Tag: Tyler Boulter

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/02/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 73 @ King Philip, 65 – Final – Attleboro sophomore Bryant Ciccio scored 15 of his team-high 18 points in the second half, helping the Bombardiers storm past King Philip. The Warriors built a 20-point lead in the second quarter, but an 11-2 run from Attleboro made it a 10-point game at halftime (31-21). Ciccio and Dom Victor each scored six points in the third period, helping Big Blue outscore KP 25-10 in the period, including a three from Victor at the buzzer. Qualeem Charles added 11 points and 16 rebounds, Kevin Velazquez added 11 points off the bench, Nate Douglas chipped in with eight points while Mason Houle and Elvin Sam each finished with seven points, including key second-half triples. King Philip senior Pharoah Davis scored a career-high 23 points for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 39 @ Canton, 58 – Final – Canton senior Tony Harris tied a program record with a career-high 36 points to lead the Bulldogs to a win over visiting North Attleboro. The Dogs built a 14-11 lead in the first quarter and then took a 35-21 lead into the halftime break. Harris hit seven three-pointers in the game, Austin Maffie had nine points and junior Devin Foster dished out 14 assists. Josh Montague had a team-high 12 points while junior Jake Petersen added nine points for Big Red.

Sharon, 54 @ Foxboro, 63 – Final – Sharon led 19-11 after one, and took a 26-25 lead into the half but the Warriors outscored the Eagles 21-6 in the third quarter to seize control of the game. Junior Anthony Mollica scored 12 of his career-high 18 points in the first half and Matt Rongione dropped eight of his 11-points in the third quarter to help the Warriors. Sophomore Brandon Borde added 11 points for the Warriors. Sharon’s Alex Kaufmann had a team-high 18 points.

Oliver Ames, 36 @ Franklin, 70 – Final – Franklin was in control from the beginning with sophomore Chris Edgehill scoring a team-high 24 points in the win.

Mansfield, 74 @ Taunton, 54 – Final – Mansfield opened the second half on an 11-0 run, turning a 37-26 lead into a 22-point advantage in the third quarter. Senior Tyler Boulter led the way with 22 points, including four three-pointers, seven rebounds, and three steals. Damani Scott added 13 points and six rebounds and Ryan Otto chipped in with 12 points for the Hornets, who had 10 players register points.

Milford, 66 @ Stoughton, 69 – Final – Stoughton senior Cam Andrews connected on a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded to lift the Black Knights to a division win over the visiting Scarlet Hawks. Milford junior Cam Falcon hit a deep three to tie the game with under 30 seconds to play but Andrews, who scored a career-high 36 points, hit the last shot to earn the win.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 58 @ King Philip, 53 – Final (OT) – Attleboro rallied from six points down in the final minute of the fourth quarter to force overtime and earn a sweep of the season series. Sam Pierce led the way with 21 points, while Nyah Thomas and Liv McCall each had 12 (including five in overtime). Faith Roy scored 15 for the Warriors and Julia Leroux added 12.

North Attleboro, 52 @ Canton, 68 – Final – Hannah Jerrier had career nights in points, rebounds and charges taken to help Canton pull out an important victory to push the Bulldogs back above .500 and get within two wins of a tournament berth. Jerrier finished with 41 points and 25 rebounds while adding four assists, three steals and two charges taken. Erin Devine also had a double-double for Canton with 10 points and 14 boards and added six assists as well.

Sharon, 30 @ Foxboro, 72 – Final – Ashley Sampson scored 20 points and Katelyn Mollica had 16 for the Warriors to keep the Davenport leaders unbeaten in league play.

Franklin, 54 @ Oliver Ames, 61 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 29 @ Mansfield, 56 – Final – Mansfield broke the game open with a strong defensive second half, holding Taunton to just five points after going into the break tied at 24-24. Meg Hill continues to close in on 1,000 points for her career with 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Maggie Danehy also chipped in with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Sydney Mulkern added nine points. Hannah Moniz paced the Tigers with 12 points and MacKenzie Handrahan had eight.

Milford, 42 @ Stoughton, 47 – Final – Aliyah Wright scored 14 points to lead the Black Knights to a sixth straight win, helping Stoughton get back to .500 on the season and take over second place in the Davenport division. Lindsey McDonald added a season-high 12 points and 11 rebounds for Stoughton.

Boys Hockey
Stoughton, 1 @ North Attleboro, 6 – Final

Boys Swimming
Hockomock League Championships (@ Milford) – Click here for a photo gallery from this event.

Gymnastics
North Attleboro, 141.8 @ King Philip, 136.0 – Final

Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro vs. Braintree, 7:30

Tuesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/30/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Foxboro, 62 @ Attleboro, 58 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Canton, 62 @ Oliver Ames, 50 – Final – Canton turned a five-point lead after one quarter (14-9) into a 34-17 lead at halftime. The Bulldogs kept that lead through three quarters before OA made a late charge, cutting the deficit to single digits (54-45) with 1:36 to play. Canton closed the door though, picking up its 12th win. Canton junior Devin Foster poured in a game-high 27 points while seniors Jake Verille and Tony Harris each had 10 points for the Bulldogs. OA senior Jack Spillane finished with a game-high 22 points while Jake Erlich added 10 points.

Sharon, 48 @ Franklin, 78 – Final – Franklin scored 39 points in each half, building a double-digit lead by halftime and never looking back. Franklin sophomore Chris Edgehill scored a game-high 25 points to lead the Panthers while senior Paul Mahon added 14 points. Malik Lorquet had 13 points to lead the Eagles while Aaron Strong added 10 points.

North Attleboro @ King Philip – Postponed to Wednesday, 1/31 at 6:30.

Milford, 41 @ Mansfield, 72 – Final – After a close first quarter, Mansfield outscored the visiting Hawks 17-5 in the second quarter to take a 37-19 lead into the halftime break. Milford outscored Mansfield 17-13 in the third quarter but the Hornets dominated the fourth quarter (23-5) to earn the win. Mansfield hit 13 three-pointers, including five by senior Tyler Boulter (19 points), three from Tommy Dooling (nine points) and two from John McCoy (19 points). Sam Hyland added nine rebounds and six assists for the Hornets. Brendan White had a team-high 10 points for the Hawks.

Stoughton, 74 @ Taunton, 85 – Final – Taunton poured in 31 points in the third quarter, turning a two-point lead at halftime (39-37) into a 70-49 lead heading into the final quarter. Despite Stoughton dropping 25 points in the final frame, the Tigers hung on for the win. The Tigers had a balanced scoring attack with senior Lens Esquil scoring a team-high 18 points, sophomores Dante Law and Naz Kenion each netting 14 points and senior Malik Charles finishing with 12 points. Stoughton senior Colin Sanda scored a career-high 20 points for the Black Knights.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 37 @ Foxboro, 67 – Final – Ashley Sampson scored 18 points and Lily Sykes added 15 as the Warriors rolled to another big win and stayed unbeaten in the league this season. Abby Hassman chipped in with a big game on the glass for Foxboro, pulling down 18 rebounds.

Oliver Ames, 62 @ Canton, 42 – Final – Oliver Ames pulled away in the second half to beat Canton on the road. The Tigers led 31-25 at half. Kayla Raymond finished with a game-high 15 points and hauled in eight rebounds to lead the Tigers while Alex Sheldon added 11 points, including going 7-for-8 from the free throw line, and pulled down eight boards.

Franklin, 63 @ Sharon, 40 – Final – The Panthers clinched a postseason berth with a win at Sharon. Ali Brigham led the way with 18 points, while Bea Bondhus added 12 and Megan O’Connell had 10 for the Panthers. Franklin coach John Leighton said it was a “great team effort.”

King Philip @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Wednesday, 1/31 at 6:30.

Mansfield, 53 @ Milford, 40 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Taunton, 41 @ Stoughton, 60 – Final – The Black Knights made it five wins in a row thanks to a 16-0 run to start the second half. Val Whalen paced Stoughton with 16 points and 19 rebounds while junior Lindsay McDonald added a spark with eight points and 11 rebounds. Aliyah Wright added 13 and five assists and Jordan Motley chipped in with 10 points, as the Black Knights closed within a game of .500.

Boys Hockey
Mansfield, 1 @ Norwood, 1 – Final – Jake Lund scored early in the second period to help the Hornets earn a point on the road against Norwood.

Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Ursuline, 1 – Final – Regan Paterson scored a pair of goals to lead the Panthers to a road win.

Gymnastics
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 8:00

Boys Gymnastics
Attleboro @ Newton North, 7:00

Strong Start Helps Mansfield Roll Past Spellman

Mansfield boys basketball
Mansfield’s Damani Scott drives to the basket in the first half against Spellman. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
BOSTON, Mass. – Playing on the legendary parquet floor at the TD Garden can certainly be overwhelming; the lights are brighter, the music is louder, there’s a Jumbotron, thousands of more seats, and not to mention a long list of Hall of Famers that have played on the same floor.

But Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan is essentially a veteran when it comes to games at the TD Garden, between playoff appearances and previous appearances in the Good Sports Invitation.

So his message to his team was simple.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a basketball game. It’s the same size court we play on at home, it’s a round ball, it’s a round basket and you have to try and put it in more than your opponent,” Vaughan told his team before the game. “I think the environment can be a little intimidating. I think it relaxed our nerves when we got a couple mistakes out of the way early and found our rhythm.”

Mansfield took the message in stride, racing out to a 9-0 lead, a 24-9 advantage after the first quarter, and led by as much as 20 (33-13) in the first half in a convincing 73-53 win over Cardinal Spellman.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Tyler Boulter (five points, eight rebounds) opened the scoring, Justin Vine (10 points, five rebounds) followed with a layup, John McCoy (20 points, nine rebounds) followed with a strong take to the basket, and Vine splashed in a triple for a quick 9-0 lead just three minutes into the game.

A three from Boulter extended Mansfield’s lead to double digits (14-4) and Mansfield finished with a 10-5 run the rest of the quarter, including four straight from Sam Hyland (10 points, seven rebounds), a pair of putbacks from McCoy and a pull up jumper from Khristian Conner.

“I think we always try to come out early and try to go for it right from the start, get hot early,” Hyland said. “That helps us get used to the environment and then we want to make other teams catch us instead of chasing them. I think we did a pretty good job in the second half of keeping them where we wanted to.”

A traditional three-point play from McCoy gave the Hornets their largest lead at 33-13 at the midway point of the second quarter, but the Cardinals finally came to life. Spellman finished the half with a 13-5 run, limiting Mansfield to just two field goals in the final four minutes.

The run kept the Cardinals within striking distance, 36-26, at the halftime break.

Mansfield made sure the run didn’t continue into the second half as both Vine and McCoy hit threes to keep the Hornets lead in double-digits. When Spellman cut the deficit down to 14, McCoy hit a layup, Hyland drove for two, and then Hyland converted a breakaway after Scott tipped away a pass.

“We got a little carried away on offense and we weren’t talking as much on defense,” McCoy said of the end of the first half. “Coach told us we had to get back into our routine and do what we do on offense and communicate better on defense.”

Junior Damani Scott scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half to help keep the Hornets in front.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Leading by 15 heading into the final period, the Hornets never let the game get close and outscored the Cardinals 19-14 in the final frame.

“We knew they were a tough team to come from behind and try and beat, or even stay in the game period,” said Spellman coach Mike Perry. I thought we had some good shots in the first period that didn’t fall and unfortunately, their shots were falling. [Mansfield] is a pretty good team, they knocked off Newton North, who has knocked off Cambridge and Needham, so they are one of the top teams in the state… We’re a small school, not that we aren’t playing the teams we need to be playing, but I thought Mansfield shot the ball extremely well tonight.”

Mansfield boys basketball (9-1 Hockomock, 13-2 overall) returns to action on Tuesday when it entertains Milford. The Hornets’ players are hoping to return to the TD Garden later on in the season with a deep playoff run.

“That’s one of our goals is to get back here in the state tournament,” McCoy said.

“We definitely want to be back here for a game that means even more,” Hyland added.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/19/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Taunton, 47 @ Attleboro, 57 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Canton, 66 @ Stoughton, 40 – Final – Canton turned a four-point lead at halftime into a big win with a huge second half. The Bulldogs led 30-26 at half, and then 51-38 after three quarters. Canton slammed the door shut with a 15-2 final quarter. Austin Maffie led the Dogs with 20 points while Devin Foster added 19 points in the win. Cam Andrews led the Black Knights with 20 points.

Foxboro, 50 @ North Attleboro, 48 – Final – North Attleboro had a lead at the end of each the first, second and third quarters but Foxboro’s offense came to life with 21 points in the final frame, edging Big Red in the final minute. Joe Morrison scored eight of his game-high 15 points in the final frame, including a pair of threes, to help the Warriors earn the win. In the final minute, Devin Hassett scored on a broken play just before the shot clock to put Foxboro up 50-48. Sophomore Brandon Borde added 10 points while Hassett had all nine of his points in the second half. Josh Montague led North with nine points while Nate Goncalves and Chad Peterson each had eight points.

Franklin, 61 @ King Philip, 44 – Final – Franklin turned a six-point lead at halftime into a 19-point lead (49-30) heading into the final quarter and never looked back. Sophomore Chris Edgehill led the Panthers with 22 points while junior Jalen Samuels added 14 points.

Oliver Ames, 39 @ Mansfield, 72 – Final – Mansfield limited Oliver Ames to five points in the first quarter, and then six in the second to build a 39-11 lead at the break. Junior Tommy Dooling connected on five three-pointers for a career-high 15 points to lead the Hornets. Tyler Boulter added 11 points and John McCoy had 10 points and eight rebounds.

Sharon, 59 @ Milford, 77 – Final – Milford poured in 49 points in the first half, building a 30-point lead that it never surrendered. Sharon got within 12 in the second half but the Scarlet Hawks never allowed it to get to single digits. Brendan White led Milford with 20 points while senior Kayden Kelley had 13 points and 14 rebounds, Brendon Sailer added 11 points and Andrew Fraioli finished with eight points and five rebounds. Sharon’s Malik Lorquet and Lester High each scored 13 points.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 40 @ Taunton, 51 – Final – The Tigers went on a 14-3 run to close the game after the teams entered the fourth quarter tied 37-37. MacKenzie Handrahan paced Taunton with 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Alexa and Kelsey White each added 12 points. Lily Patneaude had a solid all-around game with six points, six assists, and six steals. Sam Pierce was Attleboro’s top scorer with 15 points.

Stoughton, 56 @ Canton, 40 – Final – The Knights were led by sophomore guard Aliyah Wright, who led the team in scoring with 22 points. Senior forward Val Whalen chipped in with 12 points for Stoughton.

North Attleboro, 26 @ Foxboro, 75 – Final – Ashley Sampson had another big night for the Warriors with 26 points, while Lily Sykes added 17 and Katelyn Mollica had 16.

King Philip, 47 @ Franklin, 56 – Final – Ali Brigham led the way for the Panthers with her second 20-point game of the week. The sophomore center scored 23 points and recorded her second triple-double of the season.

Mansfield, 44 @ Oliver Ames, 31 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Milford, 44 @ Sharon, 28 – Final

Wrestling
Burlington Quad (Oliver Ames) – A shorthanded Oliver Ames squad picked up a pair of wins on the day. The Tigers were narrowly edged by Arlington (34-32) but had impressive showings against Burlington (45-31) and Mascononmet (42-39), Cobey Williamson, Anthony Berksza and Dean Pacini all went 3-0 while Darnele Ryan (220) went 2-1.

Boys Swimming
Canton @ Westwood, 3:30
Foxboro @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Taunton @ Franklin, 7:00

Girls Swimming
Canton @ Westwood, 3:30
Foxboro @ North Attleboro, 7:30
Taunton, 71 @ Franklin, 90 – Final

Gymnastics
North Attleboro, 138.75 @ Franklin, 131.15 – Final

Sunday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 01/14/18

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 71 @ Oliver Ames, 57 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Mansfield, 72 vs. Hanover, 44 – Final – Mansfield senior Tyler Boulter connected on five three-pointers, scoring a season-high 17 points to lead the Hornets over the defending D3 state champions in an endowment game. Senior Sam Hyland added 13 points, four rebounds and four assists while both Damani Scott and Justin Vine had 10 points apiece.

Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 45 vs. St. Anthony’s, 56 – Final – Meg Hill had her second double-double of the weekend to lead the Hornets. Hill finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. Maggie Danehy just missed out on a double-double of her own, scoring 13 points and pulling down nine boards. Mady Bendanillo had eight points, five assists, and four steals against strong competition from New York.

Sharon, 55 vs. Holliston, 56 – Final (OT) – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Elias Lifts Franklin To Key Division Win Over Mansfield

Franklin boys basketball
Franklin’s Jalen Samuels dunks in the first half against Mansfield. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
 
ByRyanLanigan_2016FollowRyanLanigan_2016
 
 
FRANKLIN, Mass. – Having three legitimate offensive options has made Franklin one of the top teams in the area. But its now safe to say senior Matt Elias gives the Panthers a fourth.

Senior Paul Mahon, junior Jalen Samuels and sophomore Chris Edgehill have been reliable options for the Panthers over the past year and a half, but Elias has elevated his game this season.

The senior sharpshooter scored a career-high 17 points, connecting on four three-pointers to lead the Panthers to a key 67-52 win over Mansfield, putting the teams into a first-place tie in the Kelley-Rex. It also marked Franklin’s first win in its current gym, which opened in 2014.

“Elias had a huge game,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “He’s a silent assassin. When he’s playing well, we’re playing well. You go right down the line, we have guys that can play but he’s really stepped up for us all season long, he’s had big shot after big shot. He’s shooting with a lot of confidence, he’s playing with a lot of confidence and that’s what we’re going to need if we’re going to win games like tonight.”

It wasn’t Elias’ first big scoring output of the season, but it may have been his most valuable. It seemed almost all 17 of his points either gave Franklin a big boost or halted Mansfield from gaining any momentum of its own.

He drained a three just seconds after Mansfield hit their first triple, and then another just minutes later to erase Mansfield’s second — and final — lead of the game.

In the third quarter, Edgehill (14 points), the team’s leading scorer entering Friday night’s game, was forced to the bench after picking up his fourth foul with four minutes to go in the frame. Although Mansfield closed the gap some, Elias hit his third three of the game to make it 45-33 and the keep the Hornets at bay.

And after Mansfield was called for an offensive foul with under a minute to play, Elias beat the buzzer with a putback on the offensive end — a potential five-point swing — to keep Franklin up 47-36 going into the final period.

“Those five points were huge,” Neely said. “Jalen and Chris were both out so we were trying to survive that stretch as long as we could. Obviously having both those guys out is not ideal, it’s not how you draw it up. But I was saying if we could keep the lead around 10 we’d in in great shape. Matt’s been there for us all season and he was there again tonight for us and I’m proud of them.”

Elias then opened the fourth quarter with his fourth triple of the night, extending the lead to 50-37. And then with five minutes to play, after Mansfield gained some momentum off of an offensive putback, Elias came down the other end and converted a traditional three-point play to make it 54-42.

“Matt Elias went out and has a night for himself, talk about an all-star performance,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “That’s what he’s capable of doing, he’s put in the time. If there was an MVP tonight, it has to go to him. Every time I thought we were on a run or going to close the gap, Matt throws his ceiling shot through the bottom of the night.”

After a frantic first quarter, the Panthers held a 17-13 advantage. Mansfield’s offense shot 50% from the field but had seven turnovers. Things didn’t get any better for the Hornets in the second quarter either.

Franklin continued its solid play on both ends of the court, going 6-for-11 from the field while Mansfield’s turnover woes continued. The Hornets had eight turnovers in the second quarter alone (15 first half total) while shooting just 2-for-13 from the floor, including 0-for-8 from downtown.

“We got some looks in the first quarter and they didn’t fall,” Vaughan said. “We got tight, started to press, we started looking to the officials for calls. I think we tried to win the game in one possession, everyone wanted to be a superhero instead of just chipping away and doing what we do. We just dug ourselves too big of a hole.”

The Panthers outscored Mansfield 14-7 in the quarter and took a 31-20 lead into the halftime break.

“I know CJ praises his team and also criticizes his team when he feels like they were outplayed…tonight they were definitely not outplayed,” Vaughan said. “[Franklin] did an awesome job, they took things away, they were well prepared. Simple things that people in the stands might not notice, they did a really good job taking away. They played with a lot more energy, a lot more passion. They played with a chip on their shoulder and we kind of came in and laid down like things were going to be handed to us.”

While Mansfield made small runs throughout the second half, the Panthers pushed their lead to 18 by opening the second half on a 9-2 run. Samuels (18 points, six rebounds) drove to the basket for two, Mahon (six points, three rebounds) drained a three, Samuels converted at the rim again and Jack Rodgers hit a pair of free throws to make it 40-22.

Mansfield got it back to single digits with a 9-2 run of its own, but Elias’ third triple put an end to that surge.

When the Hornets got it back to single digits later in the fourth quarter on a drive by Sam Hyland (six points, seven rebounds), Elias’ three-point play pushed the lead back to 12.

“We tried to take away some of their best options,” Neely said of his defense. Mansfield finished with a season-high 26 turnovers. “They are a tough team to stop, they are one of the best offensive teams around. The way they move the ball and play together is kind of reminiscent of what we do so it’s always going to be a battle. But I think the guys really bought into the scout. We knew we had to be focused for the entire 32 minutes.”

“It’s been a long time,” Vaughan said of having so many turnovers. “My first couple of years we averaged around 20 a game and that was not fun. I think we had 14 or 15 at the half, which is too many. At the end of the day they were playing man to man, they weren’t pressing, they weren’t doubling, they weren’t doing anything special. Granted our shot percentage deserved to be low because they were good defensively but turnovers…that’s careless. That’s not moving, that’s bad concentration. Turnovers you can control, most of them. Anything beyond 12 or 13, that’s too many.”

John McCoy led Mansfield with 14 points and four rebounds while Tyler Boulter and Ryan Otto (six rebounds) each had 10 points. Damani Scott finished with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Franklin boys basketball (5-1 Hockomock, 8-1 overall) is back in action on Tuesday with a trip to Attleboro. Mansfield boys basketball (5-1, 7-2) will try to bounce back on Sunday against Hanover in an endowment game (won’t count towards tournament record) at 5:30.

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

By HockomockSports.com Staff

2017-2018 Hockomock Boys Basketball Preview

Attleboro

2016-2017 Record: 13-10
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Mark Houle

Attleboro will be looking to its youth to try and get back to the state tournament this season. With just two seniors and four juniors, half of the Bombardiers’ roster is made up of underclassman.

But just because the Bombardiers are young, doesn’t mean they aren’t experienced. Senior Nate Douglas, a returning starter, has been getting minutes on varsity since his freshman year, and classmate Elvin Sam emerged as a reliable shooter off the bench last season. Sophomores Qualeem Charles and Bryant Ciccio made big impacts during their rookie campaigns last season. Charles (6’5) will be a big presence in the post while Ciccio will be one of the primary ball handlers.

Charles will be joined by sophomore Jason Weir (6’2) in the post while junior forward Dom Victor will be a game-changer on both ends of the floor. At 6’4, his athleticism will cause a lot of matchup problems for opposing defenses. Douglas and Ciccio will be joined by Mason Houle, Kevin Velazquez and Tim Callahan in the backcourt.

“We will need to have our younger players step up this year,” said AHS head coach Mark Houle. “We expect to be a well-rounded team who can play a fast pace game or well in a half court set.”

Canton

2016-2017 Record: 9-11
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Ryan Gordy

The goal is pretty clear for Canton this season. Not only do the Bulldogs want to reach the postseason for the first time since 2014, they want to compete for the Davenport division title.

With two of the top players back in the lineup, both goals are reasonable. Senior Tony Harris and junior Devin Foster, both HockomockSports.com Third Team selections a year ago, return to anchor a Bulldogs’ team that just missed out on the playoffs last year. They’ll be joined by Austin Maffie and Jake Verille, both returning starters, as well as Paul Corcoran, Kyle Fitzgerald and Ryan Lentol, who all have varsity experience.

Harris and Foster give Canton an immediate edge on offense with two talented scorers, but it will be important for others to step up and make plays all season long. On defense, the Bulldogs will rely on their quickness to try and bother teams.

“This is a fun group who have played a lot of basketball together, they like each other which helps with team chemistry,” said Canton head coach Ryan Gordy. “Hopefully that will translate into a good product on the court.”

Foxboro

2016-2017 Record: 12-10
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinals
Coach: Jon Gibbs

The mantra “Defense Wins Championships” has been proven in many different sports, at many different levels. The 2017-2018 Foxboro Warriors are hoping that will be the case this season.

Head coach Jon Gibbs says that this team has the potential to be the best defensive team that he’s coached. “We have a lot of quick, tough, physical guards that move their feet well on the perimeter and are committed to the defensive end of the court,” he said. “I think this should be a major strength of our team.”

It helps that Foxboro returns the reigning HockomockSports.com Defensive Player of the Year in senior Joe Morrison. As a junior, Morrison routinely limited opponents’ best offensive player, and was a big reason why the Warriors allowed just 55.9 points per game.

Sophomore Brandon Borde returns to the starting lineup alongside Morrison. Borde had a strong freshman season and will likely see his role increase this year, especially on the offensive end of the court. Seniors Teddy Maher and Matt Rognione, both with plenty of varsity experience will both see plenty of time this year and will be relied upon to make plays.

“We have a very good mix of experience and youth,” Gibbs said. “Our seniors have shown excellent leadership thus far, practices have been competitive, and everyone is working hard to earn their spot and get better. We hope to keep building and improving each day so that we are peaking and playing our best basketball at the end of the season.”

Franklin

2016-2017 Record: 22-5
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 State Final
Coach: CJ Neely

After making it to the Division 1 State Final a year ago, the Panthers are hoping to be just as competitive this season. With three starters back, and a handful of experienced and talented bench players, the expectations for Franklin are certainly high.

Losing Josh Macchi to graduation will hurt, but the Panthers return their best player in senior Paul Mahon, along with two terrific young talents in junior Jalen Samuels and sophomore Chris Edgehill. When playing at his best, Samuels’ athleticism and offensive skills make him one of the toughest marks in the league. Edgehill really turned it on in the tournament and if he can sustain that level of play throughout the regular season, the Panthers will be a favorite for the league title.

Seniors Alex Klowan, Matt Elias, Jack Rodgers and Gavin Farnan all picked up valuable minutes a season ago and will be key pieces for the Panthers, whether its apart of the starting line up for coming off the bench. Having so many experienced players ready to come off the bench should give Franklin the upper hand on a lot of teams.

“Our strength on the offensive end will be in our balance and willingness to share the ball and create great scoring opportunities for the team,” said Franklin head coach CJ Neely. “On defense, we hope to make our opponents uncomfortable at all times and really focus on getting stops as a unit.”

King Philip

2016-2017 Record: 8-13
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Mark Champagne

After losing just three seniors that played valuable minutes last season, and a full season complete under head coach Mark Champagne, King Philip is looking to take the next step this year and get back to the postseason.

The biggest shoes to fill are those left by Seth Sullivan and Will Weir, but the Warriors have five players back that either started or saw significant varsity minutes a season ago for a team that was just a couple games away from making the playoffs. Not only were they just a couple of games off, they were competitive in almost every game, including a three-point loss to Attleboro, a one-point loss to Taunton, and a three-point loss to Mansfield in a four-game span.

Seniors Tom Madden, Pharoah Davis, and Nolan Bradley are all back this season, along with juniors Kyle Layman and Bruce Santillus. Layman and Madden (both 6’4) will give the Warriors size in the frontcourt while Davis, one of the most experienced players in the league, will be the premier ball handler. Bradley provides King Philip with a threat from beyond the three-point line and Santillus showed this offseason the ability to fill the scoresheet up.

“With more familiarity comes trust, and a more comfortable time spent in the gym this season,” Champagne said. “Guys have worked hard in the offseason and we expect it to pay dividends as we get into our schedule. We have good depth and good leadership.”

Mansfield

2016-2017 Record: 23-3
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South Final
Coach: Mike Vaughan

This might be the most turnover we’ve seen the Hornets have in quite some time, but just because there will be a lot of new faces doesn’t meet much will change for the Hornets.

Expectations are still sky high, as Mansfield will be looking to compete for another Kelley-Rex title (Mansfield has won five straight division titles). And when it comes to the postseason, the Hornets are aiming to get back to at least the spot they got to last year – the D1 South Final – with aspirations to go further.

All six seniors that graduated all played important roles over the past couple of years for the Hornets, including last year’s HockomockSports.com Player of the Year Sam Goldberg. However, Mansfield does bring back experience in Tyler Boulter, John McCoy, Ryan Otto and Sam Hyland. Senior Nick Ferraz will give Mansfield some depth in the frontcourt after missing last year to injury, and senior transfer Justin Vine gives the Hornets another shooting option.

Junior Damani Scott showed glimpses at the end of last when he was called up while Khristian Conner and Tommy Dooling should see increased roles this season.

“I think our strength will be controlling the tempo on offense and having a bend don’t break defensive mindset,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Vaughan. “I think we have lots of options with going small ball, playing with a taller lineup, or a good shooting line up. That creates lots of tough matchups over the course of the game.”

Milford

2016-2017 Record: 11-12
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 Central Quarterfinal
Coach: Paul Seaver

Although the Hawks graduated three of their top scorers from last year, expectations are still high in Milford. It will be tough to replace the offensive output of Zack Tamagni, Anthony Arcudi, and Nate Davila, but the Hawks will be relying on their size this season to get the offense going.

Senior Kayden Kelley is back for his third year starting on varsity and will be an important piece on both ends for Milford. Standing at 6’4, Kelley is a tough matchup and is one of the best rebounders in the league. He averaged 14.3 boards per game a year ago and led the league in double-doubles. Senior Shane Cosquete will start at point guard again this year, and will be relied upon on to set the offense in motion. He will likely be relied upon for more scoring this season.

Junior Brendan White will join the starting lineup after coming off the bench in 23 years ago. A physical presence, White brings energy and defensive toughness to the lineup. Transfers Andew Fraioli (6’5) and Joey Everett (6’3) give the Hawks depth in the frontcourt.

“We’ve improved statistically offensively and defensively over each of the past three seasons and that’s a trend that we will be hoping to continue here in 2017-2018,” said Milford head coach Paul Seaver.

North Attleboro

2016-2017 Record: 15-8
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Sean Mulkerrins

It’s no surprise that after graduating four starters, and the team’s sixth man that it will be a youth revolution in Big Red Country. Starters Brent Doherty, Johnny Friberg, Kyle McCarthy and Tommy Reynolds are gone, as well as Moni Cuevas, who played plenty of minutes off the bench.

The one returning starter is senior Chad Peterson, a familiar face in the Rocketeers’ lineup since his freshman year. And all four of the other returning players – senior Derek Shanks and juniors Matt Seavey, Josh Montague and Nate Gonsalves – all saw plenty of minutes last season.

While Peterson will likely take on a leadership role and see increased point production, expect Montague to emerge as a leading scorer for the Rocketeers. Shanks can stretch the floor some and hit mid-range jumpers, Seavey is a solid option in the post, and Gonsalves is a capable ball handler.

Offensive, North will rely on its size. On top of Seavey and Shanks, the Rocketeers have a pair of 6’6 forwards in Jacob Petersen and Owen Nassaney to add depth and size to the frontcourt. Junior Jonathan James, recovering from a football injury, will likely factor in as well.

“We are really looking forward to seeing how this new group gels,” said North Attleboro head coach Sean Mulkerrins. “With a lot of new faces, its really been a preseason spent trying to find our identity. We know we need to grow up really fast as the Hock won’t give us any nights off. We’re really pleased with how this group has responded to the coaching and is accepting the challenges that lay ahead. We are excited to see what this team can accomplish together.”

Oliver Ames

2016-2017 Record: 13-11
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D2 South Quarterfinal
Coach: Don Byron

Oliver Ames surpassed most expectations in its first year in the Kelley-Rex division, coming in third and opening the playoffs with a road win at Milton.

But the toughest part about the Kelley-Rex is that the challenge gets harder and harder every year. And with Oliver Ames losing three starters – Carter Evin, Nick Welch, and Dylan Mahoney – to graduation, the Tigers will be facing an uphill battle. The good news is that the Tigers have seniors Jack Spillane and Matt Muir back this year. Both were starters a year ago, and Spillane showed the ability to really fill up the stat sheet, scoring 25 points or more on three occasions.

Junior Ethan Eckstrom, a center, will see more minutes this season and his size will be key to helping defend opposing teams. Senior Noah Fitzgerald showed last year how much of a pest he can be on the defensive side of the ball, and the Tigers will rely on him to do so again this year.

Junior Jake Erlich earned his way into the lineup and picked up valuable experience last season. He will likely see an increased role this season and his strength help the Tigers in the post.

Sharon

2016-2017 Record: 7-13
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: Andrew Ferguson

It will be tough to replace Ricardo Ripley at point guard, but the good news for Sharon is that the majority of the Eagles that played valuable minutes last year as returning this season.

Senior Malik Lorquet broke out of his shell last year and showed that he can take over a game. Now a senior, Lorquet will be a focal point on both sides of the court for the Eagles. Senior Jimmy Fitzhenry can catch fire at any moment, and when he does, he is one of the most dangerous shooters in the league.

Alex Kaufmann also showed glimpses last year as a sophomore, both as a ball handler and a scorer. Between him, Lorquet and Fitzhenry, the Eagles have a solid offensive core to rely on. Jayvon Monteiro is one of the most passionate players in the league and will see an increased role at guard and be key to Sharon’s defense. Aidan Kane, Ben Kaplan, and Aaron Strong will all be important players off the bench for Sharon.

“Our goal is to improve upon last year, the end of the year was a confidence boost for our returning players and we’re hoping to carry over that momentum to this year,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “We have an experienced group of starters, but will be looking for our less experienced players to make a jump and help us at the varsity level.”

Stoughton

2016-2017 Record: 5-15
2016-2017 Finish: Missed playoffs
Coach: John Gallivan

Stoughton will be looking to improve on last year’s season, and the best way to do that will be to improve on the defensive end of the court.

The Black Knights haven’t had too much trouble on the offensive end, and with leading scoring Cam Andrews back for his senior year, it likely won’t be a big issue this year either. But the Knights have allowed a league-high in points each of the last two seasons.

Andrews led the Hockomock League in scoring last year with 17.8 points per game and will demand the attention of opposing defenses. Senior Colin Sanda can also hit from the outside and will be a solid second option for the Black Knights, who graduated eight players including reliable scoring options Cam Gomes and Matthew Valle.

In the frontcourt, junior David Bell (6’2) showed some potential at the end of last year and should factor in more in 2017-2018.

“Offensively we may create problems for some teams but our defense has to be better than it has been in the recent past,” said Stoughton head coach John Gallivan.

taunton

2016-2017 Record: 13-9
2016-2017 Finish: Reached D1 South First Round
Coach: Charlie Dacey

When it comes to pace, Taunton is hoping to be among the fastest teams in the league this season. The Tigers will still be young this year, but not as much as last year with plenty of young players returning after gaining experience last season.

Seniors Lens Esquil and Malik Charles both played last year and have shown improvement in their skills; they’ll be relied upon to be team leaders this season. Sophomore Dante Law had a tremendous freshman season, and hurt a lot of teams in a lot of ways. Whether it was from deep, like his six three pointers against Foxboro, or his ability to attack the basket, he’s one of the most dangerous young players in the league. Junior Lou Vendrell also emerged as a top scorer last season and could be one of the top shooters in the league this year.

Junior John Martins is another experienced player that is capable of scoring while Diamond Blakely and Prince Brown will share point guard duties. Naz Kenian, Tyler Medeiros, and Wesner Charles are all going to be options for head coach Charlie Dacey as well.

“We have much depth with tremendous team speed,” Dacey said. “If we can learn to harness this speed and use it productively we could be interesting.”

Long-Range Rockets Take Down Hornets in South Final

Mansfield boys basketball
Max Boen (2) gets pumped after Phil Vigeant (12) stole the ball and finished plus a foul that gave Mansfield a 33-30 lead late in the second quarter. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

Josh PerryFollowJoshPerry


TAUNTON, Mass. – Not only did Needham make 11 threes in Saturday night’s Div. 1 South final at Taunton High but the Rockets also timed them perfectly. Five of them in the first quarter, including one from just inside half-court by Thomas Shaughnessy at the buzzer, a big three to end a Mansfield run in the second, and three in the fourth quarter that each time matched a Mansfield basket.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

The long range shooting of Thomas Shaughnessy (game-high 26 points, including four threes) and Matthew Shaker (20 points, including six triples) and strong play defensively to limit the Hornets on the offensive end propelled Needham to its first ever sectional title with a 65-56 victory.

“Any time a kid can hit from that range, it changes the way you play and good basketball players at this stage make big plays,” said Mansfield coach Mike Vaughan. “I thought we didn’t make enough of them down the stretch to weather that and give us a fighting chance to go on a run.”

Needham brought four busloads of fans to the game and the energy of the crowd translated to the play on the court, as each of the five threes in the first quarter was followed by a salute of some sort to the crowd. Shaker buried three from beyond the arc in the first and Shaughnessy had 10 points, including a pair of threes.

Mansfield, which is normally a team that makes a fair amount from long-range as well, knocked down only one three, from junior John McCoy (11 points) but were having some success taking the ball to the basket. Senior Max Boen had four of his 10 points in the first but also added three of his six assists and three of his four steals.

In the second quarter, the Hornets started to put things together on the offensive end and limited Shaughnessy to just a single point. An 10-0 run to start the second, capped by a Tyler Boulter (10 points) three put Mansfield in front, but Brandon Monheimer hit a pull-up jumper and then Connor Reidy hit a three-pointer (his only bucket of the game) to give Needham a slight edge.

“We never got that separation that we needed,” said Vaughan, “and we didn’t get any easy baskets. Probably after watching the film what I’m going to be most frustrated with is we didn’t get the easy baskets that we typically try to get in games.”

Phil Vigeant stole the ball at mid-court and scored plus a foul to give the Hornets a 33-32 lead at the half. In the third quarter, it felt as though Mansfield may just start to pull away against the Rockets, who were making the program’s first ever trip to the South final, but again clutch shooting put the Rockets back in front.

Boen skipped a pass across to Christian Weber for a three from the corner and then scored on a pair of drives, including one acrobatic finish in the lane with his back to the basket. Each time, Needham had a response and Shaughnessy gave the Rockets the lead for good with a three that made it 47-44 and assisted on a basket by Mike Klemm at the buzzer for a five-point lead heading to the fourth.

“They want the game kept in the 50s for pace and we want the game in the 60s and trying to hold them in the low 50s and we just never got anything in transition, we never got any easy baskets,” Vaughan explained. “Even when we ran and jumped them and tried to speed them up, they did a good job of making possessions long and slowing the game down.”

In the fourth, Mansfield could not find a way to make a run. Every time the Hornets scored, Needham responded with a basket of its own to only increase the excitement of the crowd, which the Rockets clearly fed off.

Boulter buried a three to start the quarter but Shaker answered right back with his fifth of the night. Vigeant knocked one down at the other end to bring Mansfield back within two only for Shaker to hit one from five or six feet behind the line.

Vaughan said, “He hit two that were 25-26 feet away and, the way that we defend, those are indefensible. You have to live with those.”

Boulter scored off an assist by Sam Goldberg but Shaughnessy got free for a corner three that was the dagger for the Rockets. Needham shot 7-for-8 from the line in the final minutes to seal the win and bring the fans storming out onto the court to celebrate.

“We were holding the ball longer than normal on possessions,” said Vaughan. “We were having a hard time reversing the ball. In the first half, I thought we played 24-25 feet away when we want to work 19 feet and in.”

Mansfield finished at 23-3, including 15-1 in the Hockomock League.

Click here for a photo gallery from this game.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 03/03/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
D1 South
#1 Mansfield, 71 vs. #8 Quincy, 43 – Final – Mansfield drained 12 three pointers and had a significant rebounding advantage to knock off the Presidents. Sam Goldberg had a team-high 12 points and hauled in eight rebounds. Tyler Boulter (11 points), Christian Weber (nine points), John McCoy (eight points), Phil Vigeant (eight points) Ryan Otto (six points) and Max Boen (five points, five rebounds) each had at least one trifecta for the Hornets. Mansfield advances to the Div. 1 South semifinal to face No. 4 Bridgewater-Ranyham.

D2 South
#10 Foxboro, 40 @ #2 Westwood, 52 – Final – Foxboro cut the deficit to just three points with less than four minutes to play but couldn’t complete the comeback against the Tri-Valley League co-champion Wolverines. Joe Morrison (eight points) drained a three with just over three minutes to play to cut it to 42-39. However, Westwood finished the game with a 10-1 run to advance. Morrison held TVL MVP Tim Giovino scoreless in the first half. Giovino finished with 13 points – six on free throws and also hit a transition three. Senior Jamaine Few had a team-high 12 points while classmate Mark Clagg chipped in with seven points.

#11 Oliver Ames, 66 @ #3 Whitman-Hanson, 79 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

Hockey
D1 South
#4 Franklin, 3 vs. #13 Brockton, 1 – Final – Franklin advances to the Div. 1 South quarterfinal and will face Framingham on Sunday, 3/5 at 4:45 p.m. at Gallo Arena in Bourne.

#8 Mansfield, 1 vs. #9 Xaverian, 2 – Final – Mansfield sophomore Coleman O’Brien tied the game in the second period but Xaverian retook the lead, scoring the game-winner within a minute. Tony Rullo had 33 saves for the Hornets.

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 03/01/17

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
D1 South
#1 Mansfield, 77 vs. #16 Brockton, 57 – Final – Mansfield senior Sam Goldberg scored 10 of his 15 points in the first half, helping the Hornets build a nine-point lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the second frame. Mansfield’s offense had its best quarter of the night to start the second half, pouring in 23 points to create an 18-point cushion entering the final eight minutes. Goldberg added 11 rebounds to go with his 15 points while classmate Christian Weber netted a team-high 16 points. Junior Tyler Boulter added 13 points while Max Boen finished with nine points. Mansfield will host #8 Quincy on Friday at 6:30.

#7 North Attleboro, 64 vs. #10 Braintree, 67 – Final – North Attleboro clawed its way back into the game on multiple occasions down the stretch but couldn’t overcome the Wamps’ fourth quarter lead. Brent Doherty (26 points) hit six three pointers, including one to cut a seven-point lead to four and one to make it a two point game in the final seconds. Jonny Friberg scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half while sophomore Josh Montague had a career-high nine points for the Rocketeers. Braintree’s Nick Timberlake scored 30 points to lead the Wamps.

#12 Taunton, 58 @ #5 Catholic Memorial, 78 – Final

#13 Attleboro, 71 @ #4 Bridgewater-Raynham, 74 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

D2 South
#10 Foxboro, 54 @ #7 Nauset, 51 – Final (OT) – Foxboro saved the best for last, exploding for 21 points in the fourth quarter after having scored just 30 through the first 24 minutes of play. While erasing a seven-point deficit, Mark Clagg (team-high 14 points), Joe Morrison and Matt Rongione each hit a three in the fourth quarter. Jamaine Few scored eight of his 12 points in the fourth quarter and overtime while Anthony Barreira chipped in with a career-high 10 points. The Warriors kept Nauset scoreless in the overtime period while Few had a layup and freshman Brandon Borde had a free throw to win the OT period, 3-0. Foxboro will travel to #2 Westwood on Friday at 6:30.

#11 Oliver Ames, 89 @ #6 Milton, 74 – Final – Oliver Ames flexed its offensive muscles, scoring a season-high 89 points to earn the upset on the road. The Tigers scored 20 points in the opening quarter and held a 42-33 lead by halftime. Milton cut into the deficit, trailing just 62-56 after three quarters but the Tigers dropped 27 points in the fourth quarter. Jack Spillane led the way with 26 points while senior Nick Welch had 24 points. Dylan Mahoney added 15 points while both Carter Evin and Matt Muir chipped in with 10 points. Oliver Ames will travel to #3 Whitman-Hanson on Friday at 6:30.

Hockey
D2 South
#6 Canton, 1 vs. #11 Pembroke, 0 – Final – Click here for a recap of this game.

D3 South
#21 Foxboro, 0 vs. #5 Old Rochester, 9 – Final

Girls Hockey
Division 2
#9 Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 0 vs. #24 Walpole, 1 – Final (OT)

#14 Canton, 4 vs. #19 Norwell, 1 – Final – Sophomore Lauren Fitzpatrick netted a hat trick to lead the Bulldogs to a win in their first tournament game. Fellow sophomore Maggie Malloy also found the back of the net in the win. Canton advances to play #3 Shrewsbury on Saturday the the Northstar Ice Arena at 1:50.

#25 King Philip, 0 @ #8 Cohasset/Hanover, 2 – Final