2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2016 Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton was one of the premier forwards in the hockomock league and we will miss him. Boys Soccer Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards 2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards HockomockSports Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports HockomockSports Your source for comprehensive coverage of the Hockomock League. We provide recaps, features, standings, schedules and much more.
HockomockSports Your source for comprehensive coverage of the Hockomock League. We provide recaps, features, standings, schedules and much more. Attleboro Canton Foxboro Franklin King Philip Mansfield Milford North Attleboro Oliver Ames Sharon Stoughton Taunton
HockomockSports Your source for comprehensive coverage of the Hockomock League. We provide recaps, features, standings, schedules and much more.
HockomockSports Your source for comprehensive coverage of the Hockomock League. We provide recaps, features, standings, schedules and much more. TheSunChronicle.com ESPNBoston.com

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

Mansfield senior guard Jen Peel has been named the 2017 HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Player of the Year, the sixth recipient in the site’s history and the first player from Mansfield to earn this honor. Peel finished her stellar career by leading the Hornets to back-to-back league titles for the first time in program history, going a combined 30-2 in the league over that two-year span.

“Jen has been one of the best point guards since she jumped onto the varsity team and regularly pulls off passes that no other player in the league can make,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “Even this year when she played off the ball, every possession ran through her hands and she made the Mansfield offense tick.”

Peel averaged a team-high 13.1 points per game and knocked down 48 three-pointers. She finished her career in sixth place overall with 88 threes and fourth overall with 818 career points. Peel also had 67 steals and 69 rebounds this season, finishing as the program’s all-time leader with 211 steals, which nine ahead of second place on the list.

She also had 146 assists this winter, which is the best single-season total in program history. For her career, Peel dished out 471 assists, which is 123 better than the next highest total. She did that in 94 career games, which is tied for second most in program history.

“Jen had a great career and statistically ranks as one of the best players in school history,” said Mansfield coach Mike Redding. “More importantly, she made everyone around her a better player and took the program to new heights with back to back titles and deep runs into the Division 1 South tourney.”

He added, “I honestly don’t think I’ve seen a high school player pass the ball as well as she did for us; just unbelievable vision on the floor.”

In addition to the individual statistics, Peel’s senior class finished with more wins and a better winning percentage than any other in program history, including back-to-back 20-win seasons and a pair of league titles.

Peel is the first Mansfield female basketball player to be named Player of the Year, but third overall, joining Mike Boen and Rocky DeAndrade. She is the third female athlete from Mansfield to win this award in her respective sport, adding to Caroline Maher (field hockey) and Hannah Reiter (soccer). Peel is also the third Kelley-Rex player to be selected and second in a row, following Attleboro’s Emily Houle (2016) and North Attleboro’s Meg Ronaghan (2013).

Honorable Mentions: Sarah Deyo (Attleboro), Ashley Sampson (Foxboro), Kayla Raymond (Oliver Ames)

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards


Jen PeelJen Peel – Mansfield – Guard
Mansfield senior guard Jen Peel wrapped up a record-breaking career by leading the Hornets to back-to-back league titles for the first time in program history and to the Div. 1 South final. Peel became the program’s all-time leader in assist with a record 146 this winter and also averaged 13.1 points per game, as the Hornets went 15-1 in the league for the second year in a row. The HockomockSports.com Player of the Year (see above) also had 67 steals and finished with a program-best 211. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Jen had a great career and statistically ranks as one of the best players in school history.”

 


Ashley SampsonAshley Sampson – Foxboro – Guard
Foxboro junior guard Ashley Sampson continued her improvement as the focal point of the Warriors’ offensive attack, helping Foxboro to a Davenport division crown, a Div. 2 South title, and a trip to the TD Garden. Sampson averaged 19.1 points per game this year, scoring in double figures in all but one game, and added 7.2 rebounds and 3.4 steals per game. She was selected as the Hockomock League MVP and scored her 1,000th career point at the TD Garden. Foxboro coach Lisa Downs said, “Ash actually exceeded my expectations of her this season – with each game, with each win, with each successful showing…she emerged as a leader every time she stepped on the court.”

 


Kayla RaymondKayla Raymond – Oliver Ames – Forward
Oliver Ames junior forward Kayla Raymond came into the season with high expectations after emerging as a unique talent during OA’s run to the Div. 2 South title in 2016 and she lived up to those high standards this winter. She averaged more than 15 points, while shooting 56 percent from inside the arc, and five rebounds per game and added more than two blocks per game as well, helping the Tigers take third place in their first year in the Kelley-Rex division. As one opposing coach said of Raymond this year, “She’s a junior, she’s only going to get better. She’s a great kid and makes her team better.”

 


Sarah DeyoSarah Deyo – Attleboro – Forward
Attleboro senior forward Sarah Deyo was an honorable mention for Player of the Year for the second year running, an example of the consistency that she displayed over her career. Deyo was a double-double machine for the Bombardiers this season, being among the league’s top scorers and averaging more than 10 rebounds per game. A four-year varsity player, Deyo eclipsed the 1,000-point mark this year and finished as the top female scorer in Attleboro history and third all-time. Attleboro coach Rick Patch said, “She does a lot of little things and she’s worked hard for that since elementary school. It’s great for her to see her hard work pay off.”

 


Meg HillMeg Hill – Mansfield – Forward
Mansfield junior center Meg Hill continued her development as one of the top post players in the league during her third season on varsity. Hill averaged 12 points per game, while shooting 57 percent from the floor and 73 percent from the line. In addition, she pulled down 272 rebounds, which moved her into second on the all-time list, and had 102 blocks. Hill is the program’s all-time leader in blocks with 293, which leads by 125, and is tied for the program lead with 333 made field goals and still has one more season to play. Showing her versatility, Hill also had 32 assists and 30 steals for the Kelley-Rex champions.

 


2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards


Kate IrwinKate Irwin – Milford – Guard
Milford junior Kate Irwin continued her progress as one of the most dynamic perimeter scorers in the league and helped the Hawks reach the postseason for the first time since 2012 and nearly pull off a road upset of Marlboro in Div. 2 Central. The talented lefty averaged 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game this season and showed off her range by knocking down 45 threes this winter. She scored a total of 335 points as a junior. Milford coach T.J. Dolliver said, “Kate was the leader of our offense and plays with a lot of emotion. She is a pleasure to coach and I am very proud of the player that she has become.”

 


Lily SykesLily Sykes – Foxboro – Guard
Foxboro junior guard Lily Sykes has been a three-year varsity player and this season took a step up to become one of the top perimeter players in the league on both ends of the floor. Sykes scored 228 points this year, 11 times reaching double digits, and knocked down a team-high 45 threes. She also pulled down 4.1 rebounds, despite being only 5-foot-4, and grabbed 3.6 steals while committing only 1.6 fouls per game. Foxboro coach Lisa Downs said, “Lily is simply a coach’s dream; her tenacity on defense paired with her speed and perimeter shooting make her a difficult player for me to have off the court.”

 


Julia StrachanJulia Strachan – Attleboro – Guard
One of the best pure shooters in the Hockomock League, Attleboro senior Julia Strachan made good use of her one full season with the Bombardiers as one of the main cogs in the top offense in the league. Coming off an injury that forced her to miss her junior season, Strachan averaged more than 15 points per game, including a 30-point night against Sharon in which she hit 10-of-11 from three-point range. Attleboro coach Rick Patch said, “She likes to shoot the ball, she’s very good at it and she feels like she can’t be stopped. That’s a kid who wants to win and who is an offensive threat inside and out.”

 


Val WhalenVal Whalen – Stoughton – Forward
Stoughton junior forward Val Whalen led the Black Knights in scoring and rebounding this winter and helped lead a young roster to within one win of reaching the state tournament. Whalen regularly pulled down double-doubles and finished the season averaging 13 points and nine rebounds per game for Stoughton, while also being a strong defender on the post. She was named the team MVP. Stoughton coach Charmaine Steele Jordan said, “It has been so great to see how Val’s game has grown from her sophomore to junior year. She competes every night on every play. Her work ethic and toughness really fueled us this season.”

 


Ali BrighamAli Brigham – Franklin – Center
Franklin freshman center Ali Brigham made an impressive impact in her first season with the Panthers and became one of the top post players in the league during her rookie campaign. The HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year (see below) scored 236 points, pulled down 237 rebounds, and had 56 blocks, helping a young Franklin team bounce back from an 0-6 start to get within one win of making the tournament. Franklin coach John Leighton said, “Ali came in and made an immediate impact as a freshman. She led us in most defensive statistics and her ability to block shots and rebound really limited what opponents could do.”

 


2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards


Samantha TaggartSamantha Taggart – North Attleboro – Guard
North Attleboro senior guard Samantha Taggart rose to the occasion this season for the Rocketeers when her backcourt classmate Ashley Ahern went down with an injury. Taggart picked up her scoring numbers and was the primary ball-handler, as North came within one game of a league title and reached the Div. 2 South semifinal. She averaged eight points, three rebounds, and three assists per game for the Rocketeers and was a calming influence for North on the court. North Attleboro coach Derek Herber said, “Samantha was the key offensive piece for our team this year, her ability to handle the ball as well as shoot from outside made her invaluable.”

 


Ann MaherAnn Maher – Mansfield – Guard
Mansfield junior guard Ann Maher emerged this winter as an important third scorer and defensive stopper for the Kelley-Rex division champion Hornets. Maher, who was selected as the HockomockSports.com Defensive Player of the Year (see below), averaged 8.6 points per game and knocked down 56 threes. She set a record when she hit eight from beyond the arc in one game. She also had 77 rebounds and 43 assists this year, while being a lockdown defender on the other end of the floor. Mansfield coach Mike Redding said, “Without a doubt, her defense in several of our games is the difference between winning and losing.”

 


Shannon O'ConnorShannon O’Connor – King Philip – Guard
King Philip sophomore guard Shannon O’Connor was the standout scorer for the Warriors this season, but also showed an all-around game that put her among the team leaders in most categories. O’Connor averaged more than 12 points per game, including a career-high 23 against Framingham, as well as six rebounds, four assists, and three steals per game as part of a very young KP roster that continues to grow. O’Connor was also selected as an All-Star by the Hockomock League coaches. King Philip coach Martin Crowley said, “Shannon is the real deal, she is a tireless worker who makes everyone around her better.”

 


Hannah JerrierHannah Jerrier – Canton – Forward
Canton junior forward Hannah Jerrier became one of the league’s best and most consistent post scorers this winter with a team-high 16.5 points per game, including nine times topping 20 points. Jerrier also averaged 9.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game and 10 times this season recorded a double-double. She was selected as a Hockomock All-Star by the league’s coaches. Canton coach Jim Choquette said, “Hannah has an incredible impact on our team and our program. She leads mostly by example and is the perfect player that has defined how hard work, passion and desire can create one of the top players in our league.”

 


Caroline CollardCaroline Collard – North Attleboro – Forward
North Attleboro senior forward Caroline Collard showed off an array of skills in the post this season to be a force on both ends of the court for the Rocketeers, helping North come within a game of a league title and make a run to the Div. 2 South semifinal. Collard scored more than 10 points per game, pulled down more than eight rebounds and also totaled 44 blocks for the season. She also made the game-winning free throws to seal the comeback against Duxbury. North Attleboro coach Derek Herber said, “Caroline Collard was our best rebounder and interior defender who also gave us a matchup advantage in the post because of her shooting ability.”

 


2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards
Franklin sophomore center Ali Brigham has been named the 2017 HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Underclassman of the Year; the fifth season that this award has been given out to the top freshman or sophomore in the league. Brigham is the first Franklin player, first center, and the first freshman to earn this award.

Over the course of her freshman season, Brigham was an imposing figure in the paint for the Panthers on both ends of the court. She scored 236 points, while pulling down 237 rebounds and blocking 56 shots for a young Panthers team that bounced back from an 0-6 start to come within one win of reaching the state tournament.

“Franklin had a lot of turnover in its roster and took a little while to get going, but with Ali in the middle there was a foundation on which to build,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “Ali’s footwork on the block and her touch on the offensive side of the floor is rare for such a young post player.”

As Brigham improved over the course of the season, so did the Panthers. Franklin went on a 9-3 run to get its record back to .500 and in the process picked up wins against Oliver Ames, Attleboro, and league champion Mansfield, which was the only league loss for the Hornets this season.

Franklin coach John Leighton said of Brigham, “Ali came in and made an immediate impact as a freshman. Through the year, Ali worked tirelessly to become a stronger offensive player. She has great vision and is a selfless player.”

He added, “I am thrilled to have three more seasons with Ali and excited to see her develop into the special player she is capable of becoming.”

Brigham is the third Kelley-Rex player to win this award and the first to win as a freshman. She joins fellow Kelley-Rex players Caroline Maher of Mansfield and Sarah Deyo of Attleboro in having won this honor.

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

Mady Bendanillo, Mansfield – Bendanillo, a sophomore guard, emerged as strong ball-handler, defender, and prolific rebounder (more than five rebounds per game) for the Hornets, while scoring 4.7 points per game.

Shyanne Trinh, Stoughton – Trinh, a freshman guard, had a breakout season as a rookie, scoring more than 10 points per game for a young Black Knights squad that came within one win of the postseason.

Shannon O’Connor, King Philip – O’Connor built on her strong freshman campaign by averaging more than 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals for the Warriors, including a career-high 23 points against Framingham.

Emma Eberhardt, Sharon – Eberhardt continued her development as a strong wing scorer for the Eagles, averaging more than 14 points per game despite being the focal point of opposition defenses.

Ali Brigham, Franklin – Brigham earned Underclassman of the Year after as strong rookie season that saw her become a potential double-double every night and helped the Panthers get within one game of reaching the tournament.


2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards
Mansfield junior guard Ann Maher has been named the 2017 HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Defensive Player of the Year. Maher is the fourth player to earn this honor in the six seasons it has been awarded and the third straight from Mansfield, following Jackie Carchedi, who won it in 2015 and 2016.

Maher stepped right into the spot that Carchedi left last year and instantly became the Hornets top on-the-ball defensive presence, despite taking on the top scorers in the Hockomock League night in and night out. Maher set notice that she was going to be tough to score against by holding league MVP Ashley Sampson scoreless in the Hockomock opener and consistently caused problems when paired up against other prolific scorers like Attleboro’s Julia Strachan.

“Ann was not dominating games with athleticism but with brains, positioning, and ability to read the game,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “She was tenacious and never allowed her players to have a moment to breathe. Most of the time, the player she was guarding had to work so hard just to get the ball that scoring was even more difficult.”

Mansfield coach Mike Redding said of Maher, “She is athletic and tough, but she also had a great ability to anticipate what players were trying to do and she always seemed to be one step ahead of them. Without a doubt, her defense in several of our games is the difference between winning and losing.”

Maher is the third Kelley-Rex player to win this award in its six seasons, joining Carchedi and Franklin’s Tracy Pisani. She is also the third junior to win this award, along with Carchedi and Stoughton’s Nicole Daniels, both of whom went on to win the award again as seniors.

2017 HockomockSports Girls Basketball Awards

Abby Reardon, Oliver Ames – Reardon, a junior guard, is a tenacious on-the-ball defender, who spearheaded Oliver Ames’ defensive efforts with 23 steals and constant pressure on the perimeter.

Ann Maher, Mansfield – Maher, the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, was the standout perimeter defender for the Hornets, who went into the Div. 1 South final as the top defensive team in the Hock.

Emily Schromm, North Attleboro – Schromm, one of five senior starters for North, was regularly tasked with guarding the opposition’s top perimeter scorers and tirelessly worked to limit touches and force tough shots.

Lauren Flahive, Foxboro – Flahive was one of the underrated reasons for Foxboro’s run to a Div. 2 South title, adding solid defense at several positions and strong rebounding for the league’s top defensive team.

Meg Hill, Mansfield – Hill has already set a new program record for blocks as a junior and is likely to break the rebounding record next year as well, providing the Hornets with a dominating presence in the middle.


Coach of the Year – Mike Redding, Mansfield

Mike ReddingMansfield head coach Mike Redding has been named the 2017 HockomockSports.com Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. This is the sixth year that the award has been handed out and Redding is the first Kelley-Rex division coach to receive the award, although Elaine Clement-Holbrook of Oliver Ames won it twice when the Tigers were in the Davenport, including last year.

Redding guided the Hornets to a second straight league title, the first back-to-back titles in program history, and to the top seed in Div. 1 South. The Hornets have gone 30-2 in the Hockomock League over the past two seasons, have reached three straight Div. 1 South semifinals, and this year reached the sectional final.

This season, Mansfield achieved its success with a roster loaded with underclassmen and only two seniors. Despite the roster turnover and the youth in the program, this was one of the most successful seasons in program history and Mansfield finished second in the league in points allowed (the Hornets led until the South final against Braintree).

“Coming into the season, Mansfield was young and athletic but no one was sure what to expect,” said HockomockSports.com Managing Editor Josh Perry. “Mike made the decision to take Jen Peel off the ball, got the players to buy in on the defensive side of the court, and found ways to use the team’s versatility and depth to wear down opponents all season long.”

Redding is the first male coach to be named Girls Basketball Coach of the Year, following Clement-Holbrook, Stoughton’s Janet Sullivan, Sharon’s Kate Horsmann, and Foxboro’s Lisa Downs.

Honorable Mentions: Lisa Downs (Foxboro), Derek Herber (North Attleboro), T.J. Dolliver (Milford)