) and the 2 Mile (10:40.98) while Jack MacLaughlin earned a first place finish at 1:32.66 in the 600M. Foxboro’s Adam Connolly won both the 55M (7.06) and 300M (37.71), Ryan Proulx crossed first in the 1000M (league-best 2:40.43), Ali Nasri won the 55M hurdles (8.52), and Tyler Hagan set a new PR in a win at the long jump (19-00.00).
Franklin, 63 vs. King Philip, 36 – Final – Senior Jacob Cummings and junior Shane Bissanti each took home a pair of individual wins and the Panthers won three more events, plus both relays, to earn a win over King Philip. Cummings won both the long jump (19-09.25) and the 300M (37.98) while Bissanti crossed first in the 55M hurdles (9.44) and won the high jump (5-04.00). Alec Hanley (1:27.53) and Camden Harrington (1:27.95) went 1-2 in the 600M while Griffin Sieczkiewicz (10:47.01) and Joseph Zercie (10:49.74) did the same in the 2 Mile race. KP’s Mike Griffin and Franklin’s Tyler Brogan put on another show in the 1 Mile Race with Griffin (4:18.22) edging out Brogan (school-record 4:18.95), with KP’s Michael Norberg (4:24.56) taking third, the three clocking in the best three times among Hock runners on the night.
Stoughton, 52 vs. Sharon, 48 – Final – Stoughton won one of two relays and got key points from each the shot put, high jump, and long jump to edge out Sharon in a battle of unbeatens and win the Davenport division title. The Black Knights took first and second in both the high jump (Elisha Claude, 6-06.00 and Nathaniel Peters, 5-10.00) and the long jump (Claude, 21-06.25 and David Peters (21-02.25) while taking first and third in the shot put (Mark Edge, 46-11.25 and Jaden McCall, 39-07.00) to earn a close win. David Peters also won the 300M (36.40, PR) and the 55M hurdles (7.40, PR), Nathaniel Peters took first in the 600M (1:24.47), and Anthony Pizzano earned key points with a second place finish in the 55M hurdles (8.00). Sharon’s Patrick McManus won the 55M (6.70, PR), juniors Jordan Saks (2:48.33, PR) and Mark Starovoytov (2:48.79) took first and second in the 1000M, Starovoytov (4:58.73), Siddarth Reddy (5:00.98), and Bradley Weiss (5:02.67) swept the 1 Mile, and the Eagles swept the 2 Mile with Reddy (10:44.52) taking first, James Kong (10:59.69) crossing second, and Weiss (11:20.40) taking third.
Mansfield, 78 vs. Taunton, 22 – Final – The Hornets took first in all but one event to cruise to a win over Taunton and the 2020 Kelley-Rex division championship. Senior Andrew Williams continued his dominance, taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.36), the high jump (6-00.00), and the long jump (20-06.75). Mansfield swept the long jump with Jake Wall (20-02.50) and Joe Cappelletti (19-04.75) rounding out the top three as well as the 55M hurdles as Dylan Buchanan (8.61) and Chris Verros (9.03, PR) took second and third. Wall took first in the 55M dash (6.91, PR), Jack Rivard won the 300M (36.89), Peter Oldow placed first in the 600M (1:29.12), Mike Mullahy clocked in at 2:43.66 to win the 1000M, sophomore Chris Leonard set a new PR at 4:55.79 to win the 1 Mile (by 0:00.01 over Taunton’s Nolan Tavares), and Nico Holmes won the shot put (41-06.00). Taunton junior Ty Cali ran a PR in the 2 Mile, taking first in 9:56.61.
Girls Indoor Track
Oliver Ames, 47 vs. Attleboro, 53 – Final – Attleboro swept the 55M hurdles and took first and second in both the 300M and 1 Mile races to earn its first win of the season. Junior Meghan Panzer set a new PR, clocking in at 9.68 to win the 55M hurdles with sophomore Angela Cooney (10.00, PR) and junior Eleanor Graber (11.18) taking second and third, respectively. Junior Diana Blouin clocked in at 5:43.55 to win the 1 Mile while classmate Kelly Neuendorf took second in 5:51.96. Junior Cassondra Stuger crossed first in the 300M (43.49) and senior Jessica Matheson took second, setting a new PR (47.30). Neuendorf also earned key points by winning the 2 Mile (12:11.48) while Stuger took second in the 55M dash (7.97). Oliver Ames’ Madison Perry won a pair of events, taking first in the 55M dash (7.76) and the long jump (14-11.00).
Milford, 68 vs. Canton, 30 – Final – The Scarlet Hawks swept the 300M race and took first place in seven more races plus one relay to pick up a win over Canton. Sophomore Sarah Flanagan clocked in at 43.30 to take first place with classmate Maren Halpin (46.92) and senior Juliana France (48.09) crossing next. Flanagan also won the 55M dash (league-best 7.48), Sara Comisky won both the 1000M (3:34.36) and the 1 Mile (6:04.03), Kerry O’Connor placed first in both the long jump (16-02.25) and the 600M (1:40.58), Sarah Brogioli was a double-winner with first place finishes in each the 55M hurdles (9.27) and high jump (4-08.00), and freshman Sydney Kalil took first in the 2 Mile (13.29.57). Milford’s 4×400 relay team of O’Connor, Bella Gonzalez, Flanagan, and Halpin broke the school record by seven seconds, clocking in at 4:10.57. Canton’s Bronwyn Mahoney won the shot put (33-10.00) while the 4×200 team of Mia Walsh, Morgan Quinn, Leah Murphy, and Kiley Hanlon won in 1:57.59.
Foxboro, 25 vs. North Attleboro, 66 – Final – By sweeping both the high jump and 55M hurdles, and taking first and second in each the shot put and long jump, North Attleboro earned a win over Foxboro. Olivia Etienvre won the high jump with a leap of 5-02.00 with Ari Preacher (4-10.00) and Cassidy Becker (4-10.00) rounding out the top three while the same three swept the 55M hurdles in the same order, Etienvre winning in 9.07. Etienvre (16-06.50) and Becker (15-11.50) went 1-2 in the long jump while Alivia Byrne (30-01.00) and Arianna Newth (27-01.00) did the same in the shot put. Foxboro junior Emma Dahl took first in the 600M (1:45.67, PR) and freshman Emilia Lacy won the 1 Mile (6:03.88, PR).
Franklin, 42 vs. King Philip, 58 – Final – Franklin swept a pair of events but King Philip showed off its depth, taking wins in both relays and six other events to get the win. Junior Sofia DelVecchio won the 55M dash (7.66), junior Allison Beltramini took first in the 300M (45.03), juniors Isabelle Crocker (3:18.29) and Charlotte Majer (3:19.87) went first and second in the 1000M, sophomore Maya Evans won the 2 Mile (12:32.69), junior Milan Simmons (9.42) and senior Victoria Priestley (9.53) went 1-2 in the 55M hurdles, and seniors Sarah Vigevani (30-01.00) and Bailee Ziolkowski (29-10.00) took the top two spots in the shot put. Franklin swept the long jump with sophomore Jillian Fenerty (14-11.00) taking first and sophomore Ava Fraulo (14-10.50) and junior Katelyn Guidi (14-03.00) following as well as the 600M race, won by senior Samantha Powderly (1:45.84) and Sydney Hawkins (1:48.31) and Riley Fitzpatrick (1:50.06) rounding out the top three.
Stoughton, 40 vs. Sharon, 60 – Final – Sharon won eight events plus one relay to earn a win over Stoughton and clinch the Davenport division crown. Elizabeth Lee and Jada Johnson each won a pair of events for the Eagles, with Lee taking first in the 55M hurdles (8.65) and the 300M (44.95) while Johnson won both the high jump (5-02.00) and the long jump (17-04.75). Other winners for Sharon included Wendy Wooden in the 55M dash (7.78), Carolyn Bayha in the 600M (1:50.13), Daphne Theiler in the 1000M (3:12.79), and Taylor Saks in the 1 Mile (5:38.70). Stoughton picked up wins from freshman Elaine McCarty in the 2 Mile (13:52.97, PR) and senior Chinazo Odunze in the shot put (30-09.00).
Mansfield, 36 vs. Taunton, 63 – Final – The Tigers used a sweep in the 300M, took first and second in three other events, and won both relays to earn a win over Mansfield and force a three-way tie for the Kelley-Rex division title with the Hornets and KP. Junior Morgan Zakrzewski (44.08) won the 300M while Kerla Sylvestre (44.38) and Abieyowa Olaye (45.72) rounded out the top three. Junior Olivia Dias won the 600M in 1:43.04 while Nia Mainer-Smith (1:43.91) took second, Braelyn Nichos won the 1000M in 3:17.15 while Tatyana Mainer-Smith (3:18.05) took second, and Jaylin Couto took first in the shot put (28-07.50) with Olyvia Mendonca (28-05.00) taking second for the Tigers. Taunton also got wins from Amanda Labrecque in the 55M hurdles (9.28), Julia Labrecque in the high jump (5-00.00), and Victoria Gravel in the long jump (16-01.25). Mansfield swept the 1 Mile race with Tessa Lancaster clocking in at 5:38.07 for first, and Grace Doyle (5:51.15) and Celia Puleo (5:51.40) following behind. Jessica Alestock won the 2 Mile (12:46.14) and Gabrielle Devlin took first in the 55M dash (7.84, PR)
Girls Gymnastics
Canton, 121.3 @ Oliver Ames, 137.4 – Final
Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Boys Cross Country All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.
Hockomock League MVP
Michael Griffin, King Philip
Hockomock League All Stars
Nathan Seybert, Attleboro
Ryan Proulx, Foxboro
Tyler Brogan, Franklin
Nicholas Calitri, Franklin
Declan Walmsley, Franklin
Cam Harrington, Franklin
Michael Griffin, King Philip
Michael Norberg, King Philip
Daniel Botte, King Philip
Jovan Joseph, King Philip
Michael Mullahy, Mansfield
Owen Mullahy, Mansfield
Max Manor, Milford
Rory McLaughlin, Oliver Ames
Kyle Sarney, Oliver Ames
Owen McMorrow, Oliver Ames
Nate Reservitz, Oliver Ames
Ty Cali, Taunton
Nolan Tavares, Taunton
2018 Boys Record: 0-5 2018 Girls Record: 2-3 Home Course: Coach: Martin Tighe
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the Attleboro boys and girls cross country squads as they begin the season with a brand new course.
The town converted Highland Country Club into a multi-use facility that includes a 3.1-mile cross country course that will be named after Mark Coogan, an Attleboro native at competed in the 1996 Olympics. Head coach Marty Tighe worked alongside Bishop Feehan coach Bob L’Homme to design the course and the teams will host the first invitational later this month with 22 teams from both Massachusetts and Rhode Island registered. With a new course, the Attleboro boys team looks to compete with the other top teams in the league led by junior Nathan Seybert, who finished in the top 20 (17:12.03) at last year’s league championship. Seybert had a very strong offseason and expects to be among the top runners in the league.
While the depth isn’t the same on the girls’ side, they do have some top runners returning. Kelly Neuendorf had a terrific sophomore campaign, punctuated by a 13th place finish at the league championships, and will be looking to continue that success this season.
2018 Boys Record: 2-4 2018 Girls Record: 1-5 Home Course: Pequitside Farm Coach: David Hiltz
The Canton boys cross country team is looking to build on the past two seasons while the girls are hoping to avoid the injury bug this season. The boys’ squad has won a pair of dual meets in back-to-back season and return a majority of their top runners from last year. Sophomore Kyle Downing will lead the way after taking first for the Bulldogs in all of the dual meets last season. Senior captain Alex Maddestra will also be a top option, as both him and Downing clocked in under 18 at the league championships a year ago. Junior Jack Hernon had a big offseason and has impressed so far this preseason while junior Elias Jabbour and senior captain Chris Rota look to round out the top five for Canton.
“I think the boys have the potential to be very successful this season,” said head coach David Hiltz. “We have a healthy mix of talent and depth, along with hosting two of the previous three Davenport Champs on our home course, we have a real opportunity for achievement this fall.”
On the girls’ side, the Bulldogs will have a younger squad but with more depth for the 2019 season. They did lose their top runner to graduation in Chloe Pennacchio but have some strong contributors back and even picked up a new runner that figures to be in the top five mix. Junior Jessie Hart had a strong sophomore campaign and will likely lead the pack while senior captain Kayla Wong is back to full health and will be looking to replicate the success she had two seasons ago. Junior Marie Messinger has switched sports over to cross country this fall and will be one of Canton’s top runners. Beyond the top three, the Bulldogs have space for new names to step into the top group A mix of experienced seniors all the way to freshman will all be competing for the final spots.
“There is a top three that is emerging, but for the first time in a few years, the girls have a good mix of depth…some seniors who are experienced and ready as well as some new, younger freshman who are coming in and looking to compete,” Hiltz said. “If they stay healthy, the girls have the talent to be better than they were a year ago. It’s an exciting place to be at as a team.”
2018 Boys Record: 1-4 2018 Girls Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions) Home Course: Payson Field Road Coach: Joe Cusack
Foxboro might have two of the top runners in the league this season, with the girls looking to defend their division title and the boys’ team looking to have a bounce-back season.
On the girls’ side, the Warriors graduated last year’s winner at the Hockomock League Championships in Lexi Quinn but bring back Abby Hassman, a three-time league all star and former league MVP that placed second just behind Quinn. Coming into the season, Hassman will likely set the pace for all runners in the Hockomock League, finishing in the top three at the league championships in each of the three years she has participated. Seniors Jenn Yeomans, Emily Steele, and Isabel Hallal all return from last year’s division-winning squad. Freshman Sophie Sougaris will also be in the mix for the Warriors this season.
Foxboro senior Ryan Proulx returns as the top runner for the boys’ team and could be the fastest returner in the Davenport division this season. Proulx won three races last season and took second overall in Foxboro’s other two races, the top Warrior in all five league dual meets. A lot of hard work has made senior Nate Palter another top option for the Warriors. Foxboro will be looking for other names to step up to round out the top five throughout the season.
2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions) 2018 Girls Record: 4-1 Home Course: Dacey Field Coaches: Nick Bailey & Paul Trovato
The Franklin boys squad went a perfect 5-0 in league dual meets last season to win the Kelley-Rex division title and the 2019 squad to poised to replicate that success this year. Not only did the Panthers win the dual title, but top three finishers from senior Tyler Brogan and junior Nicholas Calitri also helped Franklin claim first place at the Hockomock League Championships. Brogan has been a top runner in the Hock for the past three years and is off to a good start this season, winning the Tommy Cochary High School Mile in Falmouth in August. Calitri had a great sophomore campaign, finishing third overall at Hocks and will be a top runner again this year. Senior Cam Harrington will give Franklin a strong third option while the Panthers are looking for Joe Zercie, Declan Walmsley, Clancy Golden, Griffin Sieczkiewicz, Matt Zielinski, and Alec Hanley to all be in the mix throughout the season.
“As a team, the 2019 Franklin High Cross Country team is looking to continue to be competitive in a very talented Hockomock League,” said head coach Nick Bailey. “With a number of very talented runners as well as some younger runners looking to make a name for themselves, the Franklin boys have prepared themselves for a very challenging Hockomock league dual meet season.”
The girls’ squad graduated a staggering 22 seniors from last year’s Kelley-Rex division-winning team, so there will be a lot of new faces. Junior Sydney Hawkins is one of the top returning runners for the Panthers, finishing in the top 20 at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Sarah Giuliano took 22nd overall last year at the league meet and will give the Panthers a strong top duo alongside Hawkins. Franklin will also rely on junior Sidney Brady, sophomore Caitlin Casey, and sophomore Liliana Duffy
“The team has good leadership and is very supportive and will be competitive in the Hockomock League,” said head coach Paul Trovato.
2018 Boys Record: 3-2 2018 Girls Record: 2-3 Home Course: Rice Field Coaches: Chris Elgar & Lauren Farkash
Senior Mike Griffin returns to defend his Hockomock League Championship win and will have a strong core of runners alongside them as the Warriors look to challenge for the Kelley-Rex title and a top spot at Hocks. Griffin clocked in at 15:54.57 to win Hocks while classmate Michael Norberg took eighth overall, so King Philip has a strong 1-2 punch to lead the way this season. Senior Eric DeLorenzo finished 14th overall and the Warriors are also expecting strong seasons out of seniors Dan Botte, Nate Farkash, and Shea Duffy. Junior Javon Joseph will likely be in the top five mix for KP this season while classmates Andrew Noke and Liam Noke are battling for a spot as well. Sophomores Ryan Andrews, Matt DiFiore, and Brendan Weddleton, along with freshmen Brendon Berdos and Nate Sylven have all had strong showings so far this preseason and will be in the mix as KP pushes for a league title.
“I am very excited with the depth that the squad has this year,” said KP head coach Chris Elgar. “In a league that is so competitive, it will come in handy. As a team we are looking to build on the first squad qualifying for the All State meet from last fall.”
On the girls’ side, the Warriors are looking to replicate the success from a year ago. The Warriors lost three dual meets last season by three, nine, and 11 points so the record of 2-3 was a bit deceiving. KP showed their depth with a terrific performance at the league championships taking second place overall. In that race, sophomore Maya Evans put an exclamation point on a great first year by finishing fourth overall at 19:51. Ava Pisani and Abby Simmons have had strong preseasons and will be apart of the top five for the Warriors throughout the year. Meg Sherwood is looking to continue the success following a strong rookie year and Dayna Aubin will be another strong option for KP this season.
“Our top five looks really strong, so I’m hoping we can have a winning dual meet record with a little bit more experience,” said KP coach Lauren Farkash. “It’s going to be a lot of work but the girls are excited, they are fired up, so we’ll see what we can do. I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about the season.”
2018 Boys Record: 5-1 2018 Girls Record: 5-1 (Kelley-Rex Division Champions) Home Course: Plymouth Street Soccer Complex Coaches: Ian Flanagan & Derek Ellis
The Mansfield girls team has a lot of talent back to try and defend its Kelley-Rex division championship, but head coach Derek Ellis knows it’s going to take a lot of hard work throughout the season to fend off the tough competition in the Hockomock League. The Hornets have five of their top seven runners back from the team that won the Hockomock League Championship race last season. Junior Tessa Lancaster, who took third overall at Hocks, will lead the pack this season and will challenge for the top spot in the league this year. She will be joined by senior Jess Alestock, who finished in the top 20 last year alongside captain Brinly Meelia, both who should big pieces of the puzzle for Mansfield this year. Junior Emma Lamson and senior Julia Miller are looking to take the next step after strong seasons a year ago. Ellis also expects junior Annie Riley and sophomore Meghan Johnston to be important contributors this year.
“Cross country championships are not easy to win, you need your top five runners to perform at their highest level in that championship race, you can’t afford to have one person to have an off day,” Ellis said. “I believe the freshman group on this team is going to give this team some much-needed depth. The freshman did their summer training and have looked great in the early workouts. I would not be surprised if they factor into the scoring at the championship meet.”
On the other side, there is a big change for the boys’ squad. For the first time in a long time, it won’t be Julie Collins with a stopwatch in hand leading the Hornets. Ian Flanagan takes over as head coach but expectations are still high for one of the most dominant programs in the Hockomock League. Mansfield had its streak of 14 straight league titles snapped last season when Franklin won the dual meet title so the Hornets are looking to get back on top in 2019. The strength of the team this year will be depth. Senior Mike Mullahy is back after a top-five finish at Hocks a year ago but the Hornets graduated all of their top five runners. Flanagan will be looking to senior Ben Giffen and junior Trevor Flint to step up and be top options this season while juniors Tim Corkery and James Schlenker, along with sophomore Collin Stevens, will be in the mix.
“With it being my first year, I was anxious to see what kind of shape everyone was in coming into the year,” Flanagan said. “So far I have been pleasantly surprised by the improvements made over the summer. Everyone is on the same page, with expectations and goals. Having run in the league not too long ago I know the prestige of Mansfield cross country, and it is great to see these guys want to put Mansfield cross country back on the map.”
2018 Boys Record: 4-1 2018 Girls Record: 2-3 Home Course: Milford High Coach: John Vanderkeyl & Glenn O’Connor
Milford had one of its best seasons since joining the Hockomock League on the boys’ side, but the 2019 squad will have a completely different look. The Scarlet Hawks graduated 10 of its top 12 runners so there is plenty opportunity for new runners to step up for head coach John Vanderkeyl. Captain Max Manor, who is coming off a solid spring track season and has been a top option for Milford since his freshman year, will lead the pack this season and will be in contention for a top spot in the league this year. The Hawks are also looking for senior Liam Bennett to have a big year after a strong offseason. Sophomore James Comisky could have a chance to have a big season while seniors Sam Vilt and Gabe Pardo Cota, junior Andres Alvarez (an XC newcomer), and freshman Mark Butters are likely to factor into the Hawks’ top seven this season.
“We are a young team but we have a group of guys that ran all summer to get in shape and are ready to step into the big shoes that we have left to fill,” Vanderkeyl said. “I am hoping that they are all ready to make the jump to help compete for the Davenport Division and stay in the top half of the league. There are so many fresh faces and guys that are really starting to figure it all out and I am excited for the season.”
The Milford girls cross country also graduated a good amount of runners from last year but expectations are still high as the Hawks bring back their top two runners from last year. Senior captains Lexi Marcolini and Sara Comisky, who both finished in the top 25 at Hocks last year, will be leading the pack for Milford this year. Another reason for high expectations is the addition of three runners from Milford’s spring 4×400 team that qualified for the New Balance Nationals. Bella Gonzalez (400M hurdles), Emma Lawrence (400M), and Kerry O’Connor (D3 State Champ at the 300M indoors and D2 State Champ at 200M outdoors) are now members of the cross country team and are looking to give Milford a big boost. Sophomore Stephanie Goulet and freshman Sydney Kalil will also be in the mix this year.
“We’re looking to surprise the Hockomock League in 2019,” said head coach Glenn O’Connor.
2018 Boys Record: 3-2 2018 Girls Record: 4-1 Home Course: North Attleboro High Coach: Anne Marie McGrail
North Attleboro will be looking to continue their dual meet season success after both squads had strong campaigns in 2018.
On the boys’ side, the Rocketeers will have to place their top runners in Julian Dixon and Liam Monahan, who were their top runners at the Hockomock League championships last year. Senior Daniel Nobrega and sophomore Christopher Galligan had the best finishes at that meet for returning runners.
Senior Olivia Forbes had a top 20 finish at the league meet last year while Catherine Hanewich clocked in at 21:34 to finish 29th overall, which bodes well for the Rocketeers during the 2019 season.
2018 Boys Record: 3-3 2018 Girls Record: 0-6 Home Course: Borderland State Park Coach: Kyle Sousa
The Oliver Ames girls team has five of its top seven runners back from a year ago, including one of the duos in the Hockomock League. Juniors Catherine O’Donnell and Meghan Reardon will lead the way for the Tigers in 2019, both coming off top 10 finishes at the league championship meet last season. Oliver Ames also has a lot of the depth in the program with senior captain Julia Sarro and juniors Abbey Querzoli and Rachel Davis coming off strong training sessions over the summer.
“There is no question in my mind that this is one of the most committed groups of athletes you will ever find,” said head coach Kyle Sousa on the girls’ team. “These girls have been training all summer long, pushing each other to the limit. This is not just a group of talented runners. It is a team that has already begun making sacrifices for each other. I trust every one of them to come through on race day. They are so strong–physically and mentally. Don’t ever count them out.”
There is a lot of optimism on the boys’ side as well. Despite graduating their top runner in Zane Reservitz, the Tigers bring back the other six of their top seven from last year’s squad that placed 4th in Division 3 and 15th at the All State Meet. Seniors Rory McLaughlin, Owen Nipoti, and David Fiedorczyk will bring a tremendous amount of varsity experience, juniors Kyle Sarney and Nate Reservitz will be a major threat to watch, and sophomore Owen McMorrow is looking to continue the success he had his rookie year.
“It’s relatively rare to see this much experience on your varsity squad,” Sousa said of the boys’ team. “All of these guys have been battle-tested at the highest level of Massachusetts Cross Country. When the gun goes off I know they will never quit on each other. They will fight for every body, every point, every second, every inch of the 5000-meter race. That is all we ask. And that is all we need.”
2018 Boys Record: 5-0 (Davenport Division Champions) 2018 Girls Record: 3-2 Home Course: Deb Sampson Park Coach: Phil Gingras & Alan Conway
Sharon might not have a star runner on its boys’ team this year, but the Eagles are a very deep team and any one of a half dozen runners could take first in a given race. Mark Starovoytov, Bradley Weiss, Sid Reddy, Jordan Saks, Jimmy Kong, and Jacob Dubin have all had good showings this preseason and all six are vying for the Eagles’ top spot. Sophomore Balint Mihajlovits had a strong rookie season and should be in the mix this season. Freshmen Nathaniel Traut and Michael Williams could factor in as well after strong preseason showings.
“If this team continues to push each other as they have over the last couple weeks, they stand to have a shot at a birth at All-States,” said coach Phil Gingras.
On the girls’ side, the Eagles have three top runners returning ready to push for the league title. Sophomore Daphne Theiler had a tremendous freshman year (6th place at Hocks) and will lead the pack again for Sharon this season. Senior captains Eliana Boxerman and Juliana Dudziak will be alongside Theiler leading the Eagles. Gingras noted all three had strong summers and will be critical during the dual meet season. Senior captain Kavya Anbarasu, junior Margaret Li, and senior transfer Dani Williams provide solid depth for Sharon, which could be in store for a memorable season.
“If these girls [Anbarasu, Li, Williams] are able to close the gap on the lead pack they’ll stand a shot to do something special in the postseason,” Gingras said.
2018 Boys Record: 0-5 2018 Girls Record: 0-5 Home Course: Houghton’s Pond Coach: Dave Barbato & Katrina Daly
First-year head coach Dave Barbato is aiming for improvement throughout the season as the Black Knights look to bounce back from last year. Stoughton has to replace top runner Colin Rahaman but senior Sebastian Malek and sophomore Bobby Currier will be two solid options for Barbato. Malek improved throughout the course of last season and finished at 20:26.91 at the league meet. Currier was one of the top newcomers for Stoughton a year ago, clocking in at 21:23.00 at Hocks.
The Black Knights don’t have as many runners on the girls’ side as some of the other programs in the league but will be looking to give just as much effort. Captain Julia Franey and senior Rebecca Lally will be the leaders of the pack for this group. Lally had the top finish of all returners at least year’s championship meet at 22:19. Sophomore Jess Maddalena will be building off a strong rookie season and freshman Elaine McCarty will certainly be in the mix for the Black Knights this season.
“With some time to train and some trust in the new things they are seeing there should be some improvement by late season,” Barbato said.
2018 Boys Record: 1-4 2018 Girls Record: 2-3 Home Course: Taunton High Coach: Jessica Ouellette & Mike Kelley
The Taunton girls team is hoping the experience gained last season will pay off this year, with nine of their top 10 runners back for 2019. The Tigers finished fifth at the Hockomock League Championships a year ago and are hoping to be in contention to move up the leaderboard this year. Sophomore Nia Mainer-Smith is back the lead the pack for Taunton coming off a 10th place finish at Hocks. Junior Olivia Dias looks to be another top runner for the Tigers; both Dias and Mainer-Smith were apart of the Tigers’ 4×400 team that ran at Nike Outdoor Nationals this past spring. Kailey Melito-Santos, Olivia Weber, Tatyana Mainer-Smith, Lily Valcovic, and Kaicey Melito-Santos all had strong seasons last year as well.
“We’re looking to build off the momentum from 2018, which was the first time we ever beat Oliver Ames or King Philip,” said head coach Mike Kelley. “Nine of our top ten runners from last year return and the league seems fairly wide open. Our big team goals are finishing with a winning record in the dual meet season, finishing in the top three at Hocks, and the top eight at the Eastern Mass Division 1 meet.”
On the boys’ side, the Tigers bring back six of the top seven after graduating just one senior in that group last season. Junior Nolan Tavares had a stellar sophomore campaign and was the top runner for the Tigers at the league championship meet last year, just missing out on a top 10 placement. Tavares will be at the front of the pack alongside classmate Ty Cali and senior captain Colin Quinlan. Sophomore Ryan Strawbridge has looked strong as he makes his return from an injury during track season.
“The team’s resiliency and energy in supporting one another continues to be some of our biggest strengths,” said head coach Jessica Ouellette.
Taunton captains (L-R) Evan Melo, Josh Lajoie, and Jack Moynihan celebrate with the D1 State Championship trophy. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
LOWELL, Mass. – It was fitting that the final out bounced to sophomore shortstop Ty Cali. He jumped into the lineup in the playoffs after starter Danny MacDougall suffered an injury in the first game of the postseason. Cali had two hits and an RBI in Saturday night’s Div. 1 state championship game at Lowell’s LeLacheur Park and was an example of the way the whole Taunton program came together to send the Tigers on an improbable championship run.
That run came to a climax on Saturday, as Taunton (21-7) got four hits and a pair of RBI from the bottom three in its lineup, got four strong innings from senior Josh Lajoie, who was making his first start of the playoffs, and rallied with a pair of runs in the final two innings after seeing a 3-0 lead slip away.
The Tigers found a way to win, a common thread throughout the tournament, pulling out a 5-3 victory against Shrewsbury to secure the program’s first-ever state championship.
“We knew it was going to be another tough game,” said Taunton coach Blair Bourque. “That’s a great team over there and they gave us everything we could handle. We were able to put some at-bats together. It’s a team effort.”
Senior pitcher Logan Lawrence, who picked up the win with three innings of relief, said, “It almost feels too good. First time in history winning sectionals, never mind winning states.”
A state championship seemed farfetched in April. The Tigers stumbled out of the gates, going 4-4 in their opening eight games, but they stayed the course and eventually things turned around. Taunton finished the season by going 17-3 over its final 20 games. Its only losses in that span were to Super 8 participants Mansfield (twice) and Franklin.
“At the beginning of the year we all talked about it in the weight room about how nice it would be, but we also knew how difficult it would be and all the hard work it would take, and how much better we’d have to get throughout the year,” said senior Jack Moynihan.
“We knew we’d have to keep fighting and everyone in the program has busted their butts.”
Bourque said, “This season we had a lot of adversity early and I think that helped us down the road. Obviously, the Mansfields and the Franklins are the teams we want to compete with. This is a step in the right direction.”
On Saturday, the Tigers faced Shrewsbury ace John West. The 6-foot-8 junior has already committed to Boston College and he lived up to the billing the first time through the Taunton order. He struck out five, held the Tigers hitless, and allowed only one base runner over the first three innings.
West may have drawn the headlines prior to the game, but he was matched over the first three innings by Lajoie. The St. John’s University-commit got the ball for the final and allowed only two hits through four innings. An error and a walk gave Shrewsbury its only rally in that stretch, but Lajoie responded with a strikeout and induced a pop up to get out of the jam.
Taunton grabbed the lead in the fourth. Colby Lariviere drew a one-out walk and would come all the way around to score when Lawrence’s line drive skipped past the centerfielder and turned into a triple. Nolan Melo came in to run at third base and he would score on a perfectly placed safety squeeze by Jared Roderick.
The Tigers tacked on another run in the fifth. Evan Melo led off the inning by drilling a double into the corner in right and he was quickly brought home by a Cali single. Gavin Leahy drew a walk and Lucas Martins had an infield single to load the bases with one out but a double play ended the inning.
“It’s great because as a pitcher you look at the bottom of the order and you think just breeze through them,” said Lawrence about Taunton getting production from its full lineup. “When you know for a fact that other teams aren’t going to be able to breeze through the bottom of your lineup, that helps you a lot mentally. A lot of confidence comes from that.”
Shrewsbury did not go quietly. In the bottom of the fifth, the Colonials had three straight singles, including a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. Lajoie was pulled for Lawrence, who gave up an RBI-single on his first pitch.
The next batter hit a shot down the first base line but Lariviere made a diving stop and got the lead runner at home. The batter had slipped so a return throw to first turned into a double play. With a chance to get out of the inning with the lead, Lawrence gave up a single to West, which scored a pair and tied the game.
Rather than letting their heads drop, the Tigers got right back to the plate and promptly grabbed back the lead. Roderick reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then took third on an error that allowed Andrew Gomes to reach. For the second time in the game, Bourque called for a squeeze and this time it was Evan Melo who dropped it down, pushing it up the first base line for a single and an RBI.
“We have confidence in ourselves and our ability to generate a couple of runs here and there,” Bourque explained. “There was no panic, we’ve been down before. Last game, we were down twice, so we had the confidence in our ability to generate some offense.
Taunton loaded the bases with one out for the second straight inning but both times failed to score a run. Lawrence made sure that it wouldn’t hurt too much by throwing a perfect sixth inning.
In the seventh, Taunton added an important insurance run. Nic Notarangelo, who’s inclusion in the starting lineup coincided with the Tigers’ improvement, started the inning by drilling a triple to the wall in right. Two batters later, Lariviere made it 5-3 with a sacrifice fly to left.
As it turned out, the Tigers didn’t need the extra run. Lawrence got back to the mound for the seventh inning and threw another clean inning. He got a grounder to second, a strikeout, and then a grounder to short to seal the win and the championship.
“Nothing, just strictly adrenaline,” said Lawrence about what was going through his mind in the seventh. “When it was a 3-2 [count] and everyone was screaming, oh my god…” Lawrence shook his head, chuckled, and smiled.
Lajoie added, “It’s a dream come true. You dream of this at the beginning of the season and then you go through the season with your team, battling, and you see the pieces falling together…It’s unbelievable; I’m speechless.”
Taunton’s Nic Notarangelo (left) celebrates with Danny MacDougall and other teammates after his game-winning hit. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
LOWELL, Mass. – With the winning run standing at second base, Taunton juniors Logan Lawrence and Nolan Melo approached classmate Nic Notarangelo in the on-deck circle with a simple message.
“There’s no one better.”
Notarangelo, who has been the Tigers’ hottest hitter down the stretch, was 1-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, so Lawrence and Melo decided to deliver a vote of confidence right before he headed to the plate.
Notarangelo delivered, smacking a hard hit double to right field in the bottom of the ninth inning to score Ty Cali from second and the Tigers walked off with a 6-5 win in over Lincoln-Sudbury in a D1 State Semifinal, sending Taunton to its first ever state championship.
“Nic came into the lineup about midway through the season and since then, he hasn’t stopped,” Lawrence said. “He knew he had a rough couple of at-bats, but we just wanted to let him know that we believe in him. He didn’t need us to do that but we wanted to show him support.”
It was Taunton’s only lead of the game as the Tigers trailed 3-0 after just a half inning and had to erase a two-run deficit in the sixth inning.
“They were telling me there was no one better,” Notarangelo said of the on-deck conversation. “The fact that they have confidence in me gave me confidence in the box. It’s a team game and we’re the most passionate team that I know. Whenever we’re down, you can’t count us out. We fight to the last out, the last pitch, you can’t count us out.
“I had seen the pitcher before and he wasn’t throwing anything funny so I was just waiting for one that was in my zone and luckily I got it.”
Final: Taunton 6, Lincoln-Sudbury 5. Who else but Nic Notarangelo with the walk-off hit to drive in Ty Cali and the Tigers are headed to the D1 State Final, their first ever appearance. #hockomockpic.twitter.com/TzqQa2qA3g
Sophomore Ty Cali legged out a one-out double and sophomore pinch hitter Alyjah Marshall earned a walk to bring Notarangelo to the plate. Three pitches later, Notarangelo delivered the game-winning hit to bring Cali in, sending the Tigers into a frenzy.
“They don’t quit,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “It’s something that from early on, we’ve played some really tough games and faced a lot of adversity. It’s tough to beat a team that doesn’t quit, and these guys don’t quit, they have each others backs. They work hard, they play hard, and I’m really proud to manage them. I can’t say enough about the camaraderie, hard work, and determination…you name it. It’s been there all year.
“Nic has been our guy, I was hoping he’d get a chance to swing the bat in the last inning. He had a difficult game so far so it was huge for him. It was only a matter of time until he broke out and put the barrel on the ball.”
While Notarangelo delivered the winning hit, the Tigers might not have been in position to do so without the work of Lawrence. Not only did Lawrence club a two-run home run in the first inning the stemmed the tide, he came on in relief and pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and escaping a bases-loaded situation in the sixth to earn the win.
“He saved us, he’s been great throughout the whole tournament, the whole year,” Notarangelo said of Lawrence. “I couldn’t be more proud of what he’s done this year.”
Lawrence came on after five innings of work for Tiger ace Jack Moynihan, who struck out six and allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and one walk.
“Jack [Moynihan] has picked us up all season long, he’s picked me up if I had a bad game,” Lawrence said. “You have to reciprocate that energy. He does good for me all the time so I’m going to do my best for him.”
L-S, who had lost just two games all season on its way to a North sectional title, jumped on the Tigers with three runs in the top of the first inning. Connor Lachman doubled, Jesse McCullough and James Dillon singled, and an RBI groundout from Andrew Cahill put the Warriors ahead 3-0.
But the lead was short lived as the Tigers offense answered immediately. Lucas Martins drew a one-out walk, stole second, and then scored after a single from Colby Lariviere. Lawrence smashed the fourth pitch he saw over the left field fence for a two-run home run, tying the game 3-3 after one.
“Our plan was to just chip away,” Obviously you don’t want to go down but we have faith in Jack being able to keep us in the game. [Lincoln-Sudbury] hit the ball really well, that’s a good team over there. We knew we were in for a dog fight and we were hoping to keep the damage to a minimum and Jack did a great job of doing that for us. Logan came in and pitched phenomenal, that was a gutsy effort from him. His home run got us back in the game and kind of took the edge off. That let us know we could compete with them.
Moynihan settled in, striking out the side in the second inning but the top half of L-S’ lineup struck again in the third inning. Lachman doubled again, advanced on a ground out, and Dillon walked to put runners on the corner. Dillon attempted to steal second, forcing a throw but it ended up in centerfield, allowing Lachman to score. But Taunton limited the damage as Dillon tried to go from second to home. Evan Melo fired to Martins and he fired to Andrew Gomes at home for the tag.
Lachman surprised the Tigers with a bunt to lead off the fifth, advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third, and scored when the throw from home on the pickoff attempt got past the third baseman.
Taunton had momentum in the third when Martins singled and advanced to second on an error. Lawrence walked and the Tigers executed a double steal but Martins was then called out for supposedly coming off the bag at third.
In the top of the sixth, Milind Lele reached on an error, advanced to second on a ground out, Matthew Ray was hit by a pitch, the Tigers intentionally walked Lachman to load the bases but Lawrence induced a grounder to first to prevent any damage.
Lawrence reached second on a two-base error to start the bottom of the sixth and took third on a wild pitch, and scored on a passed ball that was also ball four for Jared Roderick. Roderick stole second, Nolan Melo was hit by a pitch, Roderick stole third, and then scored on a squeeze bunt from Evan Melo up the first base line to make it 5-5.
“Execution has been huge for us all year, and those are the fundamentals we practice day in and day out. It’s one of those things, when it works its great because we spend a lot of time on it. For Evan to come through was huge, it’s still difficult to execute and he came through.
“What’s happened before doesn’t faze these guys. They cheer for each other. Even when I told Gavin [Leahy], a senior, that’d he be pinch hit for [by Marshall in the ninth], he said OK. It’s fun to be able to coach a team that isn’t selfish and cheer for each other, even if they lose their spot. The bottom of the order has been different each game and it’s been someone different game.”
L-S had its lone hit against Lawrence to leadoff the seventh inning, but Gomes erased him at second on a steal attempt.
Taunton baseball (20-7) will play Central sectional champion Shrewsbury in the D1 State Final. Currently, there is no date or time listed on the MIAA website but it’s scheduled to be played at LeLacheur Park in Lowell.
“We’ve got one to go, might as well win it,” Notarangelo said.
Taunton captains (L-R) Josh Lajoie, Evan Melo, and Jack Moynihan celebrate with the D1 South championship trophy. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
BROCKTON, Mass. – Taunton junior Nic Notarangelo joined the Tigers’ starting lineup on his birthday on May 16th in the City Championship against rival Coyle & Cassidy.
After going a perfect 3-for-3 that day, Notarangelo stuck in the lineup and hasn’t stopped doing damage since.
Notarangelo, patrolling left field for the Tigers since that game, had two hits and drove in three runs on Saturday, including the game-winner in the second inning with a triple, to pace fourth-seeded Taunton to a 6-1 win over #11 Attleboro in the D1 South Sectional Final at Campanelli Stadium.
It’s the first sectional title in program history for the Tigers.
“This feels great, it’s all my team, my team is always there to back me up, I always hear them cheering,” Notarangelo said. “It gives me adrenaline, it gives me confidence at the plate. We were great in the field, our pitching was outstanding but we had some trouble getting the hitting going at the beginning of the year. But it’s all about practice, we all feed off each other. Every day, we’ve been in the cages whether we’ve had practice or not and now it’s all paid off.”
Notarangelo, who has hit safely in all but two games since joining the lineup (with eight multi-hit games), smoked a two-out triple to deep left centerfield to bring in Sean Quinlan (single) and Evan Melo (single) and put Taunton up 3-0, a lead it never relinquished.
One game that Notarangelo didn’t have a hit was the Tigers’ playoff win over Xaverian. But instead of a hit, he had arguably the biggest play of the game with a diving catch in the first inning, stranding two Hawks on base. Taunton went on to win 2-0.
“Nic had that diving catch against Xaverian that really changed the momentum even it was the first inning,” said Taunton head coach Blair Bourque. “And then he came up huge again this game. Those were huge runs for us to get. He’s a kid that is quiet, does the right things, works hard, stays after. I’m really proud of him, he’s come a long way this year. He started to get some at-bats later in the season and was doing some damage and hasn’t looked back since.”
Three runs was plenty for right-handed pitchers Logan Lawrence and Josh Lajoie. Lawrence, a junior, earned the win by allowing one unearned run in four innings of work, allowing three hits and one walk while striking out six.
Lajoie, a senior, allowed just three bases runners (one hit, two walks) in three innings of work while recording four strikeouts. None of the three Bombardiers advanced past first against Lajoie.
“Logan was great, he came up big and executed pitches when he needed to, which was important,” Bourque said. “He was scrapping and thew the ball well, his location was a little off today that got him in some trouble. Then Josh did a phenomenal job coming in and shutting the door, making sure they didn’t get too many guys on.
“Last year we lost to Durfee in a playoff game after beating them twice in the regular season. We knew it’d be tough coming in today, especially the second game against Attleboro when we were able to hit the ball pretty good but they had played five games in five days so we kind of threw that game away. We knew they are a good team, they are here for a reason. We knew the challenge that was ahead of us and we met that challenge and I’m really proud of these guys.”
Taunton’s Jared Roderick, Andrew Gomes, Quinlan, and Melo all clubbed consecutive singles to lead off the second inning, with Melo’s hit bringing Gomes home (Roderick was picked off at second by Attleboro starter Ryan Morry [5IP, 8H, 2BB, 6ER, 2K). After Morry got a ground out, Notarangelo smacked his third triple of the season to bring in two more runs.
“I think early on, we might have been pressing, I’m not sure what it was exactly,” Bourque said the offensive turnaround this season. “But as the weather warmed up, so did our bats. I think there were some games we needed the offense when the pitching wasn’t there and it came through. It’s a team game and I think we’ve proven that.”
Attleboro had a chance to respond right away as they loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third. Both Troy Gamache and Nick McMahon singled and Tim Callahan reached on an error after a bunt. It looked like the Bombardiers would bring at least one run in on a bloop single to shallow left, but Taunton sophomore shortstop Ty Cali, who joined the starting lineup for the playoffs after the Tigers lost Danny MacDougall to injury, sprinted and made the catch on the run to hold the runners in place.
“That was the play of the day there,” Bourque said. “He played in the New Bedford game when Danny pitched so he had a couple of innings of varsity experience but not much. We were just asking for him to make the routine plays and he’s done a great job stepping in for us.”
After the first out, Lawrence came back with back-to-back strikeouts against the heart of the Bombardiers’ lineup to escape without any damage done.
Lawrence’s momentum carried to the plate as he clubbed a one-out triple in the bottom of the inning, and beat the throw on Roderick’s squeeze bunt to make it 4-0.
The Bombardiers had another chance to cut into the lead in the top of the fourth but only managed to put a dent into it. Troy Van Vliet reached on a one-out error, Gamache singled with two outs, and McMahon was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Van Vliet to score but Lawrence induced a ground ball up the middle that Cali fielded and fired to first for the third out.
“They were definitely lacking,” Attleboro head coach Steve Dunlea said of timely hits. “Part of that is on us, part of it you tip your cap because they made some good pitches.
“That’s a talented pitching staff [Taunton] has, really talented. I was just saying to the kids how this is the farthest an Attleboro team has been in quite some time. I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished this year, this senior group. None of them had played in a tournament game before and made it all the way to here, that takes leadership. We started 0-2, kind of a tough 0-2, but we pulled together as a family and that’s how they played the rest of the season.”
Taunton canceled that run with one of its own in the bottom half. Evan Melo drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a chopper to second, and Lucas Martins brought the run in, slicing a single to right field just fair to make it 5-1.
The Tigers tacked on another insurance run in the sixth inning as Gomes led off with a walk, ending Morry’s day. Eoin Kelleher, the Bombardiers’ ace, came on in relief on just two days rest. Kelleher got a fly out to left before Evan Melo’s single put two on. A fielder’s choice advanced Gomes to third and Notarangelo singled to bring in pinch runner Nolan Melo in to make it 6-1.
Cali erased a leadoff single in the top of the seventh by turning a double play and Lajoie got the last out on called strikes to send the Tigers into a big celebration.
“I don’t think its hit home yet but it’s something I’m really proud of the kids and what they’ve accomplished so far,” Bourque said. “You couldn’t ask for a better group of guys, of hard workers. The camaraderie they’ve had all season. The offseason weight room, the captain’s practices, you name it. They deserve everything they get.”
Attleboro finishes the season at 14-10, concluding a terrific postseason run that saw the Bombardiers knock off Barnstable on the road, Bridgewater-Raynham, and second-seeded Durfee.
“I think they are starting to figure what they’ve accomplished and obviously it hurts right now,” Dunlea said. “You want to continue on but for me, it was just a great experience with an unbelievable group of seniors. They really cared about the program, they had goals for this team, and it was just really fun to be a part of that.”
Taunton baseball (19-7) advances to the D1 State Semifinal and will take on North sectional champion Lincoln-Sudbury (21-2), the top seed in that bracket. The Tigers will take on the Warriors on Tuesday at Alumni Field in Lowell at 7:00.
