Boys Basketball
Canton, 67 vs. Bishop Feehan, 65 – Final (OT) – Canton’s Matt Chafin hit a late three to help the Bulldogs force overtime and both Zaza Francoeur and Julius Hicks connected from downtown in the extra period in a win over Bishop Feehan. With the Shamrocks up by a point, Chafin (18 points) hit a corner three with under 10 seconds to go to make it 53-51. Feehan hit a layup at the buzzer to force overtime. Jamaal McConnell (18 points) opened the extra period with a traditional three-point play and then hit Francoeur (14 points) for a three on Canton’s next trip up the court. After Feehan closed the deficit down to two, Chafin drove to the layup for a bucket late in the shot clock. Hicks added a three on Canton’s next possession to push it to 64-59. Chafin added a key free throw in the final seconds to ice the win.
Foxboro, 82 @ Hopkinton, 80 – Final (OT) – Foxboro senior Sam Golub erupted for a career-high 40 points to help the Warriors topple the Hillers on the road. The Warriors staked a lead after the first quarter after connecting on five threes in the opening eight minutes, including three from Golub. But Hopkinton rallied to take the lead at halftime (33-31) and increased it to 60-52 going into the final quarter. Golub hit three more three-pointers in the third to keep the Warriors close, and Foxboro held the hosts to just 10 points in the fourth to rally back. Golub had seven more in the fourth while Ryan LeClair (11 points), Ryan Cotter (11 points), and Alex Penders (11 points) also scored to bring Foxboro back in it. In overtime, Golub stayed hot with four field goals, including one more three for a total of eight for the game, and Penders had a big block in the final seconds to preserve the win.
Oliver Ames vs. Cardinal Spellman, 6:30
Stoughton, 59 vs. Medway, 55 – Final – Trailing by two with under a minute to go, Stoughton finished off its comeback with a 7-1 run over the final 50 seconds to take down visiting Medway. Jarred Daughtry (11 points) cut the deficit to one with a free throw, and off a miss from the line, Tagh Swierzewski kept the play alive and Jayden Costa-Haywood, who scored a team-high 23 points, converted the putback for the lead. Stoughton got a stop on defense and Liam Pearl hit two from the line with 24.1 seconds to go to extend the lead to 57-54. Medway was off the mark on two free throws on their end and sophomore Matt Greenspoon iced the game with two more free throws with 1.6 seconds to go. Costa-Haywood scored 11 points in the fourth while Swierzewski, Greenspoon, and freshman Anthony Alessi each had a three in the final frame.
Taunton, 61 vs. Dartmouth, 57 – Final – After letting a halftime lead slip away in the third quarter, Taunton finished strong with 22-point fourth quarter to pick up the win and snap Dartmouth’s unbeaten start to the season. The Tigers cashed in from the free throw line in the fourth, going 9-for-13 from the line over the final eight minutes. Junior Troy Santos scored 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half while junior Tyson Carter gave Taunton a huge boost with a career-high 14 points. Chris Perault had nine points all in the first half and freshman Jakari Innocent added nine points, including five in the fourth quarter.
King Philip, 59 vs. Leominster, 51 – Final – King Philip played its best defensive game of the season to hand Leominster its first loss of the season. The Warriors held the Blue Devils to just nine points in the second quarter as KP turned a one-point deficit at the end of the first quarter into a five point halftime lead. KP kept its distance with a 40-33 lead going into the fourth and then went 9-for-12 from the line in the final eight minutes to ice the win. Senior Will Laplante hit four three-pointers and poured in a game-high 25 points to pace the KP offense while Tommy Martorano tossed in a trio of triples and finished with 14 points. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy had five points but also played outstanding defensive game for KP. King Philip will take on Framingham at 4:00 on Thursday.
Girls Basketball
Franklin, 70 vs. Carlsbad (Calif.), 54 – Final – Franklin had five players score in double figures and dominated on the glass to overcome 32 points from Carlsbad star Madison Huhn and pick up a non-league win and hand head coach John Leighton his 300th career victory. The Panthers jumped out to a quick start, scoring 21 points in the first and building an 11-point lead. Huhn, who is committed to Miami (Ohio), caught fire in the second, with 18 of her team’s 21 points to cut the lead down to five at the break. After a nearly even third quarter, the Panthers exploded for 21 points in the fourth to break things open and seal the win. Katie Peterson was the top scorer for the Panthers with 21 points, including seven in the first and eight in the third quarter. Sophomore Chloe Fales added 13 points, knocking down three from beyond the arc, including a pair of triples in the fourth to help Franklin pull away. Bridget Leo scored 11 points, six of them in the first, and Lizzie Newman and Caelyn Leonard each added 10 points.
King Philip, 34 @ Framingham, 71 – Final
Oliver Ames, 29 vs. Walpole, 49 – Final – OA was held to only four points in the second quarter and six in the fourth, as the Tigers fell in the opener of the Sue Rivard Tournament. Walpole led by three after one, but a 12-4 second quarter opened up a double digit advantage (24-13) at halftime. The Tigers had a solid start to the second half, but Walpole built the lead back to 12 after three and didn’t look back. Sarah Hilliard led OA for the second straight game, scoring 12 points and grabbing five rebounds. Maddie Homer chipped in with six points and 10 rebounds. OA will face Bishop Fenwick in the consolation round.
Sharon, 61 vs. Silver Lake, 58 – Final – Jasmine Davis was unstoppable on Wednesday, scoring 34 points and grabbing 26 rebounds to lead the Eagles to the final of the Quincy Holiday Tournament. Davis also dished out three assists and had a pair of steals and blocks. In the closing seconds, her two free throws sealed the win for Sharon. Carmen Leonardi (six points, three boards, and two assists), Eva Poulton (six points), and Thea Caproni (five points) also gave the Eagles solid all-around performances. Sharon faces the host team in the tournament final.
Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 2 @ Norton, 9 – Final – Attleboro scored once in the first period and once in the third but the Bombardiers weren’t able to recover from four goals in the first seven minutes by Norton. Nick Fernandes scored off of an assist from Michael Lachance with three minutes to go in the first period while sophomore Austin Bessette scored his first career goal just over three minutes into the third with assists from Colin Flynn and Owen Parker.
Canton, 4 @ Westwood, 1 – Final
Franklin, 1 vs. St. Mary’s, 2 – Final
Mansfield, 4 vs. Shrewsbury, 5 – Final
Taunton, 5 @ Middleboro, 7 – Final
Girls Hockey
Canton, 0 @ Notre Dame Academy, 3 – Final
Hockomock Stars, 0 vs. HPNA, 7 – Final
Wrestling
Lowell Tournament (Foxboro, Franklin, Milford), 12:00
Marshfield Holiday Tournament – Taunton had one champion and two finalists and finished third as a team while Sharon had three finalists to earn fifth overall at the Marshfield Holiday Tournament. Taunton’s Ethan Harris was the top seed in the 182 bracket and used a pair of falls and one decision while Sharon’s Cormac Horlbogen, the second seed, had two decisions and one fall to each reach the final. Harris took the individual bracket with a 16-2 major decision in the final. Taunton’s Ben Mandeville (145) and Logan Frank (220) and Sharon’s Ashmith Yeruva (106) and Cam Birnbaum (126) all reached the finals. North Attleboro was 18th overall with Austin Dean (160) taking fourth, Mansfield was 22nd with Colton Johnson taking first in the 220 bracket, and Oliver Ames finished 27th with Nathan Lipski (145) finishing sixth.
Gymnastics
Mansfield, 126.25 @ Oliver Ames, 130.50 – Final
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames, 130.50 – Final
Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 59 @ Bridgewater-Raynham, 54 – Final – Attleboro junior Neo Franco had ice in his veins down the stretch, hitting key free throws in the final moments to help the Bombardiers secure a key non-league on the road. Franco, fresh off a career-high 29 point performance earlier this week against Stoughton, stayed hot with 27 points on Thursday night. Trailing by a point at 54-53, Franco was fouled driving to the basket and sank both free throws to put Attleboro ahead with 18.7 seconds left. After Attleboro got a stop on defense, Franco was fouled and hit two more to make it a two-possession game in the final seconds. He finished 8-for-10 from the line in the fourth quarter alone and had 12 points total in the fourth. Jaiden Outland (seven points) had a big three-pointer in the fourth Michael Beverly (11 points) set the tone early for the visitors with a pair of triples in the first quarter.
Canton, 69 @ Southeastern, 54 – Final – Canton scored 18 points in the third quarter and 24 points in the fourth quarter, turning a small halftime deficit into a double-digit win on the road at Southeastern. The Bulldogs connected on five three-pointers in the first half, including a pair from Julius Hicks (16 points) but trailed by a bucket, 29-27, at halftime. Senior Matt Chafin sparked the offense in the third, scoring 11 of his career-high 20 points in the quarter and Zaza Francoeur (16 points) added a triple to give Canton a 45-38 lead going into the fourth. Chafin and Francoeur each scored a pair of buckets, Hicks hit two more threes and both Jeremiah Predin and Caden Mirliani connected from deep as Canton pulled away for the win.
Foxboro, 72 @ Milton, 52 – Final – Foxboro senior Alex Penders scored the first bucket of the game and dominated the rest of the way, tying a career-high with 30 points to lead the Warriors to a big win on the road at Milton. Penders scored 13 points in the opening quarter, Sam Golub (11 points) and Ryan LeClair each had four, and Ryan Kelley and Ryan Cotter (10 points) each hit a shot to give Foxboro a commanding 25-12 lead after eight minutes. Foxboro carried a 40-22 lead into the locker room. Penders went right back to work in the third with nine more points to give Foxboro a 56-35 lead going into the fourth.
Sharon, 67 vs. Plymouth North, 51 – Final – Sharon built a double-digit lead by halftime and used a big third quarter to pull away for a big win against visiting Plymouth North. Dante James hit five three-pointers, including a pair in Sharon’s big third quarter, and finished with a career-high 25 points. James got the Eagles going with a pair of threes in the first while Ryan Brown, Jacob McLoughlin (22 points), and Tyler Goodman all connected from downtown in the opening eight minutes to give the Eagles a 16-10 lead after a quarter. McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson (nine points) each scored six in the second for a 32-20 halftime lead. Plymouth North cut the deficit down to single digits in the third but Goodman drained a three and James scored 10 points in the quarter alone to help pull away.
Girls Basketball
Mansfield, 42 @ Bishop Feehan, 57 – Final
Sharon, 39 @ Leominster, 49 – Final – Rachael Hager led the Eagles with 15 points and Jasmine Davis added 12 in the loss.
Boys Hockey
Canton, 4 vs. Hanover, 1 – Final – Canton scored three goals in the second period to earn a key win over state powerhouse Hanover. Pat Drury, Brian Middleton, and AJ Thomas each scored in the second to give the Bulldogs the lead. Sophomore Travis Thomas tacked on an empty net goal in the third to secure the win.
Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 @ Boston Latin Academy, 1 – Final – After going to overtime with Canton on Wednesday, Franklin was back in action in another tight one just 24 hours later. Lindsay Atkinson scored the game-winner late in the third period, off an assist from Julia Flynn, to lift the Panthers to the win. Avery Greco scored Franklin’s first goal, with Shaw Downing picking up the assist. Izzy Brown had another stellar game in goal for the Panthers.
Boys Basketball
Stoughton, 60 @ Attleboro, 69 – Final – Attleboro got off to a strong start with a 21-point first quarter, build a double-digit lead at halftime, took a 21-point lead into the final quarter, and then held on after a late surge from Stoughton to secure a 69-60 win. Junior Neo Franco poured in a career-high 29 points, hitting one of Attleboro’s four first quarter three-pointers. Franco had 15 points by halftime while Michael Beverly scored all of his career-high 19 points in the first three quarters. Jaiden Outland and Hayden Crowley also had first quarter threes for Attleboro, which led 38-24 at halftime and 55-34 after three quarters. The Bombardiers limited the visitors to just five points in the second and 10 in the third to grow their big lead. Jayden Costa-Haywood dropped a career-high 25 points for the Black Knights, hitting five three-pointers, and sophomore Matt Greenspoon drained four threes and finished with 16 points.
Canton, 47 @ Taunton, 59 – Final – Taunton took the lead in the second quarter and built on it with a big third, improving to 3-0 on the season with a win over visiting Canton. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead (17-12) with a strong first but the Tigers clawed back and carried a 31-25 lead into halftime. Taunton carried that momentum into the second half, exploding for 21 points in the third quarter to push the lead to 52-37 going into the final eight minutes. Chris Perault scored six points in the second and added a three in the third, finishing with a game-high 19 points for Taunton. Tyson Carter added a three in both of the middle quarters, freshman Jakari Innocent scored 12 of his 14 points between the second and third, and Troy Santos had seven of his nine in the same stretch for the Tigers. Canton hit three threes in the opening quarter but only had two more the rest of the way. Jamaal McConnell led Canton with 13 points while Zaza Francoeur chipped in with 10 points.
Oliver Ames, 50 @ King Philip, 63 – Final – King Philip caught fire in the third quarter, sinking seven three-pointers inside eight minutes to pull away from Oliver Ames for a 63-50 win. The Warriors scored 10 points in the first and 13 in the second, but Oliver Ames held a two-point lead at 25-23 at the break, thanks in part to Nick Asiaf scoring all nine of his points in the second. In the third, senior Will Laplante hit four threes and had 13 of his team-high 21 points in the third. Tommy McLeish added a pair of triples and Tommy Kilroy hit another as the Warriors exploded for 31 points in the third, flipping a two-point halftime deficit to a 54-37 advantage going into the fourth. Kilroy added another three in the fourth and Tommy Martorano finished with 14 points for KP. OA sophomore Cole Craffey scored a career-high 24 points to pace the Tigers.
Mansfield, 50 @ North Attleboro, 33 – Final – Mansfield used a 9-0 run in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead and did enough to keep North Attleboro at arm’s length the rest of the way, grinding out a tough win. The Hornets’ defense limited the Rocketeers to single digits offensively in each of the first two quarters to stake a 27-13 lead by halftime. Caden Colby scored eight of his team-high 11 points in the second quarter, hitting a pair of threes to help the Hornets establish their lead. JT Veiking had eight of his 10 points and Eddie McCoy scored half of his 10 points in the second half to keep Mansfield ahead. Sophomore Chase Frisoli scored a team-high 11 points for the Rocketeers.
Sharon, 71 @ Milford, 54 – Final – Sharon set the tone defensively early and had a strong overall showing, taking home a 71-54 win from Milford. The Eagles limited the hosts to just one field goal in the first eight minutes and the offense fed off that energy as Ryan Brown (11 points), Jacob McLoughlin (21 points), and Nate Katznelson (20 points) combined to give the Eagles and 18-2 lead. Anthony Piron and Jaden Segal added buckets in the second as Sharon established a 39-17 lead at halftime. McLoughlin added eight more in the third and both Zach Wise and Dante James contributed baskets to help the Eagles stay in front. Luca Testa scored all of his team-high 11 points in the second half while Jack Buckley and CJ Farrell each chipped in with 10 points for Milford.
Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 59 @ Stoughton, 29 – Final – Attleboro locked in defensively, allowing Stoughton just 11 points in the opening half, and then pulled away with a dominant third quarter to earn its third straight win. The Bombardiers led 13-4 after one and 26-11 at the break, but scored 21 points in the third to break the game wide open. Vanessa Ellis continued her strong start to the season with a game-high 21, including eight in the third quarter alone. Lily Routhier added 16, half of those coming in the third. Attleboro also got eight points from Avery James and seven from Kayla Goldrick. Stoughton was led again by freshman Kirsten McKay, who finished with 12 points. She had eight of those in the second half. Katrina Varnum added four points and nine rebounds, while Caleigh Clark, Raina Tat, and Avery Hobbs each scored three points for the Black Knights.
Taunton, 56 @ Canton, 52 – Final – Taunton turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, holding Canton to just seven points over the final eight minutes, and rallied from seven points down to pick up its third win in a row to start the season. The game was tied at 24-24 at the break, but Canton stepped up on offense to win the third 21-14, led by Samya DaSilva with seven points and Erin Beatty with six. Taunton responded in the fourth, staying unbeaten under new coach Gretchen Rodrigues and in a first-place tie atop the Kelley-Rex. Aaliyah Yera scored six points in the fourth, while Cali Melo added four and Jillian Doherty added four free throws. Freshman Taryn Campbell led the way for the Tigers with 13 points, including eight of Taunton’s 14 in the third. Doherty and Melo each finished with 11 and Yera had nine, all of them from beyond the arc. DaSilva was Canton’s top scorer with 14, while Beatty chipped in with eight and Emily McCabe had seven for the Bulldogs, who knocked down nine threes as a team.
Franklin, 50 @ Foxboro, 55 – Final – Camryn Collins scored 20 points for the second straight game and Foxboro rallied from 11 points down in the second half to end Franklin’s 44-game league win streak. The first quarter was tight, as both teams came out firing. Collins had 10 of Foxboro’s 16 and Katie Peterson had 11 of Franklin’s 15. The Panthers locked down in the second, holding Foxboro to just two points to go into the locker room leading 27-18. Foxboro rallied early in the third, cutting the lead to just two, but then Franklin put together a run to extend the lead out to as many as 11. Sasha Tracey knocked down a pair of threes for the Panthers and had all six of her points in the quarter. Down nine heading to the final eight minutes, the Warriors found another gear on both ends of the floor and pulled out a 25-11 fourth quarter to secure the victory. Kailey Sullivan caught fire and scored 10 of her 12 points in the fourth, while Ava Hill added three of her seven and Collins scored seven points in the frame, including a clutch pull-up jumper to put Foxboro in front. Peterson would finish with 19 for the Panthers, 15 of them in the first half, and Lizzie Newman scored seven points.
King Philip, 52 @ Oliver Ames, 48 – Final – Emily Sawyer scored a career-high 28 points and the Warriors held on down the stretch to pick up an important, early-season road win. Sawyer was dominant in the first half, scoring six in the first quarter and 10 more in the second. Jackie Bonner added a pair of threes to help KP jump out to a 26-18 lead heading into the locker rooms. OA rallied in the second half, winning the third quarter 13-10 to cut the deficit to just five (36-31). The Tigers took the lead in the fourth, but KP was able to make the plays it needed down the stretch to secure the win. Jordan Bennett scored five of her seven points in the fourth and Sawyer added six more to help the Warriors hang on late. Sarah Hilliard made her season debut for OA and scored 11 and grabbed seven boards in the loss. Avery Gamble added nine points, including seven in the fourth, and Maddie Homer (12 rebounds, including nine offensive) and Kamryn Derba each chipped in with six.
North Attleboro, 41 @ Mansfield, 72 – Final – Mansfield tied a program record with 72 points, remarkably scoring 18 in each of the four quarters, and clamped down on defense in the second half to secure its first win of the season. Abby Wager tied a season-high with 22 points, including 16 in the first half, to lead the Hornets. Kara Santos scored 17, eight of them in third, and Olivia Salisbury scored seven. Mansfield led 36-24 at halftime, but the Hornets pulled away after the break, holding North to 17 points in the second half, and started to dominate on the glass. North was led by freshman Ella McLaughlin, who hit three from beyond the arc and finished with 12 points. Ava McKeon chipped in with nine and Sam Sweeney scored eight, including a pair from outside.
Milford, 45 @ Sharon, 48 – Final – Sharon rallied from eight points down in the fourth quarter and Olivia Landstein (five points and four steals) buried a late three to secure the Eagles their first victory under first-year coach Matt DellaBarba. Jasmine Davis continued to dominate in the paint, scoring a season-high 25 points and pulling down 19 rebounds. Rachael Hager had a solid all-around game for the Eagles with eight points, nine rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
Boys Indoor Track (@ the TRACK at New Balance)
Mansfield, 53 @ Oliver Ames, 46 – Final
Sharon @ Canton, 4:30 – Sharon picked up it first the league win of the season on Tuesday. For Canton, Josh Richards took first place in the shot put and Jimmy Podgurski came in third. Luke Darling won the 600 and Dan Kraslynkov took first place in the 300 with Christian Hanlon finishing third.
Foxboro @ Stoughton, 4:30
King Philip, 30 @ Attleboro, 70 – Final
Franklin @ Milford, 4:30
Taunton @ North Attleboro, 4:30
Girls Indoor Track (@ the TRACK at New Balance)
Mansfield @ Oliver Ames, 4:30
Sharon, 37 @ Canton, 63 – Final – Canton got three PRs and swept the shot put, as the Bulldogs pulled out a win against Sharon. Emma Massih took first with a new personal best of 30’75”, Jess Brathwaite took second with a PR of 25’7.5”, and Taylor Kernen also set a new personal mark with a throw of 23’3” to take third. Canton also won both the 4×200 (Diana Tambi, Katie Oliver, Jayda Proffit, and Syriah McCruse) and the 4×400 (Tahlia Weaver, Lexi Piazza, Lianna Camille, and Nora Giannacopolous) relays.
Canton’s Zaza Francoeur (3) attempts to block a shot from Sharon’s Nate Katznelson (32) in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
SHARON, Mass. – It might have been second game jitters, or maybe it was the nearly 90-minute delay that pushed tipoff back, but neither Canton nor Sharon could quite get into a rhythm on Friday night.
That was until crunch time.
The visiting Bulldogs used an 8-0 run — the biggest run from either team in the entire game — to surge ahead with just under three minutes to go, only for the host Eagles to answer and secure a 57-52 win.
A pair of lengthy subvarsity games pushed the start time back over an hour, and both teams struggled to string baskets together as defense ruled the first three quarters.
“We got a little complacent and at times, we got a little selfish, and our offense stopped moving, we stopped sharing the ball and it became difficult to score,” said Sharon head coach Andrew Ferguson. “I think [Canton’s run] did kind of wake us up. We had some real effort from guys on the bench that kept everyone involved. Then we were able to get some big plays down the stretch from some big players.”
A bucket down low from Sharon junior Jaden Segal put the Eagles ahead 47-40 just before the midway point of the fourth quarter. Canton responded with its best offensive stretch of the game as Jamaal McConnell (16 points, four rebounds, two blocks) hit a free throw and senior Caden Mirliani scored a bucket in transition and followed with a pull-up three-pointer to get the Bulldogs within one.
Matt Chafin (eight points) came up with a steal and Julius Hicks found Zaza Francoeur (7 points, five rebounds, four steals, three blocks) cutting to the basket for two and Canton’s first lead, 48-47, since McConnell’s opening bucket to start the game.
After a timeout, Sharon junior Jacob McLoughlin (8 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds) slipped a pass to a cutting Dante James (eight points), and the senior finished his baseline take to put the hosts back in front. An illegal screen gave Sharon the ball back but McConnell came up with a huge block at the rim. Canton had another empty trip, launching three three-pointers but were off the mark each time.
A pair of free throws from James extended Sharon’s lead to 51-48 but Hicks found Chafin and he drained his first and only three-point attempt to make it 51-51 with 1:30 left.
Sharon drew up a baseline inbounds play but the Bulldogs defended it well. Without any teammates open, McLoughlin alertly tossed the ball off a Canton player’s back, got back inbounds, and laid it up for two and a 53-51 lead.
“We’re not trying to make a habit of throwing off the other team’s back but we have two high IQ point guards,” Ferguson. Sharon senior Jack Bates (five assists, two steals) did the same thing to end a quarter against Taunton. “We’re trying to draw up a play, we were looking for Nate and they defended it really well. Jacob made a real heads-up play to get a bucket.”
The Eagles’ ball pressure led to a backcourt on Canton’s next possession, and after drawing up another play in a timeout, James looped in a pass to Nate Katznelson (22 points, 12 rebounds) in the post and he finished at the rim to make it 55-51 with 20 seconds left. Sharon continuously made an effort to get the ball down low, only attempting nine three-pointers all game and making just one.
“All day in practice yesterday we were working on feeding Nate in the post,” Ferguson said. “We thought we had a size advantage there and we could use that. He has been tremendous this year, his physicality is so much better. With Matt [Baur] out (illness) and Jacob not having his best night, we had to rely on Nate. And Dante made a great play in the end too, so relying on those guys with the varsity experience is key right now.”
McConnell sank a free throw to make it a one-possession game but McLoughlin sank two from the line to ice the win.
“I thought their ball pressure really bothered us and prevented us from getting into anything,” said second-year Canton head coach Eric MacKinnon. “We’d draw up a play and couldn’t get to it. Their ball pressure was really good but part of it is on us too. We’re too free-flowing at times. They got a lot of deflections and I thought they were the tougher team.
“During that run, that was the one point it kind of felt like things were going good but we never really got any runs, and didn’t have another one to extend [the lead]. Katznelson is a different type of player to guard and we were struggling a bit with that.”
Katznelson got off to a strong start, helping the hosts establish a lead that they carried throughout the second and third quarters. He started the game off with a traditional three-point play on a feed from McLoughlin and then scored 10 of Sharon’s final 14 points — the Eagles also got buckets from Zach Wise and Ryan Brown in the stretch.
He finished with 13 points and four rebounds in the opening quarter to help the Eagles take a 19-11 lead after eight minutes.
Hicks made a pair of threes in the second quarter and the Bulldogs also got buckets from Ashton Cetoute and Francoeur as they got the deficit down to four, 30-26, at halftime.
“We have to learn from this and grow from these situations, and we will if we do the right things in practice,” MacKinnon said. “I’m hoping we’ll look back and say we got better from it, even though it was a loss. We have to be tougher with the ball, some of our inexperience showed tonight.”
Sharon boys basketball (1-1 Hockomock, 1-1 overall) is on the road at Milford on Tuesday while Canton (1-1, 1-1) travels to Taunton.
North Attleboro, 51 @ Canton, 60 – Final – Canton took the lead early and played from ahead, doing just enough to shake a resilient North Attleboro squad for a win in the season opener. The Bulldogs had different players step up throughout the game with juniors Zaza Francoeur (career-high 18 points) and Jamaal McConnell (17 points in his Bulldog debut) leading the way. Francoeur and McConnell each scored seven points in the second to help the Bulldogs establish a 29-24 lead at halftime. In the third, Caden Mirliani hit a pair of threes while sophomore Anthony Diletizia also scored to keep Canton ahead by five, 40-35, going into the fourth. Senior Matt Chafin and Diletizia each had a three in the fourth, McConnell added four more, and Francoeur (5/6 from the free throw line) helped the Bulldogs close it out with seven more points in the fourth. Ayden Delaney led a balanced scoring effort from North Attleboro with 11 points while Givany Carney and Derek Maceda each had nine points.
Milford, 53 @ Foxboro, 60 – Final – Milford rallied to shrink a 23-point second half deficit down to three with under two minutes to go by Foxboro senior Alex Penders came up with a big bucket and Ryan LeClair forced a key turnover two plays later as the Warriors escaped with a win over the Hawks. Penders finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the charge while LeClair chipped in with 10 points. Sophomore Ryan Kelley scored all of his career-high 10 points in the third quarter, helping the Warriors build a big lead. The Warriors led 15-12 after a quarter and thanks to a pair of threes from LeClair and seven points from Penders, Foxboro increased its lead to 31-20 at halftime. Kelley’s big third, plus two threes from Penders, saw the lead balloon to as much as 49-26 midway through the third. Milford sophomore Andrew Rivera scored half of his 16 points in the fourth to help rally the Scarlet Hawks, who went 13-for-18 from the free throw line, including seven of those makes in the fourth. Freshman CJ Farrell added a career-high 14 points for the Hawks.
Franklin, 55 @ Oliver Ames, 42 – Final – Franklin overcame a slow start to erase a double-digit deficit and pick up a win on the road in Easton. Oliver Ames came to play, racing out to an 18-5 lead after eight minutes with senior Chris Elias (11 points) and sophomore Cole Craffey (14 points) each hitting a three. But the Panthers flipped the switch and dominated the second quarter, holding the hosts to five points while its offense got going with 24 points. Justin Allen, who finished with 14 points, hit a pair of threes in the quarter, junior Andrew O’Neill (13 points) added one, and junior Sean O’Leary went off for 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second. Allen, O’Neill, and O’Leary each connected from downtown in the third to keep the Panthers ahead (44-30) going into the fourth.
Taunton, 67 @ Sharon, 63 – Final – Taunton junior Troy Santos exploded for a career-high 44 points to lead the Tigers to a win on the road at Sharon to open the season. The Eagles led after each of the first three quarters but the Tigers continued to rally, especially in the second half, to get the win. Seniors Jack Bates and Dante James each hit a three in the second quarter, Jacob McLoughlin had eight of his 18 points in the first half, and junior Nate Katznelson scored 10 of his 14 points in the first two quarters as the Eagles carried a 30-23 lead into the second half. Santos carried the Tigers in the first half, scoring all but four of their 23 points. Santos got some help in the third as Chris Volcy had five points and Chris Perault added eight points but a three-pointer from Bates at the buzzer put Sharon ahead, 44-42, going into the fourth. With just one three-point field goal and two free throws, Santos connected on seven two-pointers to shoulder the load in the fourth as Taunton went up by as much as 10 in the final minutes. Taunton had a 65-55 lead with a minute to go before the Eagles made it interesting as McLoughlin converted a traditional three-point play, James scored off of a steal and then hit a three off another Taunton turnover, this time with under 5 seconds to play. An errant whistle stopped the clock but Taunton used a full court heave to Santos, who finished at the buzzer, to survive.
Canton, 39 @ North Attleboro, 47 – Final – Ava McKeon scored a game-high 18 points, powering North Attleboro to a season-opening win. McKeon scored 10 points in the first quarter and 15 before halftime to help the Rocketeers jump out to a seven-point lead at the break. Canton cut it to one in the closing minute but North was able to pull out the win. North was 19-of-26 from the line as a team, which helped the Rocketeers hold on, despite having McKeon foul out late in the fourth. North coach Nikki Correia said, “I am so proud of the girls. They played as a team executed the offense and played hard D for four quarters.” Samya DaSilva nearly matched McKeon in the first half, knocking down three from beyond the arc and scoring nine of her team-high 13 in the first quarter. Sam Sweeney helped North hold off the Bulldogs in the second half, scoring seven of her 15 points in the fourth. Sam Faria chipped in with nine points for the hosts, including 6-of-6 from the line. Jess Wright also reached double digits for Canton, adding 11 points.
Foxboro, 67 @ Milford, 29 – Final – Sophomore center Addie Ruter scored a career-high 18 points to lead the Warriors to a big road win in the season opener. Kailey Sullivan added 17 points and Camryn Collins scored 14 for the Warriors. Foxboro scored 19 in the opening quarter but then broke the game wide open with an 18-5 second that increased the lead to 22 at the break. Brooke Ferreira led the way for the Hawks, scoring 12 points and freshman Ava Baglione scored eight on her varsity basketball debut.
Oliver Ames, 45 @ Franklin, 54 – Final – Franklin was able to hold off a fourth quarter charge by OA to pull out a foul-filled season opener and continue its long win streak in league play. The Panthers jumped out to a 17-7 lead after the first and extended the advantage to 14 heading into the final eight minutes. OA rallied, scoring 18 points in the fourth and twice cutting the lead down to as little as seven, but Franklin made enough plays to seal the victory. Katie Peterson battled foul trouble in the second half, but finished as the game’s top scorer with 13 points. Chloe Fales, Caelyn Leonard, and Lizzie Newman each scored 10 points for the Panthers and Bridget Leo added eight. Freshman Kamryn Derba scored a team-high 11 points on her varsity debut for OA. Maeve Horsman added nine points, including seven in the fourth, Annie Reilly had eight points and eight rebounds, and Maddie Homer had seven points and five boards in the loss.
Stoughton, 41 @ King Philip, 64 – Final – KP came alive offensively in the third quarter, outscoring Stoughton 24-7 to break the game wide open. Emily Sawyer scored 12 of her game-high 16 in the third to help the Warriors pull away and seal the season-opening win. Maddie Paschke added 13 points for KP, including seven in the first half. Kylie Watson chipped in with nine and Jordan Bennett and Jackie Bonner each scored seven points for the hosts. Stoughton was able to hang around in the first half with help from Katrina Varnum, who score 10 of her 13 points before the break and added 11 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end, and three blocks. Freshman Kirsten McKay had a big debut for the Black Knights, scoring 10 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter, and adding eight rebounds, four assists, and five steals. Alyssa Edwards added 10 points, eight boards, a block, and four steals, while Raina Tat finished with seven in the loss.
Sharon, 37 @ Taunton, 46 – Final – Cali Melo scored a team-high 17 points, nine in the first half, helping Taunton pick up a win in the season opener and give new coach Gretchen Rodrigues a win on her debut. Taunton held the Eagles to just 11 points in the first half and then held on as Sharon tried to mount a late comeback attempt. Freshman Taryn Campbell added 10 points in her first varsity game (eight in the opening half) and Jillian Doherty chipped in eight points (four in each half). Sharon picked things up offensively after the break, led by Jasmine Davis, who scored 16 of her game-high 19 points in the second half. Davis added 24 rebounds and three blocks. Rachael Hager (seven rebounds and four steals) added eight of her 11 points after halftime and Eva Poulton contributed seven points and five boards for Sharon.
Attleboro has consistently been in the hunt for the Kelley-Rex division in recent years, and if the Bombardiers are going to be there again this year, they will have to do so with a lot of new players to the varsity level.
Not only did the Bombardiers graduate a sizable senior class, but the majority of them were also key pieces in longtime head coach Mark Houle’s lineup and rotation. Add in the transfer of promising 6’5-forward Trevor White, and Attleboro has very few pieces left from last year. But that’s not to say Attleboro is without talent. Junior Neo Franco is coming off a very successful first year with the team, earning HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team honors. Jaiden Outland saw more and more minutes as the season went on and he showed what he’s capable of with a career-high 18 points in Attleboro’s win over Durfee in late February last year; he could be poised for a big year. Senior Michael Beverly is the third returner for the Bombardiers after picking up some minutes last year while newcomer senior Justin Hanrahan could be a key piece right away.
Another reason for optimism is that most of the new faces in the lineup this year played for the Bombardiers’ JV squad last season, which posted an impressive 19-2 record. Seniors Spencer Sherck, Zyeem Charles, Nathan Hodson, and Michael Alfonso will provide key leadership for Houle this year. Junior Max Crawford will join sophomores Dante Monestime, Hayden Crowley, and Brady Erwin as potential contributors for the Bombardiers.
“We need to continue our commitment to be a highly competitive defensive team, our communication, and understanding of defensive concepts is a priority and is a reason we were one of the top defensive teams in the league last year,” Houle said.
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Eric MacKinnon
Canton surprised a lot of people on the outside of the program with a nine-win season that certainly was good enough for a playoff spot, but the Bulldogs have put that seeding drama in the rearview mirror and are now focused on surprising people again this year.
In order to do so, the Bulldogs will need new players to step up as second-year head coach Eric MacKinnon only has one returning starter from last year. Matt Chafin emerged as a top perimeter option, averaging 8.8 points per game last year (reaching double figures in just under half of the games). Although he isn’t returning from last year’s lineup, Julius Hicks provides a big boost for MacKinnon and Bulldogs, coming back after missing all of last season with an injury. Hicks would have certainly been in the rotation last year and will be a vital piece this year. Junior Zaza Francoeur is an athletic wing player that can impact the game on both ends of the floor for the Bulldogs.
Defense emerged as one of Canton’s strengths a season ago as the Bulldogs bought into MacKinnon’s game plan. Canton allowed the least amount of points against in the Davenport division at 50.6, and they will look to replicate that again this year.
“With our personnel and style of play we have the ability to score from the perimeter and play inside-out at times,” MacKinnon said. “Our length and athleticism should allow us to get out in transition.”
Foxboro is one of the few teams in the league that has more familiar faces returning than not, and after only missing out on the Davenport title by one game last year, the Warriors are aiming to compete with defending champs Sharon and division newcomer Mansfield for the top spot this season.
The Warriors boast one of the better senior classes, anchored by HockomockSports First Team selection Alex Penders. Penders, a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game last year and recently committed to play at Ithaca next year, is joined by classmates Sam Golub, Ryan LeClair, and Andrew Finn. Golub and LeClair played a lot of minutes for head coach Jon Gibbs last season and both improved as the season went on. Having three experienced players will certainly give the Warriors an advantage, especially on the defensive side of the ball where Gibbs always has his teams prepared.
Penders can score in a variety of ways and will be a matchup problem for most teams in the league. Golub is a proven shooter that can get hot at any time while LeClair is a pesky defender, and as seen by his performance on the road at Stoughton last year, is a capable scorer. Penders will certainly be the focus of the offense but he’s a very unselfish player and Foxboro should have a good balance in the scoring column. While the Warriors have a strong senior class, they’re still a relatively young team. With only two juniors, the rest of the roster is filled by six sophomores and two freshmen. Junior Ryan Cotter and sophomores Ryan Kelley and Nolan Gordon will be names to keep an eye on.
“This is a very hard-working and coachable group that is improving on a daily basis,” Gibbs said. “We have a very exciting blend of experienced veterans and newcomers who are hungry to contribute. If we can defend and rebound at a high level, the potential is there for a very successful season.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-4 Coach: CJ Neely
Entering the past two seasons, there was a lot of unknown for the Panthers after graduating a large senior class each year. It’s the opposite this year as Franklin graduated just three players and has the majority of last year’s squad that went 21-4 back in the fold.
After a third-place finish in the Kelley-Rex last season, Franklin could be the team to beat this go around. Junior Sean O’Leary highlights a talented and experienced group of long, athletic players. O’Leary, a 6-foot-4 forward that can score from anywhere on the court and was named to the HockomockSports All-Underclassmen Team last year, will be one of the top players in the league this year. Junior Andrew O’Neill (8.8 points per game) is another returner and head coach CJ Neely will lean on a small but talented senior class that features Ben Harvey (HockomockSports All-Defensive Team), Justin Allen, Geino Scaringello, and Hayden Morandi.
Juniors Hansy Jacques, Bradley Herndon, and Andrew Benoit were all on the team last year and could see increased minutes this season. There will be more opportunities on offense for players to step up with the graduation of Sean Vinson (12.8 ppg) and last year’s leading scorer and HockomockSports Underclassman of the Year Henry Digirogio (16.1 ppg) has opted not to play this year. And promising sophomore Caden Sullivan, who likely would have been in the rotation, will miss significant time due to injury.
“The preseason has been very competitive at practice,” Neely said. “We have a great group of guys who really care for each other. While we do have a good amount of returning players, there is a lot of playing time up for grabs and it will be a daily challenge for guys to earn roles. I have been most impressed with how committed and focused the players have been each day on the court and in film sessions to always look for ways to improve as a group. It will be fun to watch them grow and compete all year.”
2021-2022 Record: 6-16 Head Coach: Dave DeStefano
King Philip brings back a good portion of its roster and is looking to book a spot in the tournament and contend for the Kelley-Rex division title.
The Warriors are one of the few teams in the league that brings back their leading scorer from a year ago in Will Laplante, a seasoned veteran that has averaged over 16 points per year in each of the last two seasons. Laplante is joined by senior Grant Kinney, who had some breakout games last year, and Tommy Martorano, who showed that at his best (a career-high 36 points) that he can score with the best players in the league. That trio is three of KP’s top five scorers from a year ago. Senior Colin Peck, a 6-foot-2 forward, will likely see an expanded role after playing some valuable minutes last year.
Juniors Tommy McLeish and Trevor Clyde, both 6-foot-3 forwards, have made a big jump from last year and will be key pieces for head coach Dave DeStefano this year. New additions Danny Silveria and Peter Cataldo, both juniors, look to factor in as key defensive pieces for the Warriors. Sophomore Tommy Kilroy didn’t see a ton of minutes early on last year but his role expanded as the season went on, scoring in double figures against Mansfield and in a win over Xaverian. Fellow sophomores Brandon Nicastro, Drew Laplante, and Jack Assini will all looking to contribute this season as well.
“The boys have really committed this offseason,” DeStefano said. “The limited practices so far have been really competitive. It’s no secret that our defense has to drastically improve to be competitive in the league. We want to make our opponents uncomfortable and focus on working together to get stops. On offense, we are looking to have a balanced attack and create great scoring opportunities as a team.”
2021-2022 Record: 21-5 Coach: Mike Vaughan
Mansfield had its incredible streak of nine straight Kelley-Rex division titles come to an end last season, and now the Hornets start a new chapter as they begin their first season in the Davenport. Expectations remain sky-high for the Hornets, who are an immediate favorite for the division crown.
The Hornets have two of their best scorers back from last year in senior Chris Hill (12.5 ppg) and junior Trevor Foley (8.2 ppg), but Mansfield did graduate its leading scorer in Matty Hyland and lost five of its top seven scorers. That means there’s a lot of opportunity for new faces to step up. Hill has probably played more varsity minutes than anyone else in the league and he can compete at a high-level night in and night out. Foley really emerged as a top player by the end of the season, averaging over 16 points per game in March.
Senior Caden Colby was part of the rotation last year and will see a bigger role this year while classmate JT Veiking is a 6-foot-5 forward that can score on the perimeter or down low. Senior Michael Creedon rounds out the senior class and can provide a spark with increased minutes this year. Junior Eddie McCoy is poised for a breakout year, an athletic wing player that can attack the rim and cause problems for opposing defenses. Juniors Brandon Jackman and Davon Sanders should see time in the Mansfield backcourt this year.
“This season will be our tallest team in my tenure, it will be fun to see what different things we can do on the defensive end,” Vaughan said. “Offensively we should have plenty of power to put points on the board but the big question mark will be how quickly we can find our max compete level.”
2021-2022 Record: 2-21 Coach: Paul Seaver
Milford had an entirely new team last season and was the youngest team in the league. With just four seniors gone from last year, the Hawks are still a young team but head coach Paul Seaver believes his group learned a lot last year and is trending in the right direction.
The Scarlet Hawks have three of the top four scorers from last season back in the fold, including junior Jake Soares (8.0 ppg), sophomore Andrew Rivera (7.8 ppg), and senior Wyatt Zagami (7.1 ppg). Zagami, who can really fill it up when he’s on a hot streak, is joined by classmates Guy Saintyl, Jacob Ligor, and Joe Buckley to round out a small senior class for the Hawks. Soares was probably Milford’s most consistent player for the first two months before an injury ended his season early, and Rivera showed some glimpses of high-level play throughout the year.
Having a year of experience will be key, especially as a lot of other Hock teams are featuring a lot of first-year varsity players. Sophomore Luca Testa is another young player that saw a lot of minutes for the Hawks last year and will be a key piece during this campaign. Sophomore Gus Coutinho is a dangerous shooter and freshman CJ Farrell could be an impact player right away as well.
“Last season we were very young and very inexperienced,” Seaver said. “We learned how to compete while playing a tough schedule. Now with double digits returnees, we not only aim to improve on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball – we aim to improve in all aspects. Our goals and expectations will be what we make them and what we do with the opportunities that are given to us. I have a great crop of kids who are committed, hard-working individuals who continue to climb the ladder and do things the right way.”
2021-2022 Record: 5-15 Coach: Sean Mulkerrins
North Attleboro battled through an up-and-down season last year that featured some impressive wins — like a double-digit victory over Foxboro and a sweep of Stoughton — as well as some tough losses, like to Foxboro in overtime and to rival Attleboro by just three points. The Rocketeers graduated their two leading scorers from a year ago but return the majority of a roster that was playing their first varsity minutes last year.
Besides its four seniors last year, the rest of the Rocketeers were brand new to the varsity level. That means this year’s group will feature a bit more experience, albeit North is still on the young side. Givany Carney is North’s most experienced player and will be one of the go-to options on the offensive end of the court. Carney is a crafty player that does well getting to the rim with a good combination of speed and size. Senior Jack Munley is a tone-setter and can change the momentum of a game with his effort while senior Derek Maceda showed glimpses last season as a potential go-to guy offensively, both on the perimeter and attacking the basket.
Sophomores Ryan Bannon and Chase Frisoli both played some valuable minutes as freshmen and should see increased roles this year. Bannon is a solid defender and can be a contributor on the offensive end while Frisoli is a high-IQ player with range. Junior Chris Hanewich is another player that head coach Sean Mulkerrins is relying on to contribute on both ends of the floor. With some good experience, North will be looking to establish itself as one of the hardest-working teams in the league, which starts on the defensive end.
“We have a roster of kids who are working hard to improve and learn our system,” Mulkerrins said. “Our practices have been very competitive. We are very focused on building and maintaining our team culture so we are prepared to compete against the talented basketball programs in the Hockomock League.”
2021-2022 Record: 10-12 Coach: Oliver Vil
Oliver Ames is going to have a new look this year under second-year head coach Oliver Vil. The Tigers lost the majority of the team that won a preliminary playoff game last season and missed out on the Davenport division title by just a game.
Not only will the lineup feature new faces, but it will also feature a lot of new faces as the Tigers have a deep group this year. Senior captains Chris Elias and Ari Spiliakos are two returners that will be leaders for the team both on and off the court. Senior Nick Asiaf is a capable ball handler and can attack the rim while seniors Nick Rhodes and Jaden Graham provide key depth. Sophomore Cole Craffey played some meaningful minutes a year ago and will be one of the Tigers’ go-to options offensively this year. He’s very confident with the ball and can score inside and out.
With seven of their top eight scorers from a season ago gone, there will be plenty of opportunity for new players to step up. Freshman Solen Lolonga was in the starting lineup for the Tigers’ season-opening win over Southeastern and had a strong showing with 19 points. Vil also has a deep junior class that features Jake Willard, Daniel Casey, Andrew Sullivan, and David Rodgers, who all played in the win.
“Our strength this season on offense will be our ability to move the ball and create shots for one another,” Vil said. “We will have the same defense approach as last season, forcing our opponents into taking difficult shots and limiting transition offensive baskets. We now have minimal room for careless mistakes to compete in an already difficult conference. I am extremely excited to battle a plethora of well-coached disinclined teams every night we step on the floor to play a game this season.”
2021-2022 Record: 12-9 (Davenport division champions) Coach: Andrew Ferguson
Sharon won its first Davenport division title in eight seasons last year and with its top three scoring options back in the mix this year, the Eagles will be in contention to repeat that feat again this year.
Senior Matt Baur and juniors Jacob McLoughlin and Nate Katznelson give Sharon one of the top trios of players in the league. Baur, who earned HockomockSports First Team honors last year after averaging 15.1 points and 6 rebounds a game, is the heart and soul of the team. He leads by example both on and off the court and is the engine of the team. He doesn’t have to fill up the scoring column to have a big impact on the game. Both Katznelson and McLoughlin emerged as top players in their first season and will be vital pieces this year.
Senior captains Jack Bates and Tyler Goodman both came off the bench as key pieces for head coach Andrew Ferguson last year and will see increased responsibility this year. Bates is a pesky defender and a good floor general while Goodman can provide a spark with his shooting. Senior Dante James, an athletic wing player, comes over from Mansfield and should give the Eagles a big boost with their depth. Juniors Ryan Brown, Anthony Piron, and Cam Sherman provide backcourt depth while juniors Zach Wise, Jaden Segal, and sophomore Sam Letendre provide physicality to the Eagles’ frontcourt.
“With a small senior class, this team is blending experience with youth and has already begun to form a tight bond both on and off the court. Our practices have been super competitive and we look forward to competing against a very strong schedule.”
2021-2022 Record: 9-11 Coach: Evan Taylor
Last season, Stoughton entered the final stretch of league games right in the mix for the Davenport division title but ended up on the outside looking in finishing in a tie for fourth and just missing out on the postseason. With just a few returners back in the mix, the Knights will be looking for a new group of players to lead them into the tournament and contend for the division crown.
Stoughton has two major challenges to address this year, one on each side of the ball. The Black Knights lost their three top scorers from last year with Connor Andrews (19.9 ppg) and Cash Mathurin (5.9 ppg) graduating, and Rayan Sablon (18.3 ppg) transferring out. Head coach Evan Taylor will lean heavily on his four returning players to try and fill that void. Senior Jayden Costa Haywood played some meaningful minutes a season ago and has taken a big leap and the Knights will look for him to provide an offensive punch. Junior Liam Pearl (5.2 ppg) also worked his way into the rotation and made some key shots in clutch moments, including at Foxboro and at home against Canton. Sophomore Matthew Greenspoon (5.6 ppg) is the top scorer back from last year and will look to build on a strong debut season as a freshman.
The other challenge for Stoughton will be on the defensive end as the Knights look to make a drastic improvement after allowing over 60 points per game last year. On top of the returners, Taylor is looking for senior Tagh Swierzewski and junior Jarred Daughtry to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball. Other newcomers include senior Obioma Dike, juniors Elijah Connor, and Nathan Figaro, sophomore Mykel Thomas, and freshmen Anthony Alessi and Aiden Rideout.
“Defense has been the main focus at the start of this season,” Taylor said. “Our goal is to be a top three defense in the league with a lot of great on-ball defenders and high IQ players on the
floor.”
2020-2021 Record: 19-3 (Kelley-Rex division champions) Coach: Charlie Dacey
This season will mark a new chapter in the storied history of Taunton basketball. After back-to-back Kelley-Rex championships, including the program’s first outright title a year ago, the Tigers will have a lot of new faces in the lineup this year.
The biggest challenge will be replacing the production from one of the best trios in the Hock in recent history in Player of the Year Trent Santos, Faisal Mass, and Tristan Herry, who combined for just under 75% of the team’s scoring last year. One of the familiar faces returning to the starting group is junior Troy Santos, who has the most career points of anyone on the roster. Santos showed some flashes last year but will have a lot more looks this year. Seniors Chris Volcy and Alvinsky Morisseau, and junior Tyson Carter are also returners from last year and figure to see increased minutes this season.
Senior Chris Perault could be the biggest addition for the Tigers, a player that can score both from the perimeter and attacking the basket. Santos will factor in as one of the top shooters both on the team and in the league while Volcy has really improved from last year and could be a top scoring option for the Tigers. Longtime head coach Charlie Dacey is looking for Dimari Brown and Travis Johnson to provide a spark on the low block, plus some more faces to step up off of the bench.
“This year’s Taunton team will be very different from last year. This edition will be faster without a singular scorer, points can come from a variety of styles,” Dacey said. “Speed and aggressive defense will be the key to Taunton’s success this year.”
Mansfield’s Grady Sullivan and Canton’s Liam Shea race after the ball in the first half. (Ryan Lanigan/HockomockSports.com)
MANSFIELD, Mass. — With the playoffs on the horizon next week, both Mansfield and Canton entered Thursday night’s contest looking to prepare for the postseason.
Mission accomplished, for both sides.
The Hornets twice took the lead and the Bulldogs answered each time, and both sides had quality chances inside the final minute for a potential game-winner. But instead the two teams — which could be potential first-round opponents in a week — settled for a 2-2 draw.
“It was definitely a fair result,” said longtime Canton head coach Danny Erickson. “I thought we played really well with the ball and we attack really well, and I thought we should have finished several more chances but I was really happy with how we attacked. Mansfield played really well defensively and they were really dangerous on the counterattack, they totally deserved their goals.
“It could have gone either way, really good high school game that went back and forth with a lot of fight by both teams. I was proud we came back twice from trailing, so it was kind of a neutral tie, it was a fair result.”
Canton sits at #12 in the latest MIAA Division 2 rankings and should host their first-round game. But any deep tournament requires going on the road and going against tough defenses like the Bulldogs did on Thursday night.
And if anybody knows about going on the road and getting a result in the tournament, it’s Canton. The Bulldogs won four games on the road last year in the playoffs to reach the Division 2 state final.
“I thought [Mansfield] was very dangerous on that counterattack, and they had some good chances that they didn’t finish on,” Erickson said. “I said multiple times to my staff that this was a great test for us, this is what we’re going to feel like dealing with in a week or two.”
Although the Hornets saw their lead disappear twice, it was a good result. Mansfield came in at #22 in the latest rankings, which would travel to #12 — just one spot away from where Canton sits currently. That means Mansfield is likely to see a similar opponent in a week.
“For us, it was a good tie even though they came back on us,” said Mansfield head coach Steve Sheridan. “The way we’ve been playing, it was a good tie but we’re starting to at least score some goals. We’ve got four goals in the last two games. We’re looking for someone to be a finisher.”
Mansfield has been up and down with its offense this year, scoring six goals in a two-game span at the end of September, then suffered a shutout at Canton. The Hornets bounced back with five goals in two games but then went scoreless for three straight before finishing the season with a pair of goals in each of their last two games.
The first of the two on Thursday night came less than 10 minutes into the contest. After the teams traded good chances in the first five minutes — a tight-angle shot from Canton’s Jake McCabe that was knocked down and smothered by Mansfield keeper Liam Doyle, and a half-volley bid from Mansfield’s Grady Sullivan a moment later that was just wide of the post — the Hornets cashed in on the counter.
A corner from the visitors was quickly cleared and the Hornets countered with pace, combining in the midfield before getting into the attacking third. Senior Nate Kablik found junior Lucas DeSousa and, without hesitation, he ripped a hard shot that knuckled near goal and found its way into the back of the net despite the keeper getting a hand on it.
Canton knocked on the door throughout the final 30 minutes of the first half but couldn’t find an equalizer. McCabe’s service in the 25th minute found Owen Morrissey but his header flashed wide. Five minutes later, a creative flick off a corner from McCabe set up Jack Lauro at the near post but his bid was off.
Right before half, Carson Eagles had a go but Doyle made the diving stop the preserve the 1-0 lead at the break.
The lead didn’t last very long after the break as the Bulldogs came out of halftime and put the pressure on the hosts right away. Caden Mirliani teed up McCabe for a half-volley that forced Doyle into a difficult save on a bounce in the 41st minute. On the ensuing corner, senior Zaza Francoeur connected with a header at the far post that was tipped over the bar by Doyle.
Finally, in the 43rd minute, Canton cashed in. McCabe raced down the left flank along the edge of the area and slid a pass back between a pair of defenders right to the penalty spot where Eagles buried a one-timer to make it 1-1.
Mansfield went back in front right at the midway point of the second half. A long throw into the area from Kablik was tracked down and settled by Aiden Steele, and as the defense collapsed, he laid a pass back to left back Elliot Scholes for a one-time blast through traffic and in for a 2-1 lead.
The lead only lasted 10 minutes though as Canton came back again. This time it was freshman Vlad Francoeur, who took down a quick throw from McCabe and cut in towards the center of the pitch. A step over granted him a bit of space and he unleashed a bending shot to the far post that bounced once and just snuck inside the post to tie it 2-2.
Mansfield (4-9-3 Hockomock, 5-10-3 overall) concluded its regular season and awaits its destination for the first round. Canton (7-5-4, 7-6-4) wraps up its season on Friday at Randolph.
