Milford senior Tyler Lane (21) rushed for more than 150 yards and scored a pair of second half touchdowns in a 21-7 win over Natick. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – There are days when an offense can be creative, going with trick plays, receiver screens, deep throws trying to stretch the opposition and score in a hurry. In the playoffs, sometimes a more straightforward approach is required.
In the second half of Thursday night’s Div. 2 quarterfinal, Milford decided to take a decidedly old school plan of attack. Over two drives, the Hawks ran 33 plays, covered 173 yards, used up nearly half of the clock in third and fourth quarters, and scored a pair of touchdowns. Out of those 33 plays, only five were passes.
The ground game and a stout defense proved to be Milford’s best weapons, as the Hawks pulled out a 21-7 victory that moved them within one win of a first-ever trip to Gillette.
“I just told them, buckle up, we need to run the football,” said Milford coach Dale Olson about his message at halftime. “Three down box and sometimes it was a 3-2 or a 3-1, they were so concerned about our pass game. It’s so simple, I told the quarterback if it’s a limited box then run the football. It wasn’t Evan’s best night throwing the football but he ran the ball like a man tonight.”
Natick was in Milford territory in seven of its eight drives on the night, but many times that was the result of great starting field position. The 35-yard-line was the furthest that Natick started any of its first half drives, but the Milford defense kept finding ways to keep them out of the end zone.
On the first possession, a big tackle on the edge by Nicholas Araujo and Jayden Archeval forced third and long. Grant Scudo broke up the third down play to end the drive. The second drive ended after Keith Lee stuffed a run on second down and then Scudo dropped a third-down screen pass attempt for a loss.
The visitors finally broke through on their third possession, which they started at their own 45. After converting on third down, Colby LeBlanc was able to buy time in the pocket, eluding the rush and giving time for a receiver to come free. Mathew Pole found himself open in the seam and it turned into a 43-yard touchdown.
Milford moved the ball on its second possession, with Evan Cornelius (13-of-25, 129 yards) hitting Cameron Phillipss for a big conversion on third and eight. Cornelius (11 carrries, 61 yards) also converted third and short with a 10-yard keeper. After getting inside the Natick 30, things stalled. David Seiche nearly intercepted a pass and on fourth and four a screen pass to Damien Carter was stuffed for a loss.
Its first possession after Natick took the lead ended with a Seiche interception, but Milford’s defense forced a punt and the Hawks took over at their own 20. Scudo broke an 18-yard draw up the middle that put Milford into Natick territory and, on third and eight, Cornelius looked down the near sideline to Isaiah Pantalone (four catches, 54 yards), who was finally able to get just enough separation to haul in a 34-yard touchdown and tie the game with 2:20 before halftime.
Momentum seemed to be with the home side, especially when Nizayah Montas fumbled near midfield and Scudo recovered. A big completion over the middle to Jayden Agnew (five catches, 45 yards) gained 17 and got the Hawks to the 26. They managed to spike the ball with one tick remaining on the clock, but Araujo’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Seiche had a big kickoff return to start the third quarter, putting Natick at the 46, but on third down and short Alex McColl was able to stop Montas for no gain and force a punt. The ball was downed at the nine and Milford went to work behind its big offensive line.
Scudo, Cornelius, and Tyler Lane were finding running room and grinding out yards and first downs. An 11-yard keeper got the Hawks out to the 35 and then Lane went up the gut for 11 more. On third and one from the Natick 35, Lane burst through the line and then bounced it out to the left, finally being dragged down after a 23-yard gain. Three plays later, he was able to cash in from the one to put the hosts ahead for good.
Milford’s pass defense continued to be excellent with Archeval and Matt Girard both breaking up passes to force another punt. This time, the Hawks started at their own 18 but 18 plays and nearly 9-1/2 minutes later they were back in the end zone.
Olson said, “I said to them we need a championship drive right now and we’re going to run the football right down their throats and, if we can do that, we’re going to go play for the right to go to Gillette.”
Cornelius started the drive with a 13-yard completion to Nick Schuler and he kept the chains moving with a five-yard pass to Pantalone for a first down at the Natick 43. Lane followed that with a 17-yard carry. Scudo, Cornelius, and Lane all got the ball, grinding down to the goal line and it was Lane (29 carries, 157 yards) who would punch it in from a yard out, making it 21-7 with just 4:27 to play.
“Tyler’s a dude,” Olson said. “I don’t want to give him the ball that much because he’s a great linebacker and early in the season we gave it to him 29 times in one game and the first two days after that game he was in an ice bath. He’s not the fastest kid in the world, but man he runs hard.” When told Lane’s stats for the game, Olson said with a smile, “That’s a great night.”
Milford (8-2) will face a rematch with a league foe in next week’s semifinal at a location to be determined. The Hawks will face either No. 3 King Philip, which beat Milford 17-14 on a last second field goal, or No. 6 Mansfield, which Milford beat 27-24 in overtime, for the right to play in the D2 Super Bowl.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this program in 20 months where it’s gone and it’s been the kids,” Olson explained. “They bought into the system and they’re playing well.”
Football Division 2
#7 Natick, 7 @ #2 Milford, 21 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (N) Colby LeBlanc 43-yard pass to Mathew Pole, XP good; (M) Evan Cornelius 34-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, Nicholas Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) Tyler Lane 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) T. Lane 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
Non-Playoff
Taunton, 34 vs. Braintree, 14 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Nathan Keenan 36-yard field goal; (T) Jacob Leonard 36-yard pass to Jose Touron, N. Keenan XP good.
2nd Quarter: (T) J. Leonard 43-yard pass to Trent Santos, N. Keenan XP good; (B) James Tellier 32-yard pass to Cameron Garrity, Manisch Bonhomme XP good; (T) Evan Perrotta 73-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good; (B) J. Tellier 15-yard pass to Kevin McGurn, M. Bonhomme XP good; (T) N. Keenan 31-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) J. Leonard 1-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
Field Hockey Division 1
#5 Winchester, 1 @ #4 Franklin, 4 – Final – Kaitlyn Carney scored twice and freshmen Haley Wernig and Raena Crandall each scored once, as Franklin beat Winchester to advance to the Div. 1 Final Four. It is Franklin’s first-ever state semifinal appearance. Carney opened the scoring late in the first quarter on a penalty stroke and then doubled the lead with a blast from a corner, assisted by Kendall Jones. Wernig made it 3-0 Franklin in the third quarter by forcing a turnover and then scoring from a tight angle. After the Sachems got one back in the fourth, Crandall popped up at the back post for a near instant response and restored the three-goal cushion. Franklin will face the winner of No. 1 Andover and No. 8 Shrewsbury at a date and time to be determined for a spot in the state title game.
On Friday night, it turned out the difference between Milford and Mansfield was only a matter of inches.
Sophomore Damien Carter went up and hauled in a 9-yard touchdown over a pair of defenders and landed just inches inside the touchline for the walk-off winning score, giving the Hawks a 27-24 win over the Hornets in overtime at Alumni Field.
After early fireworks that saw Milford score on its first two drives and Mansfield orchestrate a pair of good drives, scoring on the latter, the teams settled down in the second half. Mansfield took an early lead on its second drive of the half but Milford responded in the fourth quarter to tie the game.
Both defenses buckled down in the final quarter as the teams combined to punt five straight times and the game went into overtime.
Mansfield went on offense first but a pair of incomplete passes sandwiched for a loss of yards on second down meant the Hornets had to settle for a 30-yard field goal off the right foot of James Gilleran.
Milford went next, gaining just a yard on first down. The Hornets nearly ended the game on an interception on second down but instead, it was Milford putting the game to bed when Evan Cornelius (11-for-20, 156 yards, two TD) floated one just past the pylon on the right side and Carter came down with it; the sideline ref ruling his foot landed in-bounds before his body did out of bounds.
“I hope people believe now that Milford is for real,” said Milford head coach Dale Olson. “We knew coming into this year that we had some young kids but some talented kids. If we’re not a top 6-8 team in this state, I don’t know who is.
“I had actually called for the play before to go over there and [Cornelius] decided to go to the other side. After that, we wanted the 1-on-1 on that side. [Mansfield] did a great job on Isaiah. We went up 14-0 and they started to double on him. I thought early on we ran the football at-will on them. But that’s a great program, they did a great job tonight. But in the end, our kids buckled down and played great defense.”
It was a dream start for the visitors, who were making their first trip to Alumni Field since joining the Hockomock League nearly a decade ago. The Hawks needed less than five minutes to march 75 yards on 12 plays to get into the end zone. A 21-yard scamper from Tyler Lane (18 carries, 90 yards) helped move Milford into the red zone and Cornelius kept it himself to convert 4th and less than a yard for a 7-0 lead.
Mansfield looked poised to respond right away as the Hornets started to move the sticks. But the drive came to a sudden halt on its 10th play when Mansfield lost the ball on a run up the middle and the Hawks recovered the ball for their first red zone takeaway.
The Hawks’ offense picked up right where it left off, this time orchestrating an 88-yard drive in just seven plays. On the final play of the first quarter, Cornelius hit Isaiah Pantalone (eight catches, 94 yards) on a slant that went for a 67-yard gain. Three plays later, Lane plunged into the end zone on third down from a yard out to give Milford a 14-0 lead with 10:47 left in the second.
The turnover didn’t seem to bother the Hornets’ offense and they came up with a much-needed response. On third down, junior Conner Zukowski (12-for-21, 146 yards) connected with sophomore Trevor Foley for a big 40-yard completion. Three plays later, Drew Sacco took the handoff and sprinted in for a 5-yard touchdown that cut the deficit on the scoreboard in half.
Mansfield’s defense gained some momentum with back-to-back stops. The Hornets forced the Hawks into back-to-back three-and-out series to get the ball back. The offense rewarded them with a 6-play, 54-yard drive that resulted in the tying score just before the half. Zukowski hit Foley for a first down and then dropped one to CJ Bell for 31 yards and a visit to the red zone. Milford’s defense came up with some stops to make it tough but Zukowski got low and kept it himself to convert a fourth down with a 1-yard touchdown keeper.
The Hornets looked to pull a double, scoring on both sides of the half, and it looked like there was a good chance they’d complete it. Mansfield marched 44 yards on 7 plays but Milford’s Jaden Agnew made a terrific read and a diving interception inside the red zone to put the Hornet drive to a halt.
Mansfield’s defense had an answer of its own and on third down, defensive lineman Pedro Cruz got his paws up to bat down a pass and force a punt. Given a second chance to take the lead, Mansfield took care of business. Bell made a great move to evade a defender and get a first down on a 16-yard reception and a holding call in the secondary moved the sticks again for the hosts. On fourth and one from the 3-yard line, Zukowski tossed it to James Fichera on a sweep to the right and the senior captain rushed it in for a score and Mansfield’s first lead, 21-14, with 1:53 left in the third quarter.
“We finally get the lead and had a big score in the second and one in the third and then we just couldn’t get a first down,” said Mansfield head coach Mike Redding. “We tried to run it but they were doing a good job defending that. They were doubling our receivers. That was the key…we needed to get some first downs. We didn’t need to score but at least punt from midfield and give them a long field but we gave them way too many chances in the second half and sooner than later they capitalized.
“We’ve got to start better. it’d be nice to be up a touchdown instead of down one. We have to find a way to get a lead and play ahead. The last three weeks we’ve been playing from behind. We play hard and we catch up but these teams, it’s too much to overcome early.”
Milford’s offense couldn’t find its rhythm as it had to punt again on its next drive after a fumble on second down set them back. But the Hawks’ defense did its job and forced Mansfield into a three-and-out. That was a big swing and the Hawks found their footing on offense again. A penalty on third and short gave Milford life, and a holding call in the secondary moved the sticks again on the next play. Cornelius connected with Carter twice on the drive, the first for 13 yards and a first down and, three plays later, on a slant on the right side that turned into a 40-yard touchdown. Nick Araujo’s third successful point after attempt made it 21-21 with 7:56 left.
“In past, I think this program would have [panicked], they didn’t know how to win big games like that,” Olson said of Mansfield scoring 21 straight points to take the lead. “Tonight, we had that 14-0 lead and it felt like the Natick game all over again. I was hoping for one more stop and I thought, if we can go up three scores against a Mike Redding team, we’re going to force them into throwing the football more than they want to. But our defense stepped up in the end.
Mansfield had two drives in the final minutes of the fourth but only totaled 19 yards on its eight plays. Milford also had a shot at the go-ahead score but their five plays had a total of 7 net yards and they had to punt both teams as well, sending it to overtime.
“Every drive is important, every third down conversion is critical,” Redding said of the tight competition in the Kelley-Rex this year. “We’re learning as we go with young kids and they are playing hard but they need to realize how every series is critical in terms of momentum. You have to move the chains when you have the ball. And we just have to find a way to start better. We almost overcame it again but just not enough.”
Milford (2-0 Kelley-Rex, 5-0 overall) hits the road for the third straight week with a trip to Wrentham to take on King Philip. Mansfield (0-2, 3-2) will look to snap a rare two-game skid when it hits the road to take on Attleboro.
Football
Attleboro, 22 @ King Philip, 30 – Final 1st Quarter: (KP) Rudy Gately, 2-yard rush, Matthew Kelley XP good.
2nd Quarter: (KP) Charlie Grant 7-yard pass to Will Astorino, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Crawford Cantave 1-yard rush, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: (A) Kaiden Murray 3-yard rush, Anthony Salviati XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 23-yard field goal; (A) Logan Briggs 82-yard rush; Matt Harvie 2pt pass to L. Briggs.
4th Quarter: (KP) C. Grant 35-yard pass to Tom Brewster, M. Kelley XP good; (A) K. Murray 4-yard rush, A. Salviati XP good.
Oliver Ames, 12 @ Canton, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (OA) Jake Grimaldi 2-yard rush, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (OA) Collin Williamson 62-yard rush, 2pt failed; (C) Vincent O’Brien rush, Hayden Rose XP good.
Stoughton, 13 @ Foxboro, 49 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Dylan Gordon 8-yard rush, Sam Carpenter XP good; (F) Tom Marcucella 42-yard pass to Rashaad Way, S. Carpenter XP good; (S) Anthony Girolamo 5-yard rush, Jonah Ly XP good; (F) D. Gordon 2-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 36-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) D. Gordon 23-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 5-yard pass to Nick Medeiros, S. Carpenter XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) D. Gordon 90-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good.
4th Quarter: (S) B. Clark 1-yard rush, XP failed.
Taunton, 0 @ Franklin, 35 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Jared Arone 69-yard pass to Mack Gulla, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) J. Arone 15-yard pass to Shane Kindred, G. Portesi XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) M. Gulla 56-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good; (F) M. Gulla 73-yard rush, G. Portesi XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) Jase Lyons 24-yard interception return, G. Portesi XP good.
Milford, 27 @ Mansfield, 24 – Final (OT) 1st Quarter: (Mil) Evan Cornelius 1-yard rush, Nick Araujo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (Mil) Tyler Lane 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (Mans) Drew Sacco 5-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good; (Mans) Conner Zukowski 1-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (Mans) James Fichera 3-yard rush, J. Gilleran XP good.
4th Quarter: (Mil) E. Cornelius 40-yard pass to Damien Carter, N. Araujo XP good.
Overtime: (Mans) J. Gilleran 30-yard field goal; (Mil) E. Cornelius 9-yard pass to D. Carter.
Sharon, 15 @ Martha’s Vineyard, 7 – Final (OT) 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (MV) Touchdown, XP good.
4th Quarter: (S) Gabe Korn 5-yard rush, Jace McCarron XP good.
Overtime: (S) G. Korn 3-yard rush, G. Korn 2pt rush good.
Boys Soccer
Franklin, 1 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – Esvin Morales set up the tying goal and scored the game-winner just minutes later as the Bombardiers rallied to take a win over Franklin. With the win, Attleboro moves into a first place tie in the Kelley-Rex division with Mansfield. Franklin opened the scoring just before the half hour mark. Tyler Powderly used his speed to get down the right wing and play in a cross. The initial ball was cleared but only as far as junior Max Tobin, who one-timed it into the top corner to put the visitors ahead. Attleboro’s best chance of the first half came in the 17th minute when senior Yianni Skordas forced a turnover and pushed forward, centering to Morales. Morales cut back to evade a defender and the keeper but his shot on goal was denied by Franklin senior midfielder Terry O’Neill. In the second half, Cashel Stuger played the ball to Morales, who turned and played a ball over the top of the defense and sophomore Alex Vecchioli finished the half volley from a step inside the area to bring the hosts level. Four minutes later, after Franklin was whistled for a handball, Morales stepped over the ball and placed a shot on frame while the Panthers were setting up the wall and it just beat the diving keeper for the game-winner.
Milford, 2 vs. Hopedale, 0 – Final – Milford scored a pair of second half goals to earn a win over local rival Hopedale. John Borges had two assists for the Scarlet Hawks, setting up both goals. First, Borges found Eduardo Santana to put the hosts in front and then Borges assisted on a goal from Chris Tocci.
Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Senior Riley Fitzpatrick scored a pair of goals to lead the Panthers to a win at home over the visiting Bombardiers. Fitzpatrick had a beautiful header off a free kick from Norah Anderson and scored her other goal off a pass from Anya Zub. Zub had two assists in the win, setting up senior Stella Regan for the other Franklin goal.
Foxboro, 1 vs. Bishop Feehan, 1 – Final
Sharon, 4 @ Milford, 5 – Final – Dani Atherton had a hat trick and an assist to lead Milford to a wild win over Sharon. It was Milford’s second win in the past three days. Paige Caldon added her second goal in as many games and Cailyn Paccico had one for the Hawks. The Eagles got two goals apiece from Wendy Wooden and Carly Pinnix. Olivia Soby had two assists and Sofia Goclowski had one for Sharon and Amber Marcus-Blank played well defensively.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 5 @ Mansfield, 1 – Final – Madison Ellis scored a hat trick to pace the Bombardiers to a big win on the road over Mansfield. Attleboro recevied a great defensive effort from Trinity Harrison and the Bombardiers transitioned from defense to offense smoothly due to the strong play of Jordan Croteau. Olivia Hillman had a strong game on the right side for the visitors and scored once.
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 1 – Final – Canton’s Ellie Bohane scored late in the fourth quarter to give the Bulldogs a win over Foxboro, stretching their unbeaten streak to eight. Bohane converted a pass from Sierra Abbott for the lone goal of the game while Carolyn Durand made key saves down the stretch to preserve the shutout.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Four different players found the back of the net, two from each team, and Oliver Ames and North Attleboro split the two points in a 2-2 draw. Tyla Delamere and Georgia Costello each scored for the Tigers while Julia Maclaine and Costello each had an assists. Caroline Rolan (from Emily Burnham) and Zoe McKeon scored for the Rocketeers.
Sharon, 0 @ Stoughton, 1 – Final – Zofia Bangs scored the lone goal of the game as Stoughton picked up a win on Senior Night.
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield earned a key division win in the form of a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-5, 25-15) over the visiting Bombardiers of Attleboro. Julia Kelly had a big game with 11 kills, five aces, and a pair of digs, Nicole Santos added seven aces and four kills, Lexie Scibilia chipped in with three kills, three blocks, and a pair of aces, and Christina Lydon and Izzy Flint combined for 21 assists. For Attleboro, Julia Leonardo recorded eight kills while Brianna Frissora had a great game at the net.
Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton bounced back from a tough five-set loss to Westwood with a clean 3-0 sweep (25-8, 25-17, 25-22) over visiting Foxboro. Jess Wright continued to lead the offense for the Bulldogs with 12 kills and added eight digs. Taylor Reynold dished out 22 assists to go with six aces, Syd Gallery added five kills and two aces, and Anna Verille continued to shine defensively with 15 digs and two kills.
Franklin, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. – The battle between the top two teams in the Hockomock League lived up to the hype as King Philip rallied from a two-game deficit to stun Franklin, 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-23, 15-12). Sami Shore, Ahunna James, and Emily Sawyer all played well at the net for KP in the comeback win while Samantha Asprelli and Gianna DeLorenzo anchored the back row in the win. Sofia Riedel had a big day at the service line for KP with 11 service points and three aces. For Franklin, Brigid Earley (two blocks) and Taylor Lacerda (22 digs) each had 14 kills while Lindsey Tarantola added nine kills and eight blocks.
Milford, 3 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – In an incredibly close match, Milford prevailed with a 3-2 win (27-25, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 15-11). For Taunton, Hayley Krockta and Mikayla Cleary each had 11 kills while Anna Abouzeid dished out 28 assists.
Oliver Ames, 0 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – In a match tighter than the final score shows, North Attleboro secured an important 3-0 win (25-22, 26-24, 25-20) win over Oliver Ames. For the Tigers, junior Maddie Homer recorded 25 digs, senior Hadley Rhodes dished out 26 assists to go along with five kills, sophomore Sarah Hilliard added 14 kills and 10 digs, and sophomore Claire O’Rourke chipped in with eight kills and three aces.
Golf
Attleboro vs. Dighton-Rehoboth, 2:30
Foxboro, 157 @ Oliver Ames, 152 – Final – Oliver Ames earned its 10th win of the season by taking down Foxboro in a close match at Pine Oaks. Senior captain Jake Kaplan shot a medalist round of 35 to lead the way for the Tigers. Junior Michael McGinnis and sophomore Aden Ashley each shot a 39 to count for the scoring for the first time in their careers. Sophomore Lucas Riley and junior Daniel Paul both added a 40 in the win.
Sharon, 171 @ Canton, 147 – Final – Sophomore Mekhala Costello capped a tremendous week with another medalist round, this time a one-over par round of 35 to lead the Bulldogs to a big win at home over Sharon. The win clinches at least a share of the Davenport division title for Canton. Mike Loenetti added a 36 in the win, Conor Hunter chipped in with a 37, and Will Gefteas finished with a 39 for Canton. Eric Carter led the way for Sharon with a round of 41, Owen Kevorkian added a 42, and Nathan Daley, Noah Glassman, and James Spoto all shot a 44 for the Eagles.
Football
Milford, 28 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Evan Cornelius 31-yard pass to Damien Carter, Nick Araujo XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Tyler Lane 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) E. Cornelis 27-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, N. Araujo XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) Jack Veo 2-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
Canton, 8 @ North Attleboro, 42 – Final 1st Quarter: (NA) Tyler Bannon 13-yard rush, Tyler DeMattio XP good; (NA) T. DeMattio 44-yard rush, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) Chase Frisoli 20-yard pass to Joey Perriello, T. DeMattio XP good; (NA) C. Frisoli 35-yard pass to Gavin Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
2nd Quarter: (NA) C. Frisoli 14-yard pass to Gavin Wells, T. DeMattio XP good.
3rd Quarter: (NA) T. DeMattio 2-yard rush, Connor Rupert XP good.
4th Quarter: (C) Owen Lane 2-yard rush, Owen Lane 2pt rush.
Foxboro, 47 vs. Hopkinton, 12 – Final 1st Quarter: (F) Dylan Gordon 57-yard rush, XP failed; (F) Tom Marcucella 22-yard pass to D. Gordon, T. Marcucella 2pt pass to Rashaad Way; (F) T. Marcucella 80-yard pass to D. Gordon, Sam Carpenter XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) D.Gordon 63-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (F) S. Carpenter 30-yard field goal; (H) Hopkinton 8-yard pass, XP failed; (F) T. Marcucella 74-yard pass to R. Way, XP failed; (F) S. Carpenter 24-yard field goal.
3rd Quarter: (F) Tyler Prescott 9-yard rush, S. Carpenter XP good; (H) Hopkinton 9-yard pass, XP failed.
4th Quarter: No scoring.
Mansfield, 10 @ Franklin, 28 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (F) Jared Arone 54-yard pass to Shane Kindred, Garrett Portesi XP good.
2nd Quarter: (F) J. Arone 8-yard pass to Grayson Hunter, G. Portesi XP good; (M) Drew Sacco 1-yard rush, James Gilleran XP good.
3rd Quarter: (M) J. Gilleran 30-yard field goal; (F) J. Arone 41-yard pass to Will Tracey, G. Portesi XP good.
4th Quarter: (F) J. Arone 34-yard pass to Jonathan Martins, G. Portesi XP good.
King Philip, 30 @ Taunton, 21 – Final 1st Quarter: (T) Evan Perrotta 14-yard rush, Nathan Keenan XP good; (KP) William Astorino 1-yard rush, Matthew Kelley XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 31-yard field goal.
2nd Quarter: (T) Jacob Leonard 56-yard pass to Jose Touron, N. Keenan XP good; (KP) Rudy Gately 1-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good; (KP) Charlie Grant 4-yard rush, M. Kelley XP good.
3rd Quarter: (KP) M. Kelley 41-yard field goal.
4th Quarter: (T) E. Perrotta 4-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good; (KP) M. Kelley 29-yard field goal.
Stoughton, 35 @ Oliver Ames, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (S) Jarred Daughtry 49-yard pass to Emmett Pearl, Jonah Ly XP good.
3rd Quarter: (S) J. Ly 1-yard rush, J. Ly XP good.
4th Quarter: (S) Anthony Girolamo 16-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (OA) Sean Friel 51-yard pass to Jack Morley, XP good; (S) A. Girolamo 45-yard rush, J. Ly XP good; (S) J. Daughtry 11-yard pass to Michael Jardim, J. Ly XP good.
Sharon, 14 @ Fairhaven, 42 – Final
Girls Soccer
Canton, 5 @ Sharon, 2 – Final – Canton pulled away late to grab a road win. Gabriella Herivaux led the way for the Bulldogs with a brace. Sofia Goclowski scored for Sharon on an assist by Olivia Soby. Amanda Hu also found the back of the net for the Eagles, assisted by Wendy Wooden.
Stoughton, 0 @ Norwood, 3 – Final – Shayla Ford played well in the loss for Stoughton, but couldn’t finish her chances. Mia Rivera also had a decent game in goal for the Black Knights and Sofia Issa continues to impress in the midfield.
Field Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – Attleboro scored a pair of second half goals to level the match but King Philip sophomore Kelly Holmes scored on a beautiful aerial shot with just over two minutes to play to give the Warriors the win. Sophomore Mara Boldy opened the scoring in the first quarter on an assist from Sydney O’Shea and then Holmes scored to make it 2-0. Emma Briggs cut the deficit in half with a third quarter goal and Sarah McMahon tied it with under six to play before Holmes deposited her shot over everyone and into the far corner off of a penalty corner. Senior defenders Haley Izydorczak and Molly Piller both played outstanding in the win.
Canton, 7 @ Sharon, 0 – Final
Foxboro, 2 @ Oliver Ames, 4 – Final – After trading goals in the first half, Oliver Ames’ Erin Cottam scored twice in the second half to give the Tigers a key division win over Foxboro. Junior Tyla Delamere opened the scoring with her first career goal midway through the first quarter but Jenny Gallagher responded with just over a minute left in the period to make it 1-1. Georgia Costello put the hosts ahead just over a minute into the second but Gallagher answered again just over a minute later to send the teams into the halftime break knotted at 2-2. Cottam got her first goal of the game late in the third off a feed from Lily Gaskill. Cottam tacked on a second one with 9:48 to play to secure the win. Both Gaskill and Ava Costello played well in the midfield while Olivia Stevens had a strong game on defense for the Tigers.
Franklin, 8 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Franklin scored twice in each the first and second quarters and put it out of reach with three more in the third in a win on the road at Milford. Kaitlyn Carney scored four goals and had one assist to pace the offense, getting assists from Sophia Cuneo, Ella Aldred, and Ella Mahoney while Kendall Jones scored twice in the win (one assisted by Haley Wernig). Sydney Rogan tacked on a pair of second quarter goals for the Panthers.
Mansfield, 2 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Taunton built a two-goal lead in the second half but Mansfield struck for a pair of second half goals, including the gaming one with less than a minute to go to grab a point on the road. Jillian Edmond (from Kaysie DeMoura) broke the deadlock with a goal with just over four minutes to play in the third. DeMoura recorded her second assist by finding Caelen O’Leary early in the fourth quarter. Mansfield scored with 20 seconds left to tie the game. Em Gannon had a big game in net with 16 saves while Jasmine Lucier and Kylie Thorpe both played well.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip’s offense was hitting on all cylinders as the Warriors rolled to a 3-0 sweep (25-7, 25-17, 25-9) win at home over the visiting Bombardiers of Attleboro. Middles Sami Shore (11 kills, three blocks) and Emily Sawyer (10 kills) both had strong showings while Ahunna James (seven kills, five digs) played a strong all-around game. Samantha Asprelli added 12 digs and Stella Bailey recorded 18 service points and 26 assists.
Foxboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames took care of business on Friday evening, knocking off division foe Foxboro in straight sets (25-7, 25-13, 25-18). Junior Courtney Raymond played well in the win with eight kills and two blocks, senior Shannon Willard added 14 assists, senior Hadley Rhodes dished out 12 assists and added four kills, and sophomore Sarah Hilliard recorded 10 kills and five aces.
Canton, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – Canton bounced back from a one-set deficit to take three straight on the road for a 3-1 victory (18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-15). Sydney Gallery had one of the best performances of her career with 13 kills, seven digs, and three aces to lead the way. Anna Verille anchored the defense for the visitors with 25 digs and added an ace and a kill while Talya DeGraw turned in a strong all-around performance with nine kills, 14 digs, and an ace.
Franklin, 3 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Milford fought hard to avoid the sweep with a win in the third set but Franklin proved to be too much as the Panthers secured a 3-1 (25-16, 25-22, 20-25, 25-16) win over the Hawks. Junior Meghan Linkkila anchored the defense with 15 digs and had a strong showing at the service line with seven aces while sophomore Taylor Lacerda was nearly unstoppable at the net with 19 kills to go along with 11 digs and a pair of aces.
Mansfield, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – After dropping the first set, Mansfield rallied to take three straight, including a vital third set, to knock off Taunton, 3-1 (22-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-12). Christina Lydon dished out 17 assists in the win with Nicole Santos (six kills), Elyssa Buchanan (six kills), and Julia Kelly (five kills) pacing the offense.
Stoughton @ North Attleboro, 5:15
Golf
North Attleboro, 201 @ Attleboro, 197 – Final (5 cards) – Attleboro grabbed its sixth win of the season and got back to .500 with its second close win over rival North Attleboro this year. Carter Shelton and Leo Lombardo led the way after both shooting a 37, Brendan Raymond added a 39, and Dane Holske, Parker Sackett, and Jackson Sweeney all came in at 42 for the Bombardiers. Tyson Laviano led the visitors with a medalist round of 36 while Jake Gaskin added a 38.
Mansfield, 161 @ Sharon, 170 – Final – Mansfield finished the week a perfect 4-0, capping it off with a win over Sharon at the Norton Country Club. After a solid showing in his varsity debut, junior Drew Urban had a hole-in-one on the seventh hole to highlight the win. Cian Goulet had a team-low round of 39, Brendan Vokey and Hunter Tang each shot a 40, and Ryan Doherty and Urban both came in with a 42.
Football
Milford, 28 vs. Natick, 27 – Final 1st Quarter: (M) Evan Cornelius 24-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, Nicholas Araujo XP good; (M) Tyler Lane 6-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (N) Drew Waldron 88-yard kick-off return, XP good.
2nd Quarter: (M) E. Cornelius 16-yard pass to Nick Schuler, N. Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (N) Jake Adelmann 35-yard rush, XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) T. Lane 15-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (N) Damon Taylor 29-yard pass to Jayson Little, XP good; (N) D. Taylor 1-yard rush, Conversion failed.
Field Hockey
Foxboro, 1 @ Attleboro, 2 – Final – After trading goals in the first half, Attleboro went back ahead early in the third quarter and then denied a comeback bid from the Warriors in the fourth quarter. Emma Briggs scored both of the Bombardiers’ goals, putting the hosts ahead midway through the first quarter. Kaelin Connors tied the game shortly before halftime for Foxboro. Briggs scored the game-winner less than five minutes into the third and Attleboro held on.
Canton, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 9 – Final – Holding a 1-0 lead through the first 15 minutes, Franklin exploded for four goals in the second and three more in the third to pull away for the win. Kaitlyn Carney (from Kendall Jones) opened the scoring in the fourth minute and tacked on two more in the second quarter. Shaw Downing and Raena Crandall also scored in the second quarter as the Panthers took a 5-0 advantage into halftime. Downing, Raena Crandall, Payten Crandall, and Emily Carney added goals in the second half. It was the first career goal for both Raena Crandall and Carney. Haley Wernig recorded two assists in the win.
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 7 – Final – King Philip senior Sydney O’Shea opened the scoring in the game by opening her account on the season while underclassmen Mara Boldy and Makenzie McDevitt each had multi-point games in the win. O’Shea scored a pair of goals, Boldy found the back of the net twice and had an assist, and McDevitt found the back of the net once and had an assist. Seniors Anetka Nowakowski and Haley Keller each scored their first goals to round out the scoring.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final
Oliver Ames, 4 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames dominated time in the attacking zone on the Woodland Turf field, taking home two points via a 4-0 win. Sophomore Erin Cottam bookended the scoring for the Tigers, opening the scoring off an assist by Georgia Costello and closing it with a goal on a penalty stroke. Costello and Julia Maclaine, who assisted one another on the middle goals for the Tigers, both had outstanding performances according to head coach Sharon Lawrence, who also noted the strong play of the Milford goalie (14 saves).
Volleyball
Foxboro, 0 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this match. Attleboro beat Foxboro 26-24, 25-17, 25-14 to sweep the season series with the Warriors. It is Attleboro’s fourth win of the year, which ties the program’s most wins in a single season since the Bombardiers entered the Hock. Freshman Julia Leonardo led the way for the hosts in the opening set, recording five kills. The Warriors battled back in the first to tie the set at 24 apiece, but Natalie Brojek’s tip and Leonardo’s kill closed out the first. In the second set Gabby Bolduc stepped up for Attleboro, with a long stint at the service line opening up a five-point advantage that the home team never relinquished. The third set was all Bombardiers. Brojek started the third with five aces, as Attleboro scored the first eight points. The Bombardiers opened up as much as a 15-1 lead and cruised to the win.
Canton, 3 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Canton’s Fatima Sidibay had one of the best matches of her career and the Bulldogs rolled to a 3-0 sweep (25-6, 25-18, 25-19) on the road at Taunton. Sidibay put down nine kills and turned in four blocks to pace the Bulldogs’ offense. Taylor Reynolds did a great job distributing the ball with 28 assists along with three aces and a pair of kills. “The offense was a total team effort,” said Canton head coach Pat Cawley. Zoe Scibelli and Anna Verille anchored the defense with a combined 20 digs.
North Attleboro, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin continued its unbeaten start to the season, rolling to a 3-0 sweep (25-17, 25-4, 25-20) win over the visiting Rocketeers of North Attleboro. Junior Cate Roberge and sophomore Taylor Lacerda each registered five kills while Georgia Harvey played well defensively with 15 digs.
Sharon, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip had a strong showing at the net for its sixth win of the season, recording a 3-0 sweep (25-10, 25-12, 25-14) against the visiting Eagles of Sharon. Middles Sami Shore (13 kills) and Emily Sawyer (nine kills) led the charge the Warriors while outside hitter Ahunna James added eight kills and four digs. Stella Bailey continued her strong serving this season with four aces and a total of 15 service points.
Stoughton, 0 @ Mansfield, 3 – Final – Mansfield took care of business at home, winning a close first and completing a sweep against Stoughton (25-20, 25-22, 25-18). The Hornets had a strong all-around team effort in the win starting with six aces, six kills, and five digs from senior Julia Kelly. Nicole Santos added a pair of kills and four blocks while Christina Lydon (nine assists) and Isabella Flint (seven assists) split the setting duties in the win.
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Milford, 2 – Final – In a see-saw marathon battle, Oliver Ames came home with the win after a thrilling 3-2 (20-25, 25-12, 25-17, 22-25, 15-11) win at Milford. The Hawks got off to a good start with a win in the first set but it looked like the Tigers would take three straight after a pair of dominate sets. Milford bounced back nicely with a win in the fourth set but it was OA that prevailed in a hard-fought fifth set for the win. Sophomore Claire O’Rourke had a standout game with 13 kills, 10 digs, and eight serve receptions. Senior Hadley Rhodes put the offense in motion for the visitors with 38 assists and five aces, junior Maddie Homer notched 35 digs and 30 serve receptions, and sophomore Sarah Hilliard anchored the offense with 20 kills and 16 digs.
Golf
Mansfield, 187 @ Foxboro, 172 – Final – The Warriors used home course advantage to pick up one of their biggest wins of the season, knocking off Mansfield at Foxboro Country Club. Jack Rounds paced the way for the hosts on the Par 36 Front 9 at FCC, carding a match-low round of 41. Jack Watts added a 42 in the win while Matt Fossella added a 44 and Matt Sullivan came in with a 45. Hunter Tang paced the visitors with a team-low round of 44 while Ryan Doherty added a 45 in the win.
Milford, 177 @ Canton, 154 – Final – Sophomore Mekhala Costello took her turn as the match medalist as the Bulldogs rolled to another win, this time at Blue Hill Country Club against visiting Milford. Costello fired a one-over par round of 35 to lead the way, Will Gefteas added a 39 for Canton, and Mike Leonetti, Ryan Doucette, and Charlie Cohen all shot a 40. Anthony LaPierre paced the Hawks with a 41, Jacob Hipolito carded a 43, and Nate Lawrence came in with a 44.
North Attleboro, 169 @ Stoughton, 185 – Final – Jake Gaskin earned match medalists once again for the Rocketeers, this time on the road at Easton Country Club to help the Big Red knock off the Black Knights of Stoughton. Gaskin fired a 39 to pace North Attleboro, Tyson Laviano added a 41 in the win, Dillon Harding carded a 44, and Ryan Kohli came in with a 45. Anthony Hern paced Stoughton with a team-low round of 40 in the tri-match.
Sharon, 163 @ Stoughton, 185 – Final – Consistency was key for the Eagles on Thursday with all four of its scorers within a stroke in a win on the road over Stoughton. Reid Nierman was the match medalist at Easton Country Club, firing a team-low round of 40. Eric Carter, Rosie Leonard, and Nathan Daley all shot a 41 for Sharon. Anthony Hern paced Stoughton with a team-low round of 40 in the tri-match.
Junior Isaiah Pantalone (5) made an impressive debut with more than 350 total yards and three touchdowns in Milford’s big win over Foxboro. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)
MILFORD, Mass. – Milford graduated almost all of its starters from last year’s prolific offense. There were concerns that it may take the Hawks a few weeks to integrate new faces in new positions and start producing close to what they were able to during the Fall II season. It turns out, the new players didn’t need long at all to find their footing.
Junior Isaiah Pantalone (four receptions, 296 yards) touched the ball six times in the game and accounted for three touchdowns and more than 350 total yards. Junior Evan Cornelius stepped into the quarterback position, replacing UMass quarterback Brady Olson, and threw for two scores and rushed for two other. Senior Tyler Lane took over as the primary back from Carter Scudo (also playing at UMass) and rushed for 116 yards and a pair of scores.
It all amounted to a 49-28 season-opening win for the Hawks against Foxboro, one of the favorites in the Davenport division. The Milford sideline clearly felt that they were underrated coming into the year and they believed this was an emphatic statement to the rest of the league that they shouldn’t be overlooked.
“Losing nine kids on offense from last year’s team, but I knew we had a good core group of kids coming up,” said second-year Milford coach Dale Olson. “Our sub-varsity went undefeated and we had some talented kids. You saw that kid tonight, Isaiah Pantalone, he’s a special kid.
“They struggled to stop our run off tackle and made them put everybody in the box and then you get one-on-one matchups and Evan Cornelius delivered the ball a few times.”
Foxboro coach Jack Martinelli admitted that his team struggled to contain Milford’s balanced attack and was undone by allowing too many big plays. “They were a lot more physical than we were and they deserved to win the game. We didn’t quit, we kept coming back, but just didn’t have the ability to stop them in any way or fashion.”
It took only 13 seconds to show how explosive the new faces on offense could be. Milford turned to a little trickery on the first play from scrimmage, as Matt Girard looked upfield on a halfback pass and saw Pantalone all by himself. It was an 80-yard strike that set the tone for how the Hawks would attack.
Foxboro’s offense answered right back on its first possession. The Warriors marched 64 yards on 10 plays, twice converting third downs thanks to offsides calls against Milford, to tie the game. Tom Marcucella rolled out and threw a strike to Tre Stith for a 10-yard score to bring Foxboro level. Marcucella was impressive throughout, completing 26-of-45 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns.
“Offensively, we did what we had to do,” Martinelli said. “It was the other end, the defensive end, we had no answers for them. We’d put seven in the box to stop the run and they were good enough to throw the ball.”
On Foxboro’s second possession, Sam Carpenter (4-for-4 on extra points) attempted a 52-yard kick that was short to the left. By rule, Milford took over at the 20. On third and four, Cornelius fired the ball across the middle to Pantalone, who eluded a pair of Warriors and was off to the races again. This time it was a 74-yard touchdown and a 13-7 lead.
The Warriors had a chance to try and tie or take the lead after Cornelius’ fumble was recovered by Dylan Kerrigan at midfield. Milford’s defense came up with a three-and-out to get the ball back. Carpenter did his job in the punting game, pinning the Hawks at their own two.
Milford proved that it also had the ability to put together a long drive. Lane took the first carry for 22 yards to get out from the shadow of his own end zone and the Hawks never looked back, producing a 10-play, 98-yard drive (six carries for Lane and four for Grant Scudo) to extend the lead. Lane finished it with a one-yard plunge and Cornelius ran in the conversion to make it 21-7.
Foxboro answered right back. Three plays later, Marcucella swung the ball to Dylan Gordon (158 total yards), who proceeded to break three tackles on the sideline, somehow staying inbounds, and broke free for a 76-yard touchdown. Pantalone made sure the momentum was short-lived, returning the ensuing kick 61 yards to the Foxboro 37. Lane got the ball to the one and Cornelius punched it in, restoring the two-score lead.
After nearly hitting a Hail Mary pass to end the half, Foxboro came out and put together another strong drive to start the third quarter. Marcucella was 5-for-5 and found four different receivers on the possession. He picked out Tommy Sharkey on an out-route to the front pylon for an 18-yard touchdown that got the Warriors back within seven.
Lane came up less than a yard short on fourth down at midfield, giving Foxboro the chance to pull even, but again the Hawks were able to make a key defensive stand and force a punt. With Foxboro trying to step up and stop the run, Cornelius hit Pantalone on another slant route. This time it was for 76 yards but Sharkey hustled to delay the touchdown. Two plays later, Lane got his second of the day, barreling over the goal line from four yards out.
Jaden Agnew then came up with a huge play, reading the bounce off the receiver to pick off Marcucella and return it down to the Foxboro 12. Pantalone went 11 yards to the one and then, after Foxboro’s line stuffed two attempts from inside the one, Cornelius started the fourth quarter by getting just into the end zone for a 42-21 lead.
“They’ve got skill all over the place, the quarterback puts the ball on the money, and them coming down and making it a one-score game, but then we answered and then we answered again,” Olson said about going up by more than two scores. “I knew we were going to be alright because they couldn’t stop us off-tackle. It was just over and over, it was no secret we were running over (senior lineman) Marco [Monteiro].”
Following a Foxboro punt, helped by a couple of solid coverage plays by Scudo, Milford effectively sealed the win. No surprise, it was Pantalone again. The Warriors had bunched up at the line expecting the run and the receiver was able to beat his coverage at the line and caught a 66-yard pass from Cornelius for his third score of the night.
To their credit, the Warriors kept fighting despite the big deficit. Marcucella went 6-of-10 on the next drive, including a highlight-reel sidearm toss to Rashaad Way ( nine catches, 121 yards) and a 10-yard touchdown to Gordon. After Agnew was ruled to have fumbled out of the end zone as he dove for the pylon, Foxboro mounted one more drive to try and make it a game, getting all the way to the Milford six with five minutes to play, but the drive stalled.
“They’re a good program, they’re well-coached, but we kind of thought we’d be able to enforce our will,” Olson explained. “We did graduate a lot but we’re good up front, we’ve got some good kids, and I couldn’t be prouder.
“People were writing us off, saying they’re one-and-done, they’re rebuilding, but I think we’ve got one of the better teams in the Hock. We want to keep rising this program.”
Milford (1-0) will travel to Wellesley next Saturday. Foxboro (0-1) will try to bounce back with a trip to Whitman-Hanson on Friday.
Football
Attleboro, 10 vs. Durfee, 7 – Final 1st Quarter: (A) Blake Garzaro 10-yard pass to Chris Mota, Anthony Salviati XP good.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (D) Durfee 9-yard rush, XP good; (A) A. Salviati 30-yard field goal.
Canton, 7 @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 15 – Final (OT) 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: No scoring.
3rd Quarter: (C) Bahsor Mahn 7-yard rush, Hayden Rose XP good.
4th Quarter: (DR) Hendrix Pray 40-yard rush, Adam Pereira XP good.
Overtime: (DR) H. Pray 10-yard rush, Jacob Suprenard 2pt rush.
Foxboro, 28 @ Milford, 49 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: (M) Matt Girard 80-yard pass to Isaiah Pantalone, Nicholas Araujo XP good; (F) Tom Marcucella 10-yard pass to Tre Stith, Sam Carpenter XP good; (M) Evan Cornelius 74-yard pass to I. Pantalone, XP no good.
2nd Quarter: (M) Tyler Lane 1-yard rush, E. Cornelius 2-point conversion rush; (F) T. Marcucella 76-yard pass to Dylan Gordon, S. Carpenter XP good; (M) E. Cornelius 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
3rd Quarter: (F) T. Marcucella 18-yard pass to Tommy Sharkey, S. Carpenter XP good; (M) T. Lane 4-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good.
4th Quarter: (M) E. Cornelius 1-yard rush, N. Araujo XP good; (M) E. Cornelius 66-yard pass to I. Pantalone, N. Araujo XP good; (F) T. Marcucella 10-yard pass to D. Gordon, S. Carpenter XP good.
Franklin, 37 vs. Wachusett, 21 – Final
Mansfield, 28 @ St. John’s Shrewsbury, 20 – Final 1st Quarter: (SJ) Ryan Miller 54-yard pass to Ryan Coonan, XP blocked.
2nd Quarter: (M) Rocco Scarpellini 6-yard rush, XP good; (M) Drew Sacco 9-yard rush, XP good.
3rd Quarter: (SJ) Bobby Rodolakis 34-yard rush, XP failed; (SJ) B. Rodolakis 5-yard rush, R. Miller 2pt pass to R. Coonan.
4th Quarter: (M) Conner Zukowski 10-yard pass to Trevor Foley, XP good; (M) C. Zukowski 5-yard pass to T. Foley, XP good.
North Attleboro, 10 vs. Bishop Feehan, 24 – Final
Oliver Ames, 18 vs. Brookline, 8 – Final 1st Quarter: (OA) Chad Silva 6-yard rush, XP failed.
2nd Quarter: (OA) C. Silva 4-yard rush, XP failed; (OA) Collin Williamson 11-yard rush, XP failed.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: Brookline touchdown, 2pt conversion good.
Stoughton, 14 vs. Norwood, 21 – Final
Taunton, 21 vs. New Bedford, 0 – Final – Click here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game. 1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: (T) Jacob Leonard 22-yard pass to Trent Santos, Nathan Keenan XP good; (T) Bryan Batista 21-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: (T) B. Batista 12-yard rush, N. Keenan XP good.
Sharon, 0 @ Norton, 15 – First Quarter – Due to a power outage of the lights, the game will continue on Saturday morning at 10:00AM.
Boys Soccer
Franklin, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton’s Jake McCabe scored for the second straight game and Jacob Crugnale also found the back of the net as the Bulldogs opened their Hockomock schedule with a win over visiting Franklin.
Foxboro, 0 @ Milton, 2 – Final
Milford, 0 @ Sharon, 1 – Final
Girls Soccer
Oliver Ames, 5 @ Attleboro, 1 – Final – OA rallied from a goal down with five straight scores to open its season with a road win. Jamie Davies had put Attleboro ahead in the ninth minute, off a Kacey Parker assist, but not two minutes later the Tigers equalized on a long-range strike by freshman Emma Gavin. Camryn O’Connor put OA ahead for good and then Kyla Melton scored either side of halftime to put the game out of reach. Alex Lane added the fifth with 15 minutes left to play. Attleboro coach Steve Santos praised his central defenders Olivia Calderone and Emma Stromfors but admitted that the Tigers just had too much on Friday.
Foxboro, 5 vs. Walpole, 2 – Final – After being shut out on Thursday, the Warriors found their offense on Friday to earn a non-league win. Kailee McCabe was the star, as the All-New England selection scored three times and assisted on another. Erin Foley and freshman Neve Taylor also got on the board for Foxboro. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup also praised the Warriors defense for fighting hard the whole game to keep out the Timberwolves.
Sharon @ Milford – Postponed to TBD.
Field Hockey
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro defended its home turf with a win over the defending Davenport division champions Oliver Ames. Sarah McMahon and Madison Ellis each had a goal and an assist to pace the Bombardier offense. Alyvia Bessette opened the scoring for Attleboro followed by Ellis (unassisted) and McMahon (from Ellis and Olivia Hillman).
Canton, 1 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin opened the second in style, pumping in a pair of goals in both the second and third quarters, to knock off visiting Canton. Kendall Jones (from Kaitlyn Carney) opened the scoring but Canton’s Erin Lane tied the game just two minutes later. Franklin pulled ahead in the second and never looked back; Carney (unassisted) and Jones (from Shaw Downing) scored three minutes apart to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead at the half. In the third, Downing (unassisted) scored less than a minute in and Payton Crandall (from Carney) notched her first career goal to cap the scoring. Megan Sullivan made six saves to earn the win in net.
North Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – North Attleboro sophomore goalie Gracie Leary made two huge saves inside the final three minutes to help preserve a point for the Rocketeers on the road at Mansfield. Leary totaled nine saves, including her final one with just over a minute to go to get the point. Junior Julia Puccio scored on a corner in the first quarter on a pass from Zoe McKeon. Mansfield got goals from Rose Maher and Dani Cuzzi to take the lead but North’s Caroline Folan scored on a corner with 3:25 to play to level the scoring.
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 1 – Final – Click here for a Photo Gallery from this game. McKenna Smith was able to squeeze the ball through a scrum in front of goal and across the line midway through the fourth quarter for the game’s lone goal.
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton opened the new season at home with a shutout win over the visiting Black Knights. Emily Gannon turned away six shots to get the shutout win in net. Ashley Amaro and Kaysie DeMoura both grabbed a goal and an assist in the win while Caelen O’Leary had the first goal of the game. Thalia Nogueria, Kylie Thorpe, and Braeley MacDonald also played well for the Tigers.
Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 1 @ Attleboro, 3 – Final – Attleboro won a close first set and went on to take a 3-1 (25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 25-16) win over visiting Oliver Ames. For OA, senior Hadley Rhodes had 15 assists and six kills, Maddie Homer had 24 digs and 22 serve receptions and sophomore Sarah Hilliard tallied 10 kills.
Foxboro, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip opened its season in style with a 3-0 sweep (25-9, 25-12, 25-3) over visiting Foxboro. Ahunna James paced the offense with seven kills, Sami Shore added six kills and four aces, Sofia Reidel had was strong at the service line with seven aces and Emily Sawyer put down five kills in her debut.
Canton, 0 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Franklin fended off a big challenge from Canton in the final set to secure a 3-0 sweep (25-14, 25-16, 25-23) over the Bulldogs. Cailyn Mackintosh had 20 assists, Lindsey Tarantola recorded seven kills and Cate Roberge had a big game for the Panthers with seven aces and five kills. Sophomore Jess Wright notched 11 kills in her varsity debut for the Bulldogs while freshman Zoe Scibelli played well defensively at libero in her first match. Senior Anna Verille had a great game defensively with 16 digs to go along with four kills and an ace while Taylor Reynolds dished out 21 assists.
North Attleboro @ Mansfield, 5:15
Sharon, 0 @ Milford, 3 – Final
Stoughton, 0 @ Taunton, 3 – Final – Taunton grabbed its second win on the young season, this time with a 3-0 sweep (25-8, 25-20, 25-23) win over Stoughton. Mikayla Cleary led the charge with 11 kills, seven aces, and three blocks, Hayley Krockta had five kills, and Angie Lynch had a strong game at the net with three kills and two aces. Danielle Lofgren (six digs), Mia Fernandes, and Jess Foley all set the tone for the Tigers with a strong serve receive.
Golf
Canton, 145 @ North Attleboro, 160 – Final – For the second straight match, all of Canton’s scorers broke the 40 mark, this time to get a key division win at Heather Hills. Canton’s Conor Hunter and Mike Leonetti as well as North Attleboro’s Jake Gaskin all shared medalist honors at 35. Will Gefteas added a 36 for the Dogs while Mekhala Costello and Nate MacDonald each came in with a round of 39 for Canton. Tyson Laviano added a round of 36 for the Big Red.
Sharon, 158 @ Oliver Ames, 155 – Final – Oliver Ames made it three straight wins to start the season, knocking off visiting Sharon at Pine Oaks by three strokes. Jo Jo Gaultier had the low-round for the Tigers at 36 while David Rodgers added a 37 and both Braden Shapiro and Daniel Paul shot a 41. Sharon’s Nate Daly was the match medalist at 35 while Eric Carter chipped in with a 37.
King Philip, 166 @ Franklin, 171 – Final – King Philip emerged from a key division showdown with Franklin with a close win at Franklin Country Club. Pat Reardon was the match medalist, firing a three-over round of 38 while Mike Matheson chipped in with a 42 for the Warriors. For Franklin, Corey Steel shot a 39 while Tyler O’Brien sank a birdie on the seventh hole to help finish with a round of 42.
King Philip could be the favorite to challenge Mansfield for the Kelley-Rex division title this season. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Outlook:
Attleboro struggled on the offensive side of the ball last year, scoring only 44 points in six games and not scoring a touchdown until the fifth game of the season. The Bombardiers will need to improve on that side of the ball to try and move up the standings and challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex. With eight returning starters on both sides of the ball, Attleboro can rely on an experienced roster to try and turn things around this fall.
It will be obvious where Attleboro’s strength lies. The Bombardiers run 6’3 285, 6’3 255, 6’2 285, and 6’3 305 at the guard and tackle positions. They are going to try and overpower teams. The leader of that group is senior Chris Leonardo, who is a force on both sides of the ball. Seniors Alvin Harrison, Jacob Struminski, and Isaac Pereira are a formidable front and junior Isaiah Miranda will be back at center. Experience and size are important, but the Bombardiers will need its array of running backs to take advantage. Seniors Ryan Betts, Freddy Wheaton, Keigan Conley, and Kaiden Murray will all get the chance to carry the ball. Junior Aiden Hochwarter returns under center after taking over midway through last year and he will have classmate Anthony Salviati to throw to out wide and senior tight end Christian Dame.
The Attleboro defense will also rely on its strength up front with Leonardo and Harrison controlling the middle. The linebackers have plenty of experience, with Dame, Wheaton, Betts, Conley, and senior Hayden Hegarty all coming back after seeing significant time last year. The secondary has a lot of athleticism. Junior Ethan Lako, Salviati, and Murray are all capable of making big plays and forcing turnovers.
“It is great to have some normalcy back this fall,” said Attleboro coach Mike Strachan. “We have eight returning starters on each side of the ball this season and we have great senior leadership. We are looking to a great fall season.”
Outlook:
All eyes are on Mansfield and King Philip as the favorites in the Kelley-Rex and that’s how coach Eian Bain likes it. The Panthers are certainly flying under the radar a bit but that might not last very long, especially after their success during the preseason has turned some heads.
Having a lot of familiar faces in key positions will be an early advantage for the Panthers, who have a strong non-league schedule that starts with Wachusett and features perennial state powerhouse Duxbury. Senior Jared Arone gained a lot of experience at quarterback during the Fall 2 season and could be poised for a big year with a full schedule on tap. Part of the reason why is because of all the weapons around him. Both Shane Kindred and Will Tracey developed a lot of chemistry with the QB in the abbreviated season and will be his main two targets this year.
And while the Panthers have developed a reputation for a pass-heavy offense, we saw a much more balanced approach during the spring and with senior running back Mack Gulla ready for a breakout season, it’s likely that balance continues. Gulla is a tough runner that will keep defenses honest; he isn’t just going to help set up the passing game, he’s a true threat to run all over defenses. It will all start up front and the Panthers have center Ethan Aeillo and tackle Jack Porkorny back in starting roles.
Senior Joe Tirrell and junior Luke Davis give the Panthers a veteran presence in the secondary. Franklin allowed over 20 points per game last season but will be looking to bring that number down some this year as they try and establish themselves as a contender in the division. Senior Jonathan Martins impressed last season and will be a key piece on the defensive line while the linebackers will be anchored by senior Cullen Pek.
“The Panthers return many familiar faces but face a tough task of replacing some key positions,” Bain said. “Many players have stepped up but there is still a lot to be answered before the home opener against Wachusett.”
Outlook:
King Philip has a strong core of returning players set to compete for the Kelley-Rex crown this Fall season but the Warriors are hoping to develop some depth along the way as they navigate through one of the state’s toughest schedules.
KP is still hurting from the Fall 2 season, when they lost six players to season-ending surgery, four of which were starters. With a quick turnaround to this season, the Warriors will still be without those players but there is still lots of excitement around those who will be on the field this year. Senior Charlie Grant returns as the starter at quarterback and has some weapons to utilize around them, starting with receivers Danny Clancy, Nick Viscusi, and Jonathan Joseph. All three have varsity experience and are seniors. Junior Rudy Gately and senior Crawford Cantave give the Warriors a thunder and lightning running back combination. Senior Drew Danson was set to be one of the top tight ends in the league but is out due to injury. Sophomore Thomas McLeish will also be in the mix to play at quarterback and Grant could see time at receiver.
Hunter Hastings and Chris Sesay are the returners on the offensive line and will start at the tackle positions while Dan Nineve will be the center and Amro Ismail and Sean King man the guard positions. It will be a lot of the same names on the other side of the ball with Hastings, King, and Sesay all playing both ways. Junior Nate Kearney will also be in the mix as a pass rusher.
The veteran group on defense will be the KP secondary, which features a lot of familiar faces. Both Cantave (safety) and Viscusi (corner) had really strong junior seasons and will lead the way alongside junior Thomas Brewster, senior Eli Reed, and Joseph, who has really impressed so far this preseason. There will be a little inexperience at linebacker but the Warriors have Gately back in the fold alongside senior Jake Sullivan and junior Will Astorino. Matt Kelley is back as the starting kicker.
“I love my team, great kids,” said KP head coach Brian Lee. “We just have to make sure ready to go every single week. It’s been kind of a burn, playing in the Spring. It feels like we’ve been going, going, going, but now we have to focus on staying healthy and getting through Thanksgiving. It’s been fun to be around them, they are good kids that work hard. Hopefully, we can turn that into being successful.”
Outlook:
Mansfield won the 2019 state title, is riding a 16-game win streak, hasn’t lost a game in league play since September 2017, and hasn’t lost an in-state game since a triple-OT thriller against Foxboro at Fenway to close out 2018, so the Hornets have earned the target that is on their backs this fall. Everyone will be aiming to be the first Hock team to hand the Hornets a loss and try to end a three-year run as the top team in the Kelley-Rex. Although there are some guys in new spots, especially at the skill positions, Mansfield returns 10 starters and several players who saw significant action off the bench last year.
The offense will be powered by an experienced line. Four of five starters return from last year with only junior center Colton Johnson added. Seniors Mark DeGirolamo, Joe Forte, and James Gilleran, and junior Jephte Jean are all back and should give the Hornets an edge up front. Junior Conner Zukowski will be the new starting quarterback and he will have several new weapons to call on. Juniors Drew Sacco and Rocco Scarpellini are new starters in the backfield, but both were called on plenty last season. Senior Dana Johnson and sophomore Trevor Foley will get the start out wide.
Defense has been Mansfield’s calling card during its run, as the Hornets allowed only 23 points in six games last year. DeGirolamo and classmate Braeden Veno are back on the defensive line along with Jean and senior Pedro Cruz. All three starting linebackers returned, as seniors Zander Holmes and James Fichera are paired with Scarpellini. Junior safety Ryan DeGirolamo is the only starter back in the secondary and will need to provide leadership for sophomores Foley and CJ Bell. Senior Jared Fraone will start at the other corner spot.
Mansfield coach Mike Redding is counting on a tough preseason, against state powers Everett and Central Catholic, to help the Hornets prepare. He is also excited about the new statewide playoff system that could pair Mansfield with a new set of tournament opponents as they seek to make it a three-peat in Div. 2.
Outlook:
Milford made a successful move into the Kelley-Rex last season. Under first-year coach Dale Olson, the Hawks earned a first-ever win over perennial league power King Philip and finished second in the division. This year, the Hawks will try to make another title challenge despite having several new faces stepping into important roles.
On offense, the Hawks will be transitioning from the pass-first offense that Brady Olson ran last year. Junior Evan Cornelius is a very different quarterback, who will bring a lot of size and strength to the position (which makes sense, since he also plays defensive end). Graduation took away a lot of dynamic playmakers from last year’s offense but seniors Tyler Lane, Angelo Romero, and Grant Scudo will give Milford a deep backfield and last year senior Jaden Agnew emerged as a major threat in the passing game.
The Hawks will be tough up front again this year on both sides of the ball. Seniors Alex McColl and Marco Monteiro are big and tough and will open holes on offense while clogging running lanes on the other side. Cornelius will add a threat on the edge defensively and the linebacking corps continues to be a factor, led by Lane and Romero. Scudo seeks out the ball at safety and is always a threat to force a turnover.
Olson admits that his team lacks experience at the skill positions, but he added, “Having three scrimmages will help prepare the first-year varsity kids to play week one.”
Outlook:
Taunton didn’t have the best record during the Fall 2 season but the opportunity to just get on the field and play was incredibly valuable for the Tigers. There are less than a dozen seniors (eight) on the roster for the Tigers this season so head coach Brad Sidwell will be looking for a strong class of juniors, as well as some sophomores, to make up the majority of the lineup this Fall.
A good chunk of those juniors were inserted into the starting lineup or played a large number of snaps just five months ago when the Tigers played six games. That allowed the Tigers to build some depth for the upcoming season, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Junior Jake Leonard got a jump start to his career when he took over for an injured Danny MacDougall. That experience will be key as he begins his first full season as the starter under center. Leonard will have three veteran options to work with in senior captains Trent Santos and Nate Keenan — two receivers — and tight end Nick Lima. Senior Faisal Mass will be a big target as a tight end, also providing key blocking on the line, while seniors Jon Castillo (receiver), Jack Moitiso (offensive line) and Evan Perrota (running back) will be in the mix as well.
Junior Ryan MacDougall started on the offensive line last season and will be joined by classmates Nate Laplante, William Guachiculca-Torres, and Logan Frank while sophomore Bryan Joanis will also be in the mix so some playing time. Keenan could also get some carries out of the backfield while junior Bryan Batista could emerge as a go-to option carrying the ball. Juniors Tyler Wynn, Isaiah Williams, and McKyen Gonsalves are three names to watch as receiving options for Leonard.
Taunton has a lot of experience in its secondary with both Santos and Keenan playing on both sides of the ball, and that experience will be a big strength for the Tigers. There is also a lot of depth in the linebackers, starting with Lima, who uses his speed to attack the ball. He can also step out and play in coverage or drop back into a safety role if needed. Lima will be joined by Frank, MacDougall, and Perrota as linebackers. On the line, Laplante had a strong sophomore season and could be poised for a breakout year.
Taunton will prepare for the ever-challenging division slate with non-league games against New Bedford, Durfee, and Middleboro in its first three weeks. It also marks the first year of its new Thanksgiving rivalry with Milford.
“We’re excited to begin the season with this group after productive preseason practices and scrimmages,” said head coach Brad Sidwell. “Although we only have eight seniors, many of our players gained experience in the spring season. We need to improve through the non-league start of the season as the Hockomock Kelley-Rex is always a challenge for any of the teams involved.”
Mansfield senior Mark DeGirolamo, pictured lined up against Milford last season, will be one of the top defensive players in the Hock. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com) By HockomockSports.com Staff
Canton graduated some key pieces on defense so the Bulldogs will be relying on experience in both the linebacking and defensive backs corps. Colin Albert is one of the more experienced linebackers for Canton and will be an important leader for the Warriors’ defense. The Davenport Division is as competitive as ever and there won’t be any easy games. Albert will provide stability on defense, making plays against the passing game and also playing a role helping against the run on the outside. The Bulldogs are aiming to make a push for the postseason and if they are to get there, Albert’s leadership on both sides of the ball, and both on and off the field, will likely be a reason why.
North’s explosive offense gets a lot of attention, but the Rocketeers were also a strong team on the other side of the ball last season. They allowed only 55 points over six games and only twice did teams reach double digits (the most allowed was 12 against Oliver Ames). Bannon was one of the biggest playmakers on the defensive unit. The senior outside linebacker was a terror on the pass rush and could also set the edge whether lined up at the line of scrimmage or dropped back a few yards. Bannon uses his good size and strength to take on blockers, but his speed and quickness off the ball allowed him to get a step and into the backfield almost at will. With North incorporating several new faces into the mix this season, his leadership will be critical for the Rocketeers to maintain the same level as last year. Whether standing up a runner or chasing someone down from behind, Bannon was able to cover a lot of ground and make plays all over the field. Expectations are for North to be the team to beat in the Davenport again this fall and it can’t rely only on the offense to win the title. Bannon and the defense will need to be at the same high level of play they showed last season.
King Philip senior Crawford Cantave is one of the best two-way players in the league and has made a lot of plays in all three aspects of the game for the Warriors over the past two seasons. The Warriors have a lot of talent on this year’s roster and they’ll be aiming to try and knock off Mansfield to get back atop of the Kelley-Rex division. KP hung its hat on defense during its run to three straight state finals appearances and if they want to make a deep run again this year, the defense will need to be a top priority. Crawford will play mostly in a safety role but can also play in a corner role if needed. He does a great job of reading the play and uses his speed to react quickly and make the play. When all is said and done this season, expect Cantave to have some highlight-reel plays under his belt.
The first two words that come to mind when thinking of Mansfield senior Mark DeGirolamo are experience and versatility. This is someone that has been making plays for multiple seasons for the three-time defending Kelley-Rex division champion Hornets. Although he’s primarily been a defensively end for most of his career because of the combination of speed and strength he has, he also has the size to slide inside and clog up the middle. Mansfield will primarily line up in a 4-3 but will give teams different looks with 4-4 and 3-4 packages, and DeGirolamo can play in all of them. He will also start at tackle on the offensive end, his speed allows him to protect the quarterback against rushes off the edge. He was second in the team with 33 tackles during the Fall 2 season and led the Hornets in tackles for a loss.
Mack Gulla made an immediate impact when he joined the varsity program his sophomore year, scoring in the first game of the season back in 2019. He hasn’t stopped making plays for the Panthers since. Gulla has improved greatly in each of the past two seasons and now has a chance at a breakout senior campaign as the Panthers make a push to compete for the Kelley-Rex division crown and a spot in the postseason. He’s a downhill type player on both sides of the ball; he isn’t afraid to run through the defense when carrying the ball and is tough to tackle when he gets going. And from his middle linebacker spot, he attacks the ball carrier and is tough to get away from when he gets his hands on you.
There were a lot of eyes on Milford last season because of the weapons they had on the offensive side of the ball, but once you saw the Hawks play it was tough not to talk about how well they played on the defensive side of the ball. One name that always seemed to be in on the play was linebacker Tyler Lane, who will enter his second year as a starter this Fall. Lane has really good speed (something that people will also see when he carries the ball on the offensive side) and does a really good job at reading the play, which allows him to find a way to the ball. Whether it’s coming on a blitz, coming up to stop a run, or dropping off into pass coverage, Lane is a reliable option. Lane has the speed to get around the edge and the strength to make the tackle. If the play is coming up the middle, Lane is no stranger to big hits and can make a play there too. He’s solid in pass coverage and quick to make a play if the pass is completed.
Whether he lines up at linebacker or drops deeper to play as a safety, Taunton senior Nick Lima is a playmaker for the Tiger’s defense. He can quickly read a play and see where it is headed but has the speed and quickness to hang back for an extra beat before closing on a ball carrier. Lima can also provide the Tigers with an extra rusher when they choose to blitz and on the next play drop deep into coverage downfield. Lima’s versatility and leadership will be key as Taunton tries to figure out the best combination on the defensive side of the ball. The Tigers have a lot of skill and depth on the offensive side but one challenge has been establishing the same on the defensive side of the ball. Having Lima in the mix gives Taunton a good start to solving that problem.
Stoughton senior Emmett Pearl got his feet wet during the Fall 2 season and now could be poised for a breakout year with an expanded role on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Stoughton has solid returning experience with its three-down lineman, it will be about the ends and linebackers around them to make plays on the ball. The defense is usually a calling card for Stoughton and the Knights will be going up against some tough competition both in the division (Foxboro, North) and in the non-league games (Mansfield, Milford) so they will certainly need some new players to step up. Against the run, Pearl does a terrific job of clogging up any holes up the middle and can also come from the outside and get into the backfield. Pearl isn’t just all power either, he has great instincts and impressive speed for his size.
Fans of Foxboro football are going to be hearing the name Rashaad Way a lot this season. After a breakout junior campaign, Way is in line for what could be a monster year for the Warriors, especially because he impacts all three parts of the game. Offensively, Way will be one of the go-to options in the passing game and can help take the top off the defense with his speed on deep routes. When it comes to special teams, Way might be the best returner — both on kickoffs and punts — in the league right now. It seemed like almost every time he got the ball, he was close to breaking one for a score. But the focus for here is on Way’s defensive performance at cornerback. He does a nice job reading the play, has the speed to keep with receivers, and has good instincts and timing. With a year already under his belt, Way will be one of the top players in the secondary in the entire league.
Attleboro struggled to score points last year, but for the most part, the Bombardiers were consistently tough on the defensive side of the ball. Although all-time leading tackler Michael Strachan graduated, Attleboro’s experience in the linebacking corps should be a strength again this fall. Wheaton is a dynamic presence in the front seven. His high motor and the energy he brings to each play is contagious and he seems to be able to cover ground from sideline to sideline. A player who seems to relish contact, Wheaton is a solid tackler and will need to step up behind Attleboro’s large defensive line to help stop the opponent’s ground game. The Bombardiers are a veteran, athletic group and Wheaton’s presence in the middle of the field will be critical if they are going to build on last season and start to challenge the top teams in the Kelley-Rex.
