Category: Boys Lacrosse

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview
By HockomockSports.com Staff

2021 Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Preview

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only teams that responded to HockomockSports.com with information regarding their team and the upcoming season are listed in this year’s preview.

Attleboro

2019 Record: 4-14
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Kevin Patton

Attleboro is a young program and, after the two-year break, also has a young roster, but the Bombardiers have a group of experienced players to lean on at both ends of the field to try and build on the four wins from 2019.

Senior Michael Strachan will lead the Attleboro attack and he’s joined up top by junior Keigan Conley, who played two years ago as a freshman, and sophomore Carter Shelton. In the midfield, senior Dan White and Matt Perry will be joined by junior Ryan Betts. Attleboro has a lot of depth in the midfield with juniors Chad Beaupin and Seth LaPlaca and senior Elijah Turner, who has transferred in from Xaverian. Junior Freddy Wheaton and senior goalie William Runey will be the leaders on the defensive side of the ball. Wheaton’s brother John and freshman Bobby Sawyer will also jump in on defense. Senior Jack Nagy and freshmen Ethan Lyons and Shane Evans will also see action in defense this season. Freshman Harry Wheaton will be the backup goalie this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“After missing last season due to pandemic, our team (like all others in the league) is young,” said Attleboro coach Kevin Patton. “However, we do have a lot of varsity experience on the team from returning players. This coupled with leadership from our captains has me excited for the season.”

Canton

2019 Record: 12-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South Quarterfinal
Interim Coach: Tommy Galvin

 

Canton came close to winning its third league title in program history in 2019, finishing just a game back of Foxboro, and now the Bulldogs return a veteran spine for the new coaching staff to build around. With a few exciting newcomers, especially in attack, Canton could be ready to challenge for its third title in the past eight seasons.

Experience will be key for the defensive unit. Senior goalie Dylan Coyne provides a big frame and a tough, physical presence in goal. In front of him, senior Jack Albert is a strong on-the-ball defender and freshman LSM Colin Blake should be able to step right in and make an impact. Canton is hoping to limit the transition game and use its strength to keep the opposition away from goal. Senior midfielder Jeff Fitzpatrick is strong on the faceoff ‘X’ and can jump into the attack. Junior Sam Carlino has been explosive through the first two games, with 12 goals already, and he leads a relatively young attacking crew. Sophomore attacker Jeff Chaput and freshman midfielder Brendan Tourgee should contribute to Canton’s offense right away.

“We have a mix of veteran players and new players and I am very excited to see what this group can accomplish this year,” said Canton interim coach Tommy Galvin. “We have great leadership and are a gritty team who plays until the final whistle.”




Foxboro

2019 Record: 12-7
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Matt Noone

Foxboro is in search of a three-peat of Davenport division titles, but the Warriors will also be looking to the future with a relatively young and inexperienced roster. There are only three seniors on the roster this season, so underclassmen will be getting the chance to contribute right away at both ends of the field.

Senior Nick Penders has been on varsity since his freshman season and will be an important contributor both at the faceoff ‘X’ and in the attack. He will be joined in the midfield by classmate Max Biegel, whose athleticism makes him a factor on offense and defense. Junior Tommy Sharkey, sophomore Finn Stapleton, and freshman Tony Sulham will round out the midfield unit. At the back, senior Paul Andrews will add leadership once he returns from a football injury. Junior Jack Avery saw some time as a freshman and he’ll get help in the attack from sophomore Conor Noone and freshman Lincoln Moore. Juniors Dylan Kerrigan and Ben Ricketts will lead the defensive corps until Andrews returns and freshman Adam Addeche will continue a family legacy as he steps in at goal.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

“Right now we are shaking a lot of rust off,” said Foxboro coach Matt Noone. “We are young, but we will be tough! I look forward to this young team as they grow and come together.”

Franklin

2019 Record: 18-3
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South Semifinal
Coach: Lou Verrochi

Franklin has developed not only into a league power, having won the outright Kelley-Rex division title in each of the past five seasons, but is showing that it can compete with the top programs in the state. In 2019, the Panthers reached the South semifinal and lost by just one to perennial power Duxbury. This year’s team expects to be just as skilled and athletic as usual with sights set on another league crown.

The centerpiece of the Franklin attack will be senior Matt Lazzaro, an All-American in 2019, and he will be partnered up top by sophomore Luke Davis, whose brothers Will (goalie) and Jake (attacker) are both playing college, and sophomore Jayden Consigli, who moved from Northbridge. The midfield is loaded with athletes, including Owen Kielty, Joe Consigli, Tim Walsh, and Mike Griffin. Zach Harvey will lead the defensive unit along with Ben Harvey and Kyle Palmieri. Senior Jack Maguire will step in between the pipes with freshman Matt Corvi also ready to jump in and play goal when needed. Justin Alexander will be taking faceoffs, following in the footsteps of his brother Jacob who was the league MVP in 2019.

“We have a very competitive group of lacrosse athletes this year,” said Franklin coach Lou Verrochi. “We are looking forward to see what this group can do during our Hock schedule and hopefully advance in the state tournament.”

Mansfield

2019 Record: 8-10
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 1 South First Round
Coach: Tim Frias

Mansfield reached the postseason in 2019 only to have to face Franklin in the first round. With 10 seniors returning this spring, the Hornets will be hoping to lean on their experience to challenge the Panthers in the race for the Kelley-Rex division crown and get playing time for a large and talented sophomore class getting its first taste of varsity action.

The Hornets should have the speed to burn and plenty of aggressive play in the middle of the field with seniors Nico Holmes, Ethan Bruce, and Joe Gormley. Seniors Thomas Norton, Jake Quirk, and Dylan Morris will give Mansfield some versatility and dynamism in the attacking zone. Seniors Ben Johnston, Frankie Kennedy, and Ben Tatusko will be the leaders in the defensive corps. Sophomore Ryan DeGirolamo will step into the cage and anchor the defense.

“There are a number of key young players we look at to play an integral part in this year’s team,” said Mansfield coach Tim Frias. “Our strength will be speed and size.”

North Attleboro

2019 Record: 10-8
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 Central/East Quarterfinal
Coach: Kevin Young

North Attleboro finished a game out of first in 2019 and now two years later the Rocketeers will be looking to take that next step and snatch back the Davenport division title from Foxboro. North has a good blend of experience and new faces, strength in defense, and dynamic attackers to challenge for the league title this year.

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Defense is going to be a key for the Rocketeers. Senior Tyler Sarro has been a starter since his freshman year and the St. Michael’s-commit is going to be the leader in the defensive end of the field. Senior LSM Sam Gugliotta will add more experience at the back, while Eric Hobbs and James Brennan look ready to step into bigger roles. In the attack, juniors Matt Antonetti, Connor Rupert, and Clayton Billingkoff will try to build on the experience they had as freshmen to shoulder the scoring load this season. Midfielder Jared Vacher is going to step in at the faceoff ‘X’ and North has a pair of new goalies, Ethan McGrath and JT Gallagher, who have had solid preseasons and look ready to compete at this level.

“COVID has hit all sports hard,” said North coach Kevin Young. “We are focusing on getting all players ready to step into any role. It will be a challenging year but, we’re glad to be back.”




Oliver Ames

2019 Record: 14-5
2019 Finish: Reached Div. 2 South First Round
Coach: Ben Devlin

Oliver Ames won 14 games in 2019 and finished tied with King Philip for second in the Kelley-Rex division, but two years later only one player from that team is back as the Tigers look to make noise in the Davenport. Despite its inexperience, the Tigers will be hoping that the underclassmen can step in and help OA challenge for a league title.

The lone player with varsity experience is senior attacker Remi Creighton. One of the league’s most creative players, Creighton had 60 points as a sophomore and will be the spearhead of OA’s attack. Seniors Doug Oliveira and Ross Carroll will also add to the offensive punch and sophomore attacker Ben Reardon will make his varsity debut this season. Juniors Wyatt Frichtman and Wes Tower will both step in after a year with JV in 2019. Senior Brendan Cross and Michael Branagan will be joined on defense by sophomore Jake Manthous and freshman LSM Landon Grothe. Sophomore Noah Isleib and junior Cam Tower will battle for the starting goalie spot.

“It’s tough to replace what OA lax graduated last year,” said OA coach Ben Devlin. “We now have a lot of kids that haven’t played together before and many who haven’t played a lacrosse game in over two years. We’ll be focused on getting these guys on the same page and working off some rust while incorporating a lot of young players.”

Sharon

2019 Record: 7-11
2019 Finish: Missed postseason
Coach: Jon Shocket

Sharon has a team loaded with upperclassmen this season and, despite missing last spring, the Eagles are hoping that experience will carry them up the standings to challenge Foxboro at the top of the Davenport division.

The Eagles will be hoping to bolster the attack this season, led by senior Drew Litner, who played a part in more than half of the team’s goals as a sophomore. Junior Brady Daylor will be taking on a bigger role in the midfield this season and his classmate Ben Shocket could be ready for a breakout season on the faceoff ‘X’ after being third in the league in faceoff wins as a freshman. Defensively, senior Shea Letendre will be the vocal leader and senior Adam Rabb is back in goal to anchor things at that end of the field.

“We’re very excited about the upcoming season,” said Sharon coach Jon Shocket. “We have several returning starters with a majority of our team seniors and juniors.”

2021 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse Preview

Boys Lacrosse: Ten Players to Watch for 2021

Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Players to Watch 2021
Franklin senior attacker Matt Lazzaro will be one of the players to watch at the start of the new boys lacrosse season. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

By HockomockSports.com Staff

Players are listed alphabetically

Dylan Coyne, Senior – Canton

The Bulldogs will have a new coaching staff this season and a lot of new players who weren’t part of the 2019 team that came within a game of winning their first league title since 2015, but Coyne will be a familiar face in the Canton goal. As a sophomore, Coyne jumped in the cage and stopped more than 57% of the shots he faced, good for fourth-best in the league. He allowed only 7.4 goals per game and made 180 saves. With good size and agility, it’s hard to find a lot of open space to shoot at him and Coyne has good reflexes to stop shots from close range. With a lot of roster turnover, Canton will be counting on its goalie to provide a foundation for a league title run.

Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Players to Watch

Remi Creighton, Senior – Oliver Ames

Oliver Ames has made great strides in recent seasons and won 14 games in 2019. While most of the core of that team has graduated, Creighton was one of the top playmakers two years ago and will be a spark plug for the Tigers in attack this spring. Quick, athletic, and creative in front of goal, Creighton scored 21 times and led the team with 37 assists in 2019. He has an eye for a shot but also uses his ability to beat defenders to open up scoring chances for his teammates. OA is moving to the Davenport division this spring and will be hoping to make a run at a league title and the Tigers will be relying on Creighton’s dynamism to push them over the top.

Luke Davis, Sophomore – Franklin

 

The Panthers are definitely a program that reloads rather than rebuilds and it seems like each spring there are new underclassmen ready to step in and become stars. Davis looks to be the next attacker to continue that tradition. Davis has made an immediate impact. In his debut, he scored six goals and showed off the combination of quickness, stick skills, shot strength and accuracy, and willingness to combine with his fellow attackers that made his brother Jake a standout too. Franklin enters every season with the expectation of being the top team in the Kelley-Rex division and bringing in new faces like Davis every season makes it easier to meet those lofty goals.




Evan Hazard, Senior – Milford

Milford will face a new challenge this season with the move to the Kelley-Rex division and the Hawks will be hoping that Hazard can continue to be one of the league’s top-performing goalies to stay competitive. Hazard allowed more than 12 goals per game as a sophomore in 2019, but also led the Hockomock with 244 saves. The University of New England-commit stopped more than 55% of the shots he faced, putting him in the top half of Hock goalies. Hazard can expect to be busy again this spring, especially with two games against high-scoring Franklin, but he will give the Hawks confidence that he can stand up to the barrage and keep things close in most games.

Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Players to Watch

Matt Lazzaro, Senior – Franklin

Two years ago, Lazzaro broke out as one of the league’s top scorers, racking up more than 100 points and helping Franklin to another league title. He was named a first-team All-American after scoring 59 goals and dishing out 48 assists, more than tripling his 30 points as a freshman. The Penn State commit showed that he had the lethal combo of being able to score at will but also be unselfish and find openings for his teammates. He also had big games against the best opponents, including a six-goal, three-assist performance against defending state champ BC High. This spring, Lazzaro will be the focal point of the Panthers’ attack and looks ready to put up even bigger numbers for the Kelley-Rex favorites.

Drew Litner, Senior – Sharon

Even though he was just a sophomore in 2019, Litner was the primary playmaker for the Sharon attack, accounting for more than half of the team’s goals. The Rhodes College-commit had a breakout season with 32 goals and a team-high 43 assists. His 75 points were the eighth-best in the league. Quick, shifty, and with a low center of gravity that makes it hard for defenders to stay in front or get clean stick checks on him, Litner showed a lot of creativity around the cage. Sharon will be hoping to make a move up the standings and challenge Foxboro for the Davenport division crown this spring and Litner’s ability to score and set up goals will be crucial to the Eagles reaching that objective.

Sam Mattson, Senior – King Philip

King Philip comes into a new season hoping this will be the year that the Warriors can unseat Franklin from the top of the Kelley-Rex and one of the players that KP will be counting on is Mattson. The team’s top returning scorer, Mattson had a strong sophomore season with 22 goals and 10 assists from the KP midfield. The UMass-commit brings plenty of size and strength on both ends of the field and the Warriors will be hoping for a breakout spring from a player who has already shown the ability to make big plays in big games. If KP is hoping to win its first league title since 2014, then Mattson and others will have to step into bigger roles this season.




Nick Penders, Senior – Foxboro

The Warriors will be very young this spring, as they try to make it a three-peat of Davenport division titles. Penders is one of only three seniors on this year’s roster and the midfielder will play a key role in leading Foxboro’s attack. With good size, and strength, Penders will be a tough presence on the face-off ‘X’ and he will also be expected to take on a bigger role in creating scoring opportunities for an offensive unit that has talent but lacks varsity experience. Foxboro is a perennial favorite to bring home a league title and, even with a youthful look, this year will be no different. Penders and his fellow seniors will have to provide the on-field leadership to fend off the other teams in the division who will be aiming to take Foxboro’s spot at the top of the standings.

Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Players to Watch

Jake Quirk, Senior – Mansfield

One of several seniors who got significant playing time as sophomores in 2019, Quirk will be one of Mansfield’s top attackers this season. The leading scorer from the 2019 team, which reached the first round of the playoffs only to be matched up against Franklin, Quirk scored 18 goals and had a team-high 17 assists. The athletic playmaker will be counted on to help the Hornets try to improve their offensive output this spring and could be poised for a breakout year in the attack. Quirk is one of 10 seniors on this year’s roster and Mansfield will be hoping that experience can help mount a challenge to the Panthers’ control of the Kelley-Rex division title.

Tyler Sarro, Senior – North Attleboro

North Attleboro has relied on a strong defense to compete for the Davenport division title every season. In 2019, the Rocketeers allowed only 133 goals in 18 games and finished just a game behind Foxboro in the standings. Sarro, a senior defender and St. Michael’s-commit, will be the leader of North’s defensive corps this spring. During a strong sophomore season, Sarro showed the ability to mark up some of the league’s top attackers. His quick hands and accurate checks make him tough to beat one-on-one and he is a vocal presence at the back, keeping everyone in the right spots. North will be leaning on its experienced defense again this season as it looks to unseat Foxboro as Davenport champ.

Hockomock Boys Lacrosse Players to Watch

2019 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse All Stars

Below are the official 2019 Hockomock League Boys Lacrosse All Stars, selected by the coaches in the league.

Hockomock League MVP

Jacob Alexander, Franklin

Hockomock League All Stars

Trevor Koppy, Attleboro
Brendan Albert, Canton
Griffin Roach, Canton
Thomas Vaughan, Canton
Patrick Stapleton, Foxboro
Brendan Tully, Foxboro
Will Davis, Franklin
Patrick Morrison, Franklin
Jacob Alexander, Franklin
Nitin Chaudhury, Franklin
Benjamin Kolb, Franklin
Will Harvey, Franklin
Jake Davis, Franklin
Matthew Lazzaro, Franklin
Wes Bishop, King Philip
Chris Longobardi, King Philip
Colin DeVellis, King Philip
Aidan Sacco, Mansfield
Ryan Hazard, Milford
Brett Labonte, North Attleboro
Andy DeMattio, North Attleboro
Shane Murphy, Oliver Ames
Shane Kilkelly, Oliver Ames

Canton Comeback Comes Up Short in Quarterfinal

Canton boys lacrosse
Brendan Clifford (8) celebrates a fourth quarter goal by the Bulldogs, who battled back from seven goals down to get back within one before Plymouth South put the game away. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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CANTON, Mass. – Midway through the third quarter of Wednesday evening’s Div. 2 South quarterfinal at WWII Memorial Field, Canton was stuck in neutral. The Bulldogs were struggling to get and keep hold of the ball and trailed by seven against Plymouth South. After scoring only one goal in more than 30 minutes of game action, it felt like summer was about to begin for the hosts.

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Goals can change games and the Bulldogs started clawing their way back. Four goals in the final 4:08 of the third, including two in the final 17 seconds, got Canton close and two more on a man-up to start the fourth made it a one-goal game with nine minutes left.

Unfortunately, putting together a comeback like that can wear a team out and the Bulldogs simply ran out of gas down the stretch, as the Panthers grabbed momentum back and closed out an 11-8 victory to reach the sectional semifinal.

“We have a good team and a lot of character,” Canton coach Bill Bendell said, “so I wasn’t surprised that we came back, but it’s still hard to do.”

Canton (12-8) fell behind early in the game, as the Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening two minutes. The Bulldogs cut the lead in half with 3:18 left in the quarter, catching the visitors in transition. Brendan Albert galloped forward after a turnover and he picked out Tommy Vaughan or a quick-release rip to make it 2-1.

The Bulldogs were struggling to break down the Plymouth South defense and get near the cage, settling for a number of outside shots that Panthers goalie Paul Hasenfus was able to corral.

 

In the second quarter, Plymouth South took control of the ball and the game. Canton struggled at the face-off ‘X’ and struggled to contain sophomore attacker Matt Smith, who scored twice and assisted on another in the second. When the Bulldogs did get a rare possession, they looked rushed and either took the first shot they got or rushed passes that led to turnovers.

“When we got the ball, we had players that wanted to go right to the cage and we actually need to give those guys a break on defense, so let’s possess,” Bendell explained. “That’s hard, especially in the emotions of the game.”

He added, “They jumped on us right away. They made some good plays early and their face-off kid was a beast. We couldn’t win a face-off early and we tried a lot of different things.”

Plymouth South scored five times in the quarter and it seemed like the pressure was unrelenting. That continued in the third, as the visitors kept the ball for long stretches and then added another goal with a little under six minutes to play in the quarter as Smith connected with Matt Daley.

It looked like the game was lost for Canton, but then a mistake by the Panthers at the back allowed the hosts to get one back. Griffin Roach was in the right place to take advantage of a loose ball right on the edge of the crease and he put it away. Three minutes later, Roach beat his marker with a spin to his right hand and fired a bullet into the top corner to make it 8-3.

The visitors were still comfortably ahead until a flurry at the end of the third. Dan Cohen picked the far corner on the run to the right, shooting across his body, to make it a four-goal game with 17 seconds on the clock. The Bulldogs got a rare possession on the face-off, as Nick Mackay scooped a ground ball and started a lightning-quick break, with the ball flowing through Andrew Canto to Vaughan for a goal just before the buzzer.

“I thought Dan Cohen’s goal was big,” said Belndell when asked about moments that sparked his team’s comeback. “That was a senior making a play, which was awesome.”

In the last second of the third, Plymouth South was hit with a three-minute, locked-in penalty. Canton came out for the fourth patiently working the ball around, but it was after a Panthers steal that the Bulldogs got a goal. A poor pass over the head of the goalie was picked off by Vaughan and he finished into the empty net.

Thirty seconds later, David Allen swung the pass around to Canto on the left side and he went five-hole from an acute angle to get the Bulldogs within one with 9:32 on the clock.

Although the Bulldogs scored twice with the man-up, Bendell admitted that they may have not taken full advantage of the opportunity. “You can’t say we didn’t capitalize, because we did,” he said, “but it would’ve been nice to just add on.”

After winning the face-off, the Panthers used up a couple of minutes before Smith got back on the score sheet whipping a shot into the corner while being hit. Three minutes later, Daley added another to get the visitors back up by three. Roach opened up space for another Vaughan rocket to make it 10-8, but the Panthers sealed the win with 1:55 left.

“A man-up early, we had the right plan but we weren’t all on the same page,” said Bendell about the things that put the Bulldogs in the hole that they nearly climbed out of. “They shut down Tommy, which is something we talked about and practiced but didn’t execute and those type of little things ended up hurting us late.”

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Franklin Powers Past Mansfield in Playoff Opener

Franklin boys lacrosse
Matt Lazzaro (4) goes behind his back to score one of his seven goals on Tuesday night in a big win over league rival Mansfield in the tournament opener. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

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FRANKLIN, Mass. – Franklin entered the postseason with just two losses (both in double overtime) and with its highest-ever seed (No. 2). The Panthers rolled through a perfect league campaign, going 10-0 in the Hockomock, while compiling both the league’s best attack and its stingiest defense.

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So, all the pressure was definitely on the Panthers when they opened up the state tournament at Pisini Stadium on Tuesday night against division rival Mansfield. The Hornets were playing with house money, having won the final three games of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs and having lost to Franklin by 20 goals a month ago.

When Jake DiSangro scored with just under six minutes left to go in the opening quarter, cutting the Franklin lead to 2-1, the Hornets bench exploded and there was a fleeting moment where an upset seemed possible.

But, the Panthers responded with two goals in 29 seconds and rattled off seven straight goals to close out the quarter with a 9-1 lead. Franklin never looked back, going up by 14 at halftime, and, despite Mansfield scoring the game’s final five goals, comfortably advancing to the second round with a 19-8 victory.

The combination of junior attackers Jake Davis and Ben Greco and sophomore Matt Lazzaro proved especially potent again for the Panthers on Tuesday. Greco and Lazzaro are cousins and Verrochi said they refer to Davis as “the third cousin.” That familiarity was on display as they combined for 16 of the team’s 19 goals and added 11 assists as well.

“They’ve been playing together since they were young kids,” Verrochi said of his attacking trio. “They just really respect one another and they just do a real nice job moving the ball. It’s just fun to watch when they’re on.”

 

Davis got things going just about a minute into the game with a rip from the left side under the bar. Ninety seconds later, Greco found Lazzaro cutting through the middle and he went behind-the-back to double the early lead. DiSangro answered four minutes later with Mansfield’s first, managing to beat Franklin goalie Will Davis with a shot while being knocked to the ground.

That goal seemed to spring Franklin to life.

Jacob Alexander, the newly-selected league MVP, won the ensuing face-off and quickly got the ball to Greco, who fed Lazzaro for a goal. Mansfield’s momentum lasted all of eight seconds. Twenty-one seconds after that Greco to Lazzaro made it 4-1.

Lazzaro (seven goals and three assists) hit a cutting Davis (seven goals and two assists) not once, but twice to add to the advantage. Greco (two goals and six assists) took one himself, squeezing past the Mansfield defense and beating goalie Joe Plath (11 saves) from a tight angle. Owen Kielty took a hit but still got a lot on a shot from distance to make it 8-1 and then Nitin Chaudhury wound up in traffic for a ninth just before the end of the quarter.

“We tried to slow them down,” said Mansfield coach Tim Frias. “We implemented a zone a little bit to slow down the high-powered offense but they’re good. They’re No. 2 for a reason.”

Despite Mansfield’s switch to a zone defense, Franklin figured out ways to manufacture space and the ball movement continued to open up scoring chances.

“The kids solved the zone pretty well,” said Verrochi. “They were ball watching and we were fortunate to get some good, open looks. Ben Greco, he’s been doing it all year, our fast breaks, our unsettled situations, the kids just move the ball. This is probably the best ball movement from any team we’ve had.”

The Hornets started the second man-down, but managed to end the Panthers scoring run. Connor Quirk beat two Panthers on the far side trying to clear after a timeout and then he raced all the way on goal before tucking it away.

Chaudhury found Davis with his hands free for a rocket into the corner to get the hosts going again. Davis added a side-arm effort off a turnover and then assisted on Lazzaro’s fourth. With just under five minutes left in the half, Patrick Morrison scooped a ground ball in his defensive third and raced forward on the break to find Greco alone in front for his second. Eleven seconds later, Greco to Lazzaro worked again to make it 14-2.

Lazzaro scored his sixth and Tim Kolb got his first to put the Panthers up by 14 heading into the break. Nico Holmes won the face-off to start the third and powered towards goal, flicking a pass to Brady Kessler for the goal to make it 16-3. Davis added two more and Lazzaro one to push the lead to 19-3, Franklin’s largest of the game.

The Hornets didn’t stop at that point and they pushed to win the final 16 minutes of the game. Aidan Sacco got it started with a goal with 3:57 left in the third and, after a Holmes face-off win, Mansfield got a goal from Brian Rockwell.

Mansfield (8-9) would shut out Franklin in the fourth. Holmes got a goal straight from the face-off to start the quarter, Sacco assisted on a goal by Thomas Norton, and Holmes (two goals and two assists) completed his four-point night with a rocket from long-range.

“That’s all you can ask out of a team is play with pride,” said Frias. “In the second half it was the little things that you hope you take away and can build on that. Hopefully we will.”

Franklin (17-2) advances to take on No. 7 seed Natick on Thursday night.

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